Added sugars can sneak up on you and appear in foods where you’d never expect them. Here’s our guide on where added sugars often hide (especially on popular fast food menu items!), how to avoid added sugars, and how no added sugar items at Smoothie King can help.

Why No Added Sugar Matters

Added sugars are any sugars that are introduced during food processing, preparation, or at the table. These aren’t the sugars that occur naturally in fruits, vegetables, and milk. Considering whether what you’re eating has added sugars matters because a diet with an excess of added sugar is tied to many negative health outcomes.

The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend that added sugars make up less than 10% of daily calorie intake for people aged 2 years and older. The American Heart Association (AHA) recommends stricter limits: no added sugar for children under 2; for children over and most women, ≤ 100 calories/day; for most men, ≤ 150 calories/day from added sugar.

Here are some of the risks of excess added sugars:

• Tooth decay

• High triglycerides

• Types 2 diabetes

• Cardiovascular disease

• Non‑alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD)

• High blood pressure

• High cholesterol

• Chronic inflammation

• Less room for other needed foods in a diet

How to spot added sugars:

• Read the Nutrition Facts panel: look for “Added Sugars” (in the U.S.) to see grams per serving.

• Scan the ingredient list: sugars can be labeled many ways (sucrose, high fructose corn syrup, dextrose, fructose, maltose, etc.).

• Be aware of portion sizes: sometimes the label is per small serving, but people consume multiples.

• Compare similar products: sometimes one version is sweetened while another is not or uses lower sugar.

Sneaky Added Sugars

Added sugars are hidden in many common foods and beverages where you might not expect them.

Here are some of the places they often hide:

• Beverages: Soft drinks, sweetened tea, energy/sports drinks, and flavored waters often represent some of the largest single sources of added sugar in diets.

• Condiments and Sauces: Ketchup, BBQ sauce, sweet & sour sauce, and certain salad dressings add flavor but often include sugar.

• Breakfast Cereals and Flavored Yogurts: Many cereals that seem “healthy” or whole‑grain are sweetened and flavored yogurts also can have a lot of sugar added.

• Processed Foods: Snack bars, packaged snacks, baked goods, and soups may include added sugar to improve flavor or shelf life.

Biggest Fast Food Added Sugar Culprits

Here are some fast food menu items with lots of added sugar:

• Dunkin’ “Cereal N’ Milk” Coolatta (Small, 16 oz): ~ 84 grams of added sugar in the small size.

• McDonald’s Big Breakfast with Hotcakes: ~ 41 grams of added sugar

• Jack in the Box Chicken Teriyaki Bowl: ~ 33 grams of total sugar

• Dairy Queen — Sauced & Tossed Honey BBQ Chicken Strip Basket (6‑piece): ~ 48 grams of added sugar

Meet Smoothie King’s No Sugar Added Smoothies

At Smoothie King, we understand how important it is to be transparent and offer items with absolutely no hidden added sugars, as well as nothing on our No-No List. You’ll love the no sugar added smoothie options from our Slim, Fitness, and Wellness Blends. They taste too good to be true.

Here are some of our favorite smoothies with zero sugar added:

• Gladiator Chocolate

• Original High Protein Banana

• The Activator Recovery Blueberry Strawberry

• The Hulk Vanilla

• Gut Health Greek Pineapple Yogurt Mango

• Vegan Dark Chocolate Banana

• Power Meal Pumpkin

Enjoy Smoothies with all the benefits of no added sugar options from Smoothie King today!