Breaking up Is Hard to Do, but When You Realize Your Life Is at Stake, Suddenly the Choice Becomes Crystal Clear.

Reading the ingredients on labels can help you see if there are added sugars in the foods you buy. (Shutterstock)

There may be no greater contributor to the #2 cause of deaths across the United States (cancer) than the sweet but far-from-innocent ingredient that has found its way into most of the pre-packaged foods that line our grocery aisles and are stashed away in our kitchen cabinets.

Hiding in Plain Sight

Before you pat yourself on the back for avoiding the obvious culprits (cookies, cakes, and pies), take a long look at the hidden forms of this enemy that robs us of our health and steals years from our life.

Don’t kid yourself. Sugar is not just present in those cookies, candies, and desserts that are easily recognizable as villains. Sugar is also present in a whopping 74% of a variety of savory packaged goods like breads, pasta sauce, and even so-called “healthy foods” like yogurt or those handy breakfast bars made with not-so-real fruit and whole grains.

Just a glance at the ingredients of many of these common foods that unaware shoppers consider “healthy” — reveals a staggering unhealthy amount of sugar. And for cancer patients, this is a deadly decision.

How Much Sugar Are You Eating?

A lot has changed, and not for the better. Over 200 years ago, the average American consumed an average of 2 lbs. of sugar per year. Now, the average American consumes an average of 152 lbs. of sugar in one year – or 3 lbs. of sugar in one week!

And while we may kid ourselves that we’re avoiding added sugar by foregoing that teaspoon or two of white granulated sugar into our coffee or tea, we’re often sabotaging our own efforts by not recognizing the hidden sugar content in a variety of common foods.

For example:

• 12 oz. sodas contain upwards of 11 teaspoons of sugar
• Quaker Chewy Yogurt Granola Bars contain 10 grams of added sugar per bar
• Dannon Strawberry Fruit on the Bottom yogurt contains 15 grams of added sugar per 5.3 oz. container
• Monster Energy drinks contain 54 grams of sugar per 16 oz. can
• Honey Nut Cheerios contain 12 grams of added sugar per cup
• Yogurt-covered raisins contain 64 grams of total sugar per 100 gram serving
• A 20-ounce bottle of Heinz tomato ketchup contains about 2/3 cup sugar
• Jack Daniel’s barbecue sauce contains approximately 1 cup sugar in each 19 oz. bottle
• One cup of regular baked beans contains about 5 teaspoons of sugar

Added sugars are present in many foods under various names. (Viki Mohamad/Unsplash)

Don’t Be Fooled — Know the Names of Sugar

Always check the ingredients on the packaged foods and drinks you buy. Look for and avoid sugar in all its forms: glucose, maltose, sucrose, lactose, dextrose, fructose (basically anything that ends in -ose), raw sugar, brown sugar, powdered sugar, fruit juice concentrate, high-fructose corn syrup, sorghum syrup, corn sweetener, molasses, alcohol, and synthetic sugars such as sorbitol, mannitol, xylitol, Nutrasweet, and Equal.

Cancer is Fueled by Sugar

If you’ve read my book, I Used to Have Cancer, then you know that I learned quickly that cancer feeds on sugar of all kinds. Not only does sugar have a negative effect on the body’s pH, scientists have discovered that proteins linked to cancer can be activated by glucose (remember, that is a form of sugar).

Once you’ve got sugar out of your system, you won’t miss it! Your taste buds will begin to “re-set” and your sugar cravings will become a thing of the past. You’ll discover the sweetness of vegetables, and your body will thank you.

Learn more about how saying goodbye to sugar can be a powerful deterrent to cancer. Check out I Used to Have Cancer, available online and at your favorite bookstore. Learn how to avoid common pitfalls when dealing with cancer, as well as how to substantially increase your odds of beating this disease!

Also see my latest video interview with cancer survivor and former World Champion extreme skier Alison Gannett. Her battle with cancer included her discovery of the role glucose played in the formation of a very large brain tumor. I think you’ll find the interview fascinating.

And remember, if we can beat cancer (and we did), YOU can, too!

James Templeton founded Uni Key Health Systems in 1992 and now the Templeton Wellness Foundation as a way of giving back and helping others achieve the health and wellness they are seeking.

This article was originally published on the Templeton Wellness Foundation website.