8 Surprising Foods with More Sugar Than a Glazed Donut

In this video, learn surprising high-sugar foods that actually have more sugar than a glazed donut, even though some of them are marketed as healthy options.

Written by Lauren Smith, MA | Reviewed by Alexandra Schwarz, MD

Updated on September 30, 2023

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On average, each of us eats about 22 teaspoons of added sugar a day. (FYI, that’s an extra 350 calories.) The American Heart Association, however, recommends no more than 6 teaspoons of sugar for women and 9 teaspoons for men each day to reduce the risk of heart disease and type 2 diabetes. That means we’re consuming nearly four times the recommended limit — and that single glazed donut would take up about a third of your daily allowance.

References

American Heart Association. (2021). Added sugars.

Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health. (2022). Added sugar in the diet.

View All References (3)

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Krispy Kreme Doughnuts. (2016). Original glazed doughnut.

Nature Valley, General Mills, Inc. (n.d.). Cinnamon crunchy granola bars.

U.S. Department of Agriculture. (n.d.). USDA food composition databases.

GoodRx Health has strict sourcing policies and relies on primary sources such as medical organizations, governmental agencies, academic institutions, and peer-reviewed scientific journals. Learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate, thorough, and unbiased by reading our editorial guidelines.

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