Sugar Overload: 11 foods that pack in the sweet stuff [1-4]

The 11 Most Sugar-Packed Foods in America, you’ll find products that you’d never think of as “sugar-filled.” That’s why five out of five dentists no-doubt agree: These eleven foods are bad for your teeth—and your health.

1. Most sugar-packed item in America

Smoothie King Grape Expectations II (40-oz)

250 g sugars
1096 calories
0 g fat
Sugar equivalent: 30 Chocolate Drizzle Rice Krispies Treats

There’s only one other item on the Smoothie King menu with as much sugar as this smoothie, and that’s a drink intended to help guys bulk up fast—so it’s overloaded. That’s still no excuse for packing 250 grams of sugar into one measly cup, but at least it’s flagrantly and openly excessive—unlike this grape drink, which is listed under the menu’s “Snack Right” section, if you can believe it.

Drink This Instead!

Low-Carb Strawberry (20-oz)
3 g sugars
268 calories
9 g fat (4 g saturated fat)

2. Most sugar-packed shake

Coldstone Creamery Very Vanilla Shake (Gotta Have It-size)

192 g sugars
1820 calories
85 g fat (59 g saturated, 2.5 g trans)
Sugar equivalent: 6 and a half Snickers bars

When lambasting Coldstone milkshakes, we normally focus all of our attention on the gluttonous PB&C monstrosity, which weighs in at over 2,000 calories. But the Very Very Vanilla bests the PB&C in sugar content by nearly four popsicles’ worth. Suck down this sinful diet destructor, and you’ll consume nearly a full day’s worth of calories, three days’ worth of saturated fat, your total daily allotment of artery-clogging trans fatty acids, and as much sugar as in more than six Snickers bars! The bad news is that even Coldstone’s Sinless Smoothie line contains an outrageous amount of sugar—we’ll have to recommend the Butter Pecan Ice Cream, once again. Or, better yet—just skip Coldstone altogether!

Eat This Instead!

Butter Pecan Ice Cream (Like It-size)
28 g sugars
320 calories
19 g fat (12 g saturated, 0.5 g trans)

3. Most sugar-packed ice cream

Coldstone Creamery JELL-O Butterscotch Pudding Ice Cream (Gotta Have It-size)

97 g sugars
830 calories
41 g fat (27 g saturated, 1 g trans)
Sugar equivalent: 5 scoops of Ben and Jerry’s Vanilla Ice Cream

Part of the problem here is that you’ve ordered Coldstone’s Gotta Have It size, which is the equivalent of ordering about three scoops of ice cream from another joint, like Ben and Jerry’s. The other problem is that this ice cream has been mixed with JELL-O Pudding flavor, which basically amounts to more sugar. Stick to the smalls, and choose the Butter Pecan instead to cut over two-thirds of the sugar content and more than half the calories.

Eat This Instead!

Butter Pecan Ice Cream (Like It-size)
28 g sugars
320 calories
19 g fat (12 g saturated, 0.5 g trans)

4. Most sugar-packed coffee drink

Starbucks Tazo Green Tea Frappuccino Blended Crème with Whipped Cream (20 ounces)

97 g sugars
650 calories
15 g fat (8 g saturated, 0 g trans)
Sugar equivalent: 11 York Dark Chocolate Covered Peppermint Patties

While green tea has myriad health benefits, presentation is key—and this green tea concoction has been so nutritionally sullied that any potential benefits are utterly lost. Not only does this one drink contain over a quarter of your day’s calories, it also packs nearly half a day’s worth of saturated fat—and, as we mention above, as much sugar as you’ll find in 11 Peppermint Patties. Your best bet when ordering at a coffee chain is to skip the fancy drinks altogether. Order a regular green tea, without all the trimmings.

Bonus tip: Avoid the hand-held dietary disasters on our list of the 30 Worst Sandwiches in America.

Drink This Instead!

Tazo Tea (Venti)
0 g sugars
0 calories
0 g fat