Hidden Sugar in Indian Snacks You Should Know About

What is Hidden Sugar?

Hidden sugar refers to sugar that is present in food but not obvious to the consumer. Unlike visible sugar (like the spoonful you add to your tea), hidden sugar is added during processing, cooking, or manufacturing to enhance flavor, texture, or shelf life. It doesn’t always appear on labels as “sugar.” Instead, it may be listed under different names like glucose, fructose, sucrose, dextrose, maltose, corn syrup, maltodextrin, cane juice, or honey. Many people wrongly assume that if a food item is not sweet, it must be sugar-free. Unfortunately, that’s far from the truth.

The Sugar Trap in Popular Indian Snacks:

Let’s take a closer look at some common Indian snacks that may seem harmless but can be loaded with sugar:

• Biscuits and Rusk: That innocent Marie biscuit or elaichi-flavored rusk you enjoy with evening chai? It can contain surprising amounts of sugar. Even “lite” or “low-fat” biscuits often have multiple grams of sugar in a single serving. Four or five biscuits can equal a teaspoon of sugar or more. Multiply that by a daily habit, and you're unknowingly consuming excess sugar every week.
• Namkeens and Farsan: Spicy snacks like aloo bhujia, sev, or farsan may not taste sweet, but sugar is often added to balance the strong flavors. This sugar hides behind terms like glucose or corn syrup in the ingredient list. A packet of namkeen can easily contribute to your daily sugar intake without you realizing it.
• Flavoured Poha or Upma Mixes: Ready-to-make breakfast items like poha, upma, and oats often market themselves as healthy. But a closer look at the ingredient label reveals added sugars in the form of maltodextrin or glucose syrup. These are used to improve taste and texture and are especially common in masala-flavored versions.
• Packaged Juices and Smoothies: You might pick up a fruit juice thinking it’s a better choice than a soda. But most packaged juices—even those that claim to be “100% natural”—contain concentrated fruit sugars and added sweeteners. These drinks can contain as much sugar as a bottle of cola. Even smoothies or aam panna concentrates are loaded with hidden sugars.
• Protein Bars and Energy Snacks: So-called healthy bars marketed for gym-goers or those that often contain more sugar than a regular chocolate bar. Ingredients like honey, dates syrup, and brown rice syrup sound healthy but still spike blood sugar.
• Commercial Dhokla and Idli: Believe it or not, even savory snacks like dhokla and idli, especially those sold in ready-mix packets or in commercial outlets, often contain sugar. Sugar enhances fermentation and also improves appearance and taste. You won’t taste it, but it’s there.
• Pav, Bread, and Buns: The bread used in pav bhaji, sandwiches, and even your regular toast contains added sugar to create a soft texture and browning effect. Many whole wheat or multigrain breads are no better. Even if they are brown in color, they may contain caramel color and sugar to make them look healthier.
• Chikki and Traditional Snacks: Snacks like peanut chikki, til ladoos, may be made with jaggery, which is slightly better than refined sugar. But jaggery is still sugar and can raise your glucose levels. Commercially packaged ones often use a combination of sugar and glucose syrup to bind ingredients cheaply.

Why Hidden Sugar Is a Serious Problem?

The biggest problem with hidden sugar is that you don’t realize you’re consuming it. If you were eating five teaspoons of sugar in dessert, you’d be aware. But when the same five teaspoons are spread across your breakfast cereal, evening snack, and flavored drinks, you consume them blindly.

Over time, this silent sugar overload can lead to various health issues.

• Increased Risk of Diabetes: Constant sugar consumption causes your body to release more insulin. Over time, your cells become resistant to insulin, leading to prediabetes or type 2 diabetes. This is particularly concerning in India, which already has one of the highest rates of diabetes in the world.
  According to Dr Shreya Sharma, recognized as the best endocrinologist in Uttarakhand, “Many of my patients with diabetes are shocked when they learn that it’s not the sweets they eat occasionally but the everyday snacks they assumed were harmless that led to their condition.”
• Weight Gain and Belly Fat: Sugar contributes to fat storage, especially around the abdomen. Unlike fat or protein, sugar is absorbed quickly, and excess glucose is stored as fat. This not only leads to obesity but increases the risk of heart disease and insulin resistance.
• Hormonal Imbalance: Sugar affects more than just your blood glucose. It disturbs insulin and cortisol levels and can worsen PCOS, thyroid issues, and menstrual irregularities in women. It's especially harmful when consumed in the form of hidden sugar throughout the day.
• Fatty Liver and Cardiovascular Risk: Fructose, a common form of hidden sugar, is processed in the liver. Over time, excess fructose can lead to fat accumulation in the liver—resulting in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. It also raises your triglyceride levels and blood pressure.

How to Spot Hidden Sugar in Snacks?

The first step toward reducing sugar intake is learning how to spot it. Dr Shreya Sharma, reputed diabetologist in Dehradun, offers the following tips:

• Always read the ingredient list, not just the front label. “No added sugar” doesn’t mean sugar-free.
• Look for ingredients ending in -ose (glucose, sucrose, and fructose) or anything labelled as syrup.
• If sugar or its variants appear in the first 3 ingredients, the product is sugar-heavy.
• Be cautious with terms like “natural,” “light,” “low-fat,” or “diet”—these don’t mean healthy.
• Watch the serving size. A small packet may contain multiple servings, doubling your sugar intake.

Small Changes to Cut Hidden Sugar:

Reducing sugar doesn’t mean giving up all your favorite foods. It’s about being aware and making smarter choices. Here’s how:

Instead of reaching for packaged biscuits, try roasted makhana or soaked almonds. Choose unsweetened dahi over flavored yogurts. Replace sweetened cornflakes with plain oats topped with a few slices of fruit. Skip the flavored tea premixes and prepare fresh masala chai without sugar or with a sugar substitute, if needed.

Dr Shreya Sharma suggests preparing snacks at home whenever possible. “Home-cooked food allows you to control every ingredient. Use jaggery or dates in small amounts if you want a sweet fix—but make it occasional.”

Also, re-evaluate what you consider a “healthy” snack. Just because a product is marketed as organic or multigrain doesn’t mean it’s free of sugar.

Festivals and the Sugar Trap:

Also, re-evaluate what you consider a “healthy” snack. Just because a product is marketed as organic or multigrain doesn’t mean it’s free of sugar.

Try preparing sweets at home using natural sweeteners like dates or jaggery in small amounts. Control portion sizes and encourage children and elders to adopt moderation

The real danger of hidden sugar lies in its invisibility. Most people don’t associate their namkeen, biscuits, or instant oats with sugar. But over time, this “invisible” sugar silently affects your health. Increased weight, fatigue, mood swings, poor digestion, hormonal imbalance, and eventually diabetes can all be traced back to excessive sugar intake.

Knowledge is power. Once you understand where sugar hides, you can choose better. It’s not about perfection; it’s about awareness and consistency. Start small. Read labels. Cook at home more. Ask questions. And most importantly, consult a qualified specialist if you suspect your sugar intake may be affecting your health.

Dr Shreya Sharma, the best endocrinologist in Uttarakhand, continues to educate people across age groups about the importance of identifying hidden sugar and making sustainable dietary choices. If you're seeking the right guidance on diabetes or metabolic health, she is also the most trusted diabetologist in Dehradun for practical and patient-friendly advice.