Do you eat a sugar-free diet? You may think so, but let's set the record straight: It's almost impossible. Just about every food contains some amount of sugar, and unless you subsist on just water and meat, you are eating it!

Where's that sugar hiding?

The number one source of sugar in our diets is soda, followed by sugarcoated breakfast cereals and sweet desserts. Research shows that Americans consume an average of 20 teaspoons of added sugar every day. These additional 320 calories are sprinkled on our breakfasts, added to coffee or tea and used in processed foods. Yes, that's right, even if you never stir a spoonful of sugar into anything you eat, even if you religiously use sugar substitutes, and even if you take great care to buy only products marked sugar-free, you're still getting some sugar.

Look at sugar-free pudding, with 90 calories per half-cup. Regular pudding contains 240 calories per half-cup. But guess what? Even the sugar-free pudding contains 6 grams of sugar, in the form of lactose (a carbohydrate found in milk products). So even though it's definitely lower in calories, it's still not completely sugar-free. In fact, if you see any of these words on a label: glucose, fructose, sucrose, corn syrup, molasses, honey, dextrose, sorghum, lactose, maltose, galactose, concentrated grape juice -- you're getting some form of sugar.

Making sugar simple

If you never liked science classes in school, don't worry. We won't get too technical. Sugar is merely a type of carbohydrate. Carbohydrates are present in any type of food that comes from plants: fruits, vegetables, grains and legumes. They are also found in milk and products made from milk such as yogurt. Carbohydrates are our primary energy source, and although some popular diet plans prohibit them, you only need to check that you're eating the right kind.

Remember these terms: