These 10 Foods Exceed Your Recommended Daily Sugar Intake in ONE Serving

Oh, sugar, sugar. You are my candy girl. And you got me wanting you. These lyrics from the 1969 song “Sugar, Sugar” by the Archies sum up how a lot of us feel about sugar. It’s delicious and a key ingredient in many of the yummy desserts we love. We won’t sugarcoat it—sugary foods are tasty! And while everything is okay in moderation, too much of a good thing is usually a bad thing. In fact, a sugar-heavy diet can contribute to health problems like obesity, diabetes, and tooth decay. Yikes!

Experts say it’s okay for sugar to make up about 10% of your total energy intake in a day. But, as we often say on this site, knowledge is power. You can’t avoid sugar if you don’t know how much of it is in the foods you love. So, how can you keep your sugar intake low and your body healthy? Good news! We have the answer to that question! These 10 foods exceed your daily sugar target in ONE serving. Keep reading to find out more.

How much sugar should you eat per day?

First, let’s discuss your daily sugar intake. Or rather, how much sugar you should be eating for your health! A high-sugar diet has a lot of health consequences, including:

1. High blood pressure: Many people know to avoid salt to lower blood pressure. However, sugar can also contribute to high blood pressure, especially the simple sugar known as fructose. Worse still, according to Very Well Health, your sugar intake can also increase salt sensitivity, which can wreak further havoc on your blood pressure!
2. Type 2 diabetes: While sugar doesn’t directly cause type 2 diabetes, high-sugar foods can cause you to gain weight. Obesity is one of the leading risk factors for diabetes.
3. Fatty liver disease: A diet full of high-fructose corn syrup and sugar can cause fatty buildup over time, which can lead to liver damage.
4. Obesity: It should come as a surprise to no one that eating too much sugar can lead to weight gain and even obesity. Someone is considered obese when their BMI (Body Mass Index) is over 30.
5. Heart disease: Overconsuming sugar has a wide range of health consequences, from hypertension to inflammation. Yep, you read that right. A high-sugar diet can lead to chronic inflammation in your heart and blood vessels. This, in turn, can raise your risk of developing heart disease.
6. Cavities: Remember when you were young, and your mom would tell you not to eat too much candy? Most of the time, our moms would remind us that we don’t want to get cavities! Your mom wasn’t overreacting to a little harmless childhood fun. People who regularly eat sugar have a much higher risk of developing cavities. Worse still, if left untreated, cavities can weaken your teeth and even lead to chipping or serious fractures.

Healthline notes the difference between added sugars and the sugars that occur naturally in fruits and vegetables, stating that natural sugars are fine to consume. However, added sugars should be consumed in moderation. The safe amount of sugar to eat per day varies from person to person. However, according to the American Heart Association (AHA), the maximum amount of added sugars you should eat in a day is as follows:

• Men: 150 calories per day (37.5 grams or 9 teaspoons)
• Women: 100 calories per day (25 grams or 6 teaspoons)

Now that we’ve established the appropriate daily sugar target, let’s discuss the top 10 sugar bombs that’ll obliterate your daily sugar target in one serving!

1. Cinnabon Rolls

We’ve all walked through our local mall and been hit with a cloud of sugary, cinnamon-y goodness. You can almost hear the Cinnabon store calling your name: Come sample me! It won’t hurt anything! Sadly, that isn’t true. What might seem like a harmless indulgence can wreak havoc on your health, especially if you’re a diabetic. Cinnabon rolls are “cin-fully” delicious, coming in at 58 grams of sugar per serving! Holy sugar intake, Batman! Store-bought cinnamon rolls, like those made by Pillsbury, aren’t as sugar-packed as their Cinnabon counterparts. They contain 10 grams of sugar per roll, so you can enjoy one of those now and again without exceeding your daily sugar intake. If you want a truly healthy cinnamon roll, check out this recipe from Eliya Eats!

2. Dunkin’ Donuts Caramel Swirl Frozen Coffee

America runs on Dunkin’. And no wonder! Coming in at a whopping 134 grams of sugar, the Caramel Swirl Frozen Coffee might be one of the worst sugary offenders on our list. To put that into mathematical terms, that’s 244% of the recommended daily amount of sugar! While this drink is okay to try now and again, you won’t want to incorporate it into your morning routine. For a healthy alternative, check out this dupe from Shaken Together Life.

