Chhupa Hua Sugar
Hidden Sugars in Food
4 min read
"No Added Sugar" likha hai? Check karo — probably kisi aur naam se chhupaya hai. Companies 50+ different names use karti hain sugar ko hide karne ke liye.
The Trick:
Agar ingredients list mein sugar first hai, toh consumers avoid karenge. Solution? Sugar ko 4-5 different types mein split karo — sab neeche chale jaayenge, par total sugar same rahega!
Sugar Ke 24+ Naam
Sucrose
Regular table sugar
High Fructose Corn Syrup
HFCS
Glucose
Dextrose
Fructose
Fruit sugar
Maltose
Malt sugar
Maltodextrin
Sneaky one!
Corn Syrup
Maize syrup
Invert Sugar
Liquid sugar
Jaggery
Gur — still sugar!
Honey
Shahad — still sugar!
Agave Nectar
"Natural" sugar
Brown Sugar
Refined + molasses
Cane Sugar
Sounds fancy, same thing
Coconut Sugar
Trendy but still sugar
Date Sugar
Khajoori cheeni
Molasses
Sheera
Rice Syrup
Chawal ka syrup
Barley Malt
Jau ka malt
Evaporated Cane Juice
Fancy name for sugar
Fruit Juice Concentrate
Concentrated sugar
Dextrin
Modified starch
Caramel
Burnt sugar
Golden Syrup
Inverted sugar syrup
Treacle
British molasses
Highlighted = Most commonly found in Indian products
Worst Offenders
Maltodextrin
"Not sugar" technically, par glycemic index sugar se bhi zyada hai! Commonly found in protein powders and "health" drinks.
Fruit Juice Concentrate
Sounds natural, but it's just sugar with fruit label. "100% fruit juice" drinks often have more sugar than cola.
Jaggery/Honey in "Healthy" Products
"Made with jaggery" ≠ healthy. Gur mein trace minerals hain, par sugar content almost same hai. Marketing hai.
Quick Detection Tips
- ✓ Anything ending in "-ose" is probably sugar (glucose, fructose, sucrose)
- ✓ Any "syrup" is liquid sugar (corn syrup, rice syrup, etc.)
- ✓ "Concentrate" usually means concentrated sugar
- ✓ Multiple sugars in top 10 ingredients = sugar bomb
"No Added Sugar" Myth
"No Added Sugar" ka matlab sirf ye hai ki extra sugar nahi daala. Product naturally sugary ho sakta hai (fruit juices) ya sugar alcohols use ho sakte hain.
Mizan Tip
Ingredients list confusing hai? Sirf "Total Sugars" dekho nutrition table mein. Wo honest number hai — regardless of naam.