72�NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2025 ABASTO.COM FOODS SURPRISINGLY HIGH IN SUGAR *Tis is a condensed version of a Consumer Reports article. Visit ConsumerReports.org for the full story. By Consumer Reports T he American Heart Association says a healthy daily limit for added sugars—tho- se introduced during food processing, not the kind naturally found in fruit or dairy—is six teaspoons (25 grams) for women and nine teaspoons (36 grams) for men. But the average adult consumes about 17 teaspoons per day. Diets high in added sugars have been linked to an increased risk of weight gain and obesity, type 2 dia- betes, heart disease, and more. Here are four sneaky sources of added sugars, and tips to make them healthier. COFFEE SHOP DRINKS Cofee shop drinks can be more sugary than soda. A Star- bucks Grande (16 ounces) Vanilla Latte has 35 grams of sugar. Starbucks doesn’t list the amount of added sugars, but we estimate that about 20 grams come from the four pumps of vanilla syrup. (Each pump adds roughly 5 grams of sugar.) Te rest comes from the milk. Make it healthier: Customize your order. Ask for fewer pumps of syrup, for example. (Starbucks uses three to four pumps for most Grande drinks.) Or try them wi- thout the syrup. Also, nix the whipped cream and drizzle, which contribute sugar without much favor. VANILLA YOGURT It shows up in everything from parfaits to smoothies, but it’s not just plain yogurt with a vanilla twist. It often con- tains a hefty dose of added sugars. For example, Dannon Low-Fat Vanilla Yogurt has 14 grams in ¾ cup. Make it healthier: Add your own sweetener and a few drops of vanilla extract to plain yogurt. A teaspoon of honey, maple syrup, or brown sugar has 4 to 5 grams of sugar. Or choose yogurt with 6 grams or less per serving, such as Siggi’s Vanilla. CONDIMENTS Ketchup, barbecue sauce, and other condiments can con- tain a lot of sugar in a small serving. A tablespoon of ket- chup might have 4 grams of added sugars, while some barbecue sauces, like Sweet Baby Ray’s Original, have 8 grams. Make it healthier: Look for products with no more than 3 grams of added sugars per tablespoon and no arti- fcial sweeteners or other sugar substitutes. SORBET Fruit may be the frst ingredient on the label, and sorbet may be lower in saturated fat than ice cream, but it’s often packed with a lot more sugar. Make it healthier: For a DIY sorbet, process frozen fruit in a blender with a little dairy or plant milk. Freeze the mixture in a container before scooping it out to serve. If that preparation sounds too fussy, go for a small portion of ice cream, which can be lower in added sugars. Plus, ice cream’s fat and protein help slow the release of sugar into your bloodstream, lessening the negative efects. FOOD INDUSTRY