3. Costco Chocolate Muffin

Muffins tend to make life better. And while there are plenty of muffins that won’t exceed your daily sugar intake, the Costco Chocolate Muffins are not among them. They pack a wallop in both calories and sugar, boasting 680 calories and 48 grams of sugar. Yikes! Worse still, they won’t keep you full or satiated for long after breakfast. If you want a chocolate muffin, check out the Kodiak Chocolate Chip Muffin Power Cup, which also has 12 grams of protein per serving. Yum!

4. Bob Evans Cranberry Pecan Chicken Salad

When someone thinks “salad”, they probably don’t think “sugar.” Sadly, the Bob Evans Cranberry Pecan Chicken Salad masquerades as a healthy dining option while it contains more sugar than a piece of cranberry pecan pie! This 920-calorie salad has 40 grams of sugar. Make sure that you always check the sugar content of salads and don’t just assume they’re healthy because they contain leafy green goodness. Like the Cranberry Pecan Chicken Salad from Bob Evans, they may be a hidden sugar bomb in disguise.

5. McDonald’s Hotcakes

You may be lovin’ it, but your body probably won’t like all the hidden sugar in McDonald’s Hotcakes. While fluffy and delicious, they also contain way more sugar than you need in a day, all in one serving. Sadly, these hotcakes have 45 grams of sugar in them. If you’re craving pancakes but don’t want all the sugar, look for healthier recipes online! For example, this Banana Oatmeal Pancake recipe is gluten-free, dairy-free, and guilt-free.

6. Baskin-Robbins Brownie Sundae

Let’s be honest—nobody goes to an ice cream place because they’re looking for healthy options. However, it’s important to be mindful of sugar content, especially if you’re trying to watch your sugar intake. While a few Baskin-Robbins offerings have minimal sugar content, the Brownie Sundae is one of the worst options you can choose, with 97 grams of sugar and 920 calories. If you’re looking for a healthier alternative, consider checking out Baskin-Robbins’ sugar-free flavors!

7. Taco Bell’s Large Mountain Dew Baja Blast

I have bad news for all the Mountain Dew lovers out there. The Baja Blast is the most sugar-packed drink option on the Taco Bell menu. It’s packed with not 50, not 60, not even 99 grams of sugar. In fact, it boasts 111 grams of sugar in one serving. That’s even more than the previous option! While it’s okay to enjoy anything in moderation, make sure you limit your Baja Blast consumption if you’re trying to watch your sugar intake.

8. O’Charley’s Baby Back Ribs, Carolina Gold

If the thought of consuming baby back ribs has you singing like Michael Scott on The Office, then you might not want to satisfy that craving with O’Charley’s Baby Back Ribs, Carolina Gold. While undeniably delicious, these ribs are packed with 1,220 calories, 4,150 mg of sodium, and 86 grams of sugar! Consider making some ribs at home instead to save on calories, sodium, and, of course, our old nemesis: added sugar.

9. Denny’s Cinnamon Roll Pancake Breakfast with Cream Cheese Icing

It should be no surprise that when you combine the gooey deliciousness of cinnamon rolls and the golden-brown warmth of pancakes, you get a sugar bomb. Indeed, these calorie-and-sugar-packed pancakes contain over 1,000 calories, 1,660 mg of sodium, and 127 grams of sugar. Yes, you read that right—127 grams! It’s best to consume these fluffy hotcakes in moderation.

10. Sweet Onion Chicken Teriyaki Footlong

Subway. Eat fresh. It seems like the healthy, dependable option. A lot of people go for the Footlong because it’s a better value. If you decide to order the Sweet Onion Chicken Teriyaki Footlong, think again. While not as sugar-packed as some other options on the list, this sandwich boasts 1,540 mg of sodium and 32 grams of sugar. While it doesn’t exceed the recommended daily sugar limit for men (37.5 grams), it exceeds that for women. Fortunately, Subway has a large menu with other options that aren’t hidden sugar bombs.

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