We're putting six so-called healthy foods to the test — porridge, houmous, oat milk, granola, sushi and smoothie bowls. You guess the sugar content in teaspoons, we reveal the real number, and you'll never look at your lunch the same way.
INTRO — The 'healthy' foods hiding in plain sight
Porridge. Houmous. Oat milk. Granola. Sushi. Smoothie bowls. Six foods that wear a halo. Today we check what's actually in them, in teaspoons of sugar, not vague nutrition-speak. Some will surprise you. Some will really surprise you.
ROUND 1 — GUESS — Golden syrup porridge sachet — your guess?
Plain oats and water, virtually no sugar at all. But swap in a flavoured sachet, the golden syrup kind, and the picture changes. How many teaspoons of sugar in one of those sachets? Have a guess.
ROUND 1 — REVEAL — Around three teaspoons, in one sachet
A typical golden syrup porridge sachet carries around three teaspoons of sugar, that's about twelve grams, before you've even added milk. Plain oats, though, still close to zero. The oats aren't the problem, the sachet is.
ROUND 2 — GUESS — A tub of classic houmous — your guess?
Chickpeas, tahini, olive oil, garlic. It sounds virtuous and mostly is. But every dip claims to be innocent. How many teaspoons of sugar in a typical two hundred gram tub of classic houmous? Guess before we reveal.
ROUND 2 — REVEAL — Practically none, less than a gram
A typical tub of classic houmous holds under a quarter of a teaspoon of sugar, basically none. This one genuinely earns its reputation, for sugar at least. Salt and calories are a different conversation.
ROUND 3 — GUESS — A glass of barista oat milk — your guess?
No added sugar on the label, and that's true, nobody's pouring in spoonfuls. But oats contain starch, and starch can turn to sugar during processing. How many teaspoons in a two hundred and fifty millilitre glass? Have a think.
ROUND 3 — REVEAL — Around two teaspoons, and it's natural
A two hundred and fifty millilitre glass of barista oat milk carries around two teaspoons of sugar, roughly eight grams. Not added, it's the oats' own starch breaking down. Still sugar though, still worth knowing if you're counting.
ROUND 4 — GUESS — A bowl of granola — your guess?
Oats, nuts, seeds, dried fruit, toasted until golden. It looks rustic and wholesome. A typical fifty gram bowl though, how many teaspoons of sugar do you think are baked into that crunch? Guess now.
ROUND 4 — REVEAL — Around three teaspoons, in one bowl
A typical fifty gram bowl of granola holds around three teaspoons of sugar, about twelve grams, often from honey or syrup used to bind the clusters. Same oats as porridge, quite a different outcome.
ROUND 5 — GUESS — A supermarket sushi box — your guess?
Raw fish, rice, seaweed, it reads like the cleanest lunch in the shop. But sushi rice isn't just rice, it's seasoned. How many teaspoons of sugar hide in a typical sushi selection box? Take a guess.
ROUND 5 — REVEAL — Around two teaspoons, from the rice
A typical supermarket sushi box carries around two teaspoons of sugar, roughly eight grams, mostly dissolved into the vinegar used to season the rice. The fish is innocent. The rice was always sweeter than it looked.
ROUND 6 — GUESS — A smoothie bowl, topped and ready — your guess?
Blended fruit, a swirl of granola, maybe honey drizzled on top. It photographs beautifully. How many teaspoons of sugar do you think are sitting in one of those bowls? Last guess of the day.
ROUND 6 — REVEAL — Around seven teaspoons, similar to a cola
A typical smoothie bowl carries around seven teaspoons of sugar, mostly from concentrated fruit, similar to a can of cola. Fruit sugar is still sugar, especially once it's blended and stripped of its fibre.
My smoothie bowl has no added sugar listed, so why does it count?
Fruit sugar still counts, it's just not added sugar. Blending strips the fibre that normally slows it down, so it hits your system faster. (answer generated by SugarCoach, the AI coach)
General lifestyle education, not medical advice — personal medical decisions belong with your GP or pharmacist.