Top 10 Foods Highest in Sugar (To Limit or Avoid)
Sugars are simple carbohydrates naturally occurring in a variety of foods, including, fruits, vegetables, and milk. Sugar is also used as a food ingredient, added to processed foods for its sweet taste. It is these added sugars that cause health problems, not the sugars naturally occurring in foods.
Consumption of added sugar has increased rapidly over recent years and is believed to contribute to rising rates of obesity, type II diabetes, and heart disease.
High sugar foods to limit or avoid include puddings, milkshakes, ice-cream, fruit juices, sugary soda drinks, cakes (especially with frosting), candies, fruit yogurts, fast foods, cereal bars, and commercial cereals. In this list, both the grams of sugar and teaspoons of sugar is given. 1 teaspoon is equal to 4 grams of sugar.
For more information see the article of high carb foods to limit or avoid, or see the nutrient ranking of 200 foods high in sugar.
List of Foods High in Sugar
#1: Dulce De Leche
| Sugar per Cup | Sugar per 100g |
|---|---|
| 151g (38 tsp) | 50g (12 tsp) |
More Desserts High in Sugar
- 67g per cup of tapioca pudding
- 43g per cup of rice pudding (arroz con leche)
- 30g per 1/2 cup of chocolate mousse
#2: Milkshakes (Blended with Candy)
| Sugar per 12oz Cup | Sugar per 100g |
|---|---|
| 85g (21 tsp) | 24g (6 tsp) |
More Dairy High in Sugar
- 71g per 12oz McDonald's McFlurry with Oreos
- 58g in a medium ice-cream with chocolate topping
- 22g per 1/2cup of vanilla ice-cream
#3: Grape Juice
| Sugar per 16oz Glass | Sugar per 100g |
|---|---|
| 72g (18 tsp) | 14g (3.6 tsp) |
Other Fruit Juices High in Sugar
- 63g per 16oz of Pomegranate Juice
- 62g per 16oz Naked Mighty Mango Juice
- 62g per 16 oz of Pineapple Juice
- 48g per 16oz of Apple Juice
#4: Sugary Drinks (Cream Soda)
| Sugar per 16oz Bottle | Sugar per 100g |
|---|---|
| 66g (16 tsp) | 13g (3.3 tsp) |
Other Sodas and Drinks High in Sugar
- 55g per 16oz Kiwi-Strawberry Drink
- 52g per 16oz Root Beer
- 50g per 16oz Cola
- 44g per 16oz Sprite
- 43g per 16oz Ginger Ale
- 43g per 16oz Tonic Water
#5: Cake with Coconut Frosting
| Sugar per Slice | Sugar per 100g |
|---|---|
| 64g (16 tsp) | 57g (14 tsp) |
Cakes, cookies, and pies can vary from 10-65g of sugar per serving, depending on how they are made, and how much sugar is added.
#6: Commercial Candies (Skittles)
| Sugar per 2.1oz Bag | Sugar per 100g |
|---|---|
| 47g (12 tsp) | 76g (19 tsp) |
More Candies High in Sugar
- 50g in a small 3oz bar of white chocolate
- 33g per 2oz pack of Starburst sour fruit chews
- 32g per 2oz Baby Ruth bar
#7: Fortified Yogurt
| Sugar per Cup | Sugar per 100g |
|---|---|
| 47g (12 tsp) | 19g (5 tsp) |
Plain yogurt contains 19g of sugar per cup.
#8: Fast Foods (Hot Cakes with Syrup)
| Sugar per 3 Pancakes | Sugar per 100g |
|---|---|
| 45g (11 tsp) | 21g (5 tsp) |
More Fast Foods High in Sugar
- 23g per cup of coleslaw
- 17g per egg, cheese, and bacon griddle cake
- 14g per Burger King Double Whopper
See all fast foods high in sugar.
#9: Cereal Bars (Nutri-Grain)
| Sugar per Bar | Sugar per 100g |
|---|---|
| 39g (10 tsp) | 34g (8 tsp) |
Note: There are some healthy cereal bars available if you check the ingredients and choose wisely. Look for bars made of whole grains such as oats, containing nuts, seeds, dried fruit, and without added sugar, sweeteners, or chemical additives.
#10: Ready to Eat Cereals (Familia)
| Sugar per Cup | Sugar per 100g |
|---|---|
| 28g (7 tsp) | 23g (6 tsp) |
See breakfast cereals highest in sugar, or lowest in sugar.
See All 200 Foods High in Sugar
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About the Data
Data for the curated food lists comes from the USDA Food Data Central Repository.
You can check our data against the USDA by clicking the (Source) link at the bottom of each food listing.
Note: When checking data please be sure the serving sizes are the same. In the rare case you find any difference, please contact us and we will fix it right away.
From the Nutrient Ranking Tool
- Foods High in Sugar
- Foods Low in Sugar
- Vegetables High in Sugar
- Fruits High in Sugar
- Vegetarian Foods High in Sugar
- Nuts High in Sugar
- Beans High in Sugar
- Dairy High in Sugar
- Breakfast Cereals High in Sugar
- Fast Foods High in Sugar
View more food groups with the nutrient ranking tool, or see ratios with the nutrient ratio tool.
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