Look for words beyond just “sugar” on the ingredient list: Brown rice syrup, molasses, corn syrup, evaporated cane juice, and rice malt syrup are other culprits. And pay attention to serving sizes. The nutrition label may say the granola only has 8 grams of sugar per serving, but if a serving size is listed as 1/4 cup (who only eats 1/4 cup?), it means you’re probably downing 16 grams.

180 calories, 13g sugar (3tsp)

Chowing down on a protein bar is the smart thing to do post workout, right? Well… sometimes. We devoted a whole article to the perils of certain protein bars, but here’s the bottom line: While they can be a convenient choice for refueling hardcore workouts, many come with more sugar than a candy bar.

What to Look Out For
Watch out for brown rice syrup, cane syrup, and cane invert syrup, which are often added to improve flavor. But also beware of sugar alcohols such as glycerin and malitol. They’re commonly used in protein bars to keep the sugar counts lower, but aren't great for your gut.

Flavored yogurt is often a part of a “healthy” breakfast, and while it can provide several key nutrients such as protein, calcium, and vitamin D, many brands sneak in a ton of extra sugar, especially in those fruit-on-the-bottom or honeyed versions.

What to Look Out For
While we don’t think there’s anything wrong with the sugar that naturally occurs in fruits (fructose), all too often, added sugar is listed before the actual fruit on the ingredient list. This means there’s more of the added sweet stuff than the naturally present kind. And don't assume that “light” yogurts are a safer bet. Many either have artificial sweeteners or get more sugar added to them to make up for the flavor that can get lost when the fat is removed.

Oatmeal might be the first food that comes to mind at the mention of a healthy breakfast. What could be dangerous about the whole-grain, high-fiber, heart-smart poster child of a virtuous diet? Turns out, a lot. While quick-cooking or regular oats are a good bet, the instant, microwavable packets or cups with added flavors should come with a warning sign. (Sugar! Sugar! Sugar!)

What to Look Out For
Brown sugar, strawberries and cream, apple cinnamon—these should be instant giveaways that there’s a lot more in those little packets than just wholesome oats. Most flavored varieties should be given a second look for added sugar. We're not mad, because they taste good, but why not just make it yourself so you can control how much maple syrup you're adding?

While it’s commonly known that frozen meals can have some pretty shocking sodium stats, they’re also just as guilty of hiding added sugars. Yes, likely even more sugar than the waffle you defrosted for breakfast.

What to Look Out For
Fruit juice concentrates, high fructose corn syrup, and dextrose are the most common sugar sources you’ll find in frozen foods. Be extra wary of barbecue-flavored dishes and Asian-inspired dinners that have teriyaki, sesame, or sweet-and-sour sauces, as they can pack in serious amounts of sugar. Look for frozen entrees that contain fewer than 10 grams per serving—added or otherwise—and take a good look at the ingredient list to make sure that, along with sugar, other weird additives such as MSG or partially hydrogenated oils aren’t included.

Protein powders are pretty convenient when it comes to getting quick, efficient fuel to help replenish nutrients and improve muscle recovery. So scoop up the powdered stuff, but look out for those sugars.

What to Look Out For
Common sugars in protein powders include sucrose, maltodextrin, fructose, and the vaguely termed “concentrate.” Don’t let artificial sweeteners like sucralose, aspartame, and xylitol throw you off either—while they may not contain the calories that sugar sources do, they come with their own set of sketchy potential side effects.

Because sports drinks are meant to replenish fluids and electrolytes lost during strenuous activity, a bit of sugar is actually a good thing. But way more than is necessary goes into those little bottles.

What to Look Out For
Sugar in most sports drinks will be present as dextrose, sucrose, fructose, and maltodextrin. Some brands also opt for high fructose corn syrup as one of the main ingredients. Here’s the thing: Unless your intense exercise lasts longer than an hour, you don’t really lose electrolytes to the point where they need to be replaced via sports drink. What you absolutely do lose is water, so plain old H2O will be more effective at hydrating. If you do need to replace electrolytes and energy, we like plain and unsweetened coconut water.

Next time you stock up on healthy foods for the day, keep your sugar intake in check with these tips:

1. Check the ingredient list: When sugar is listed as one of the first few ingredients, move on to the next product.

2. Don't let the serving size fool you: It’s all well and good when there are only 8 grams of sugar per 1/4 cup, but be real with yourself... can you really only eat 1/4 cup?

3. Make it yourself: When you can, whip it up at home so you can control how much sugar is going into your batch.

4. Live a little and enjoy your favorite foods in moderation: When you know you can't live without your favorite sugar-filled granola, it's OK to dive in every once in a while (maybe just keep that 1/4 cup in mind).