What's with all the sugar!!

[eginon]

You know, I never read food labels before. I'd always just kind of trusted what was on the package to tell me about the product. But being new to Atkins I think it's important to read them and make sure I really understand what I'm getting. I'm pretty shocked actually, it seems like sugar is an additive to just about every food that comes in a package. I had no idea I was eating so much of it! I suppose that many of the experienced Atkins folk will laugh at my naivety.

Which brings me around to a question for the board.

Things that I look at like salad dressing often have 0 carbs on the label but if I read the list of ingredients the top 3 almost always have sugar in them. If sugar is an ingredient how can these products be zero carbs?

Fortunately for me some of these missteps in product purchases haven't prevented me from dropping three pounds the first week! But I have been thinking that maybe I should start my own farm or something. Sugar free farm...yum yum.

[Georgiana]

Re: What's with all the sugar!!

You know, I never read food labels before. I'd always just kind of trusted what was on the package to tell me about the product. But being new to Atkins I think it's important to read them and make sure I really understand what I'm getting. I'm pretty shocked actually, it seems like sugar is an additive to just about every food that comes in a package. I had no idea I was eating so much of it! I suppose that many of the experienced Atkins folk will laugh at my naivety.

Very true. Most packaged stuff has sugar in it. That's why I make my own dressings for salad, sauces for meat, etc. and the only packaged things I buy are cheeses, yogurt, sour cream and heavy cream, sometimes canned fish/chicken, oils, butter, vinegar and spices (in Europe, I never saw spices with sugar in them). It saves the headache.

Which brings me around to a question for the board.

Things that I look at like salad dressing often have 0 carbs on the label but if I read the list of ingredients the top 3 almost always have sugar in them. If sugar is an ingredient how can these products be zero carbs?

In the US (and Canada too, I believe), products that have less than 0.5 g carbohydrate per serving can be labeled as having no carbs. So the producer can choose a serving size small enough for the carbs to appear low/zero.

As per DANDR 2002, salad dressings without added sugar and with less than 2 net carbs per tablespoon are allowed. Making your own is really easy and, imo, homemade dressings taste better too.

[susan423]

Re: What's with all the sugar!!

Don't feel bad. I've been on Atkins for a few years and I still have to read labels and still shocked at what's in certain foods. I sure don't understand why the have to mess up so many foods with sugar. Things taste so much better and fresher without sugar.

[JulieB]

Re: What's with all the sugar!!

Salad dressings are tough. I make my own Ranch dressing, because I can't find a bottled one that is sugar-free (plus, it does taste better!). I am able to get Ceasar & Blue-cheese dressings without sugar - it takes some looking though - I've pulled every bottle off the shelf at the store & read the label before finding the one without sugar.

I think it is the low-fat craze that has caused manufacturers to put so much sugar in everything - they reduce the fat then add sugar to make it taste edible. I buy a lot less packaged stuff now - my cupboards are bare because everything is in the fridge