Dietitian warns against hidden sugars in light and sugar-free products

Dietitian Nazlı Aydın from Medipol Koşuyolu Hospital has issued a warning regarding products marketed as ‘light’, ‘zero calorie’, or ‘sugar-free’. She advises consumers to look past the front packaging and carefully examine the ingredient list on the back of products.

Aydın notes that many items labeled as sugar-free may still contain glucose syrup, fructose syrup, starch derivatives, or refined carbohydrates. These hidden sugars can cause sudden blood sugar fluctuations, insulin spikes, and increased hunger.

She specifically highlighted that even seemingly natural products, such as dates, can be processed with added glucose syrup. To ensure a product is truly healthy, Aydın recommends choosing items with simple ingredient lists containing no more than five to six components and avoiding products with numerous unfamiliar additives.