When I was first diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes, I thought I was doing everything right. I stopped eating chocolate, biscuits, and cake. But my blood sugar was still over the place – and I couldn’t figure out why.
The truth? Sugar was still sneaking into my meals in ways I never expected. If you’re trying to lower your sugar and feel like you’re being “good” but not seeing results, these hidden sugars might be to blame.
🍶 1. Low-Fat & Fruity Yogurt
It sounds healthy, right? But many low-fat and fruity yogurts are loaded with added sugar – especially the ones with strawberry, peach, or tropical flavours. These products often use sugar or syrup to make up for the missing fat or boost the fruit taste.
👉 Tip: Check the label – some small pots have more than 3 teaspoons of sugar!
👉 Try instead: Choose plain full-fat Greek yogurt and add sweeteners and a few berries or a pinch of cinnamon for flavour.
🍅 2. Pasta Sauce & Ketchup
Store-bought sauces often sneak in sugar to boost flavor. Even ketchup is around 1 teaspoon of sugar per tablespoon!
👉 What to do: Read labels – look for “no added sugar” or under 5g total sugar per 100g.
👉 Try instead: Make your own sauce using fresh or tinned tomatoes, garlic, olive oil, and herbs – no sugar needed.
🍞 3. Brown Bread & “Wholegrain” Products
We think brown = healthy, but lots of brown bread contains added sugar and molasses to make it look more “wholesome”.
👉 Watch out: Even so-called “healthy” bread can spike your blood sugar.
👉 Try instead: Bake your own low-carb bread using psyllium husk, almond flour, or bamboo fiber – or look for low-carb loaves made for diabetics.
🥣 4. Cereal & Granola
“Healthy” cereals are often packed with sugar, dried fruit, or honey.
👉 Check for: Ingredients like “glucose”, “fructose”, or “barley malt syrup”.
👉 Try instead: Make a chia seed pudding or psyllium porridge with almond milk, your favourite sweetener, and a few berries for a blood-sugar-friendly breakfast.
🥤 5. Fruit Juice & Smoothies
Juices seem healthy but are very concentrated in sugar. Even “no added sugar” juice can spike your levels. Your body can’t tell the difference between fruit sugar and refined sugar.
👉 Tip: Eat whole fruit, which has fibre to slow the sugar spike. (Best fruits for diabetes are the berries)
👉 Try instead: Make a fruity tea using fruit-infused herbal tea or green tea, sweetened with a little stevia and a slice of lemon – it’s refreshing and guilt-free.
🍪 6. “Diabetic-Friendly” or “Sugar -Free” Snacks
Many “diabetic” or “sugar-free” snacks from the shops still raise your blood sugar – especially if they’re made with white flour, high-carb starches, or sneaky sweeteners that spike insulin or upset your stomach.
👉 Lesson: Just because it says “sugar-free” doesn’t mean it’s actually blood sugar friendly.
👉 Try instead: Make your own almond flour cookies, or 2-minute microwave cupcake.
🥡 7. Ready Meals and Takeaways
Lots of sauces in ready meals or takeout (like sweet and sour, tikka masala, or teriyaki) are loaded with sugar.
👉 Smart move: Read the nutrition label if you must buy it – but most times, it’s not worth it.
👉 Try instead: Cook at home when possible – and make extra portions. Freeze one or two servings so that when you’re tired, lazy, or just not in the mood to cook, you already have a homemade meal waiting. That way, you’re not tempted to order a sugar-loaded takeaway.
🍚 8. Rice, Pasta & Potatoes
They don’t taste sweet – but your body treats them like sugar. These starchy carbs break down fast and can cause big blood sugar spikes, especially white rice and mashed potatoes.
👉 Watch for: Big portions, especially at dinner. Even “healthy” swaps like brown rice or wholewheat pasta can cause a sugar crash later.
👉 Try instead: Swap white rice for cauliflower rice, spaghetti for courgetti, or mashed potato for mashed swede or celeriac.
✍︎ Final Thoughts:
Cutting back on sugar isn’t just about avoiding chocolate or cake. The real challenge is spotting the sneaky sugars hiding in “normal” foods – especially the ones marketed as healthy. But once you learn where they’re hiding, you can start swapping them out, one by one.
It’s not about being perfect. It’s about making small, smart changes that truly help your body feel better and your blood sugar stay more stable.
And if you’re ever feeling overwhelmed or down, please know you’re not alone- we’re in this journey together.
– Roni 💚
Lower Your Sugar - Simple Tips for a Healthier Life 
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