You can't sugar-coat the facts; the number of overweight and obese Australians has been steadily increasing for the past 30 years. According to the National Heart Foundation, five million Australians aged 18 and over were overweight in 2011 to 2012, accounting for more than 35 percent of adult Australians. In the same period, more than one in four adult Australians were obese, representing more than four million Australians aged 18 and older. And compared to 1995, the proportion of Australians that are obese in 2012 has increased by 47 percent.

Sugar plays a critical role in this burgeoning epidemic. But it's not just the type that you add to your coffee every morning or the white powdery frosting on your doughnut.

What's more to blame is the hidden sugars that are added-sometimes in vast amounts-in foods and drinks to make them taste better. These are so called hidden because despite the requisite food labels, it's not always possible to tell which food and drinks are sugar laden or not.

The World Health Organization recommends that only 5 percent of your daily calorie intake should consist of added or free sugars. This is equivalent to 6 teaspoons (25 grams) per day for an adult with a normal body mass index. The recommended limit applies to naturally occurring sugars, such as lactose found in milk, honey, and fructose in fruit juices, as well as added sugars like sucrose (table sugar), dextrose and corn syrup.

To help you spot the hidden sugars, here are 10 surprising foods and drinks that have more sugar than what you might expect

1. Pasta sauces

    Tomato-based pasta sauces may taste savory, but most contain as much as 6 grams to 12 grams of sugar per half cup serving. This is equivalent to four teaspoons of sugar or one chocolate chip cookie. Sugar is added to tomato-based sauces to make them taste less acidic.

    Try this recipe from Taste of Lizzy for a sugar-free spaghetti sauce.

    2. Granola bars

      In addition to brown sugar and brown sugar syrup, check the label for ingredients like honey, corn syrup, dextrose and fructose. These are processed sweeteners that can ramp up the sugar content. Others contain yogurt, chocolate chips or a chocolate coating that could also increase the sugar content to as much as 12 grams per serving.

      Try this healthy granola bar recipe instead from Kitchen Stewardship.

      3. Yogurt

        Yogurt is a good source of protein, calcium and healthy probiotics. But when it comes to sugar content, even a low-fat yogurt may not be the wisest choice. Yogurt naturally contains lactose, but many companies nowadays also add processed sugars such as corn syrup and dextrose to make their products taste better.

        When shopping, look for yogurts with a lower sugar content or buy a plain variety and add in a fruit of your choice for flavour.

        4.Instant oatmeal

          Oatmeal has a good rep for being good for the heart because of its high fiber content. Yet despite its heart-healthy label, a packet of fruit flavored oatmeal can be just as bad. Many of these oatmeal varieties are packed with 10 to 15 grams of sugar-that's about a tablespoon of sugar for each packet. Reduced sugar varieties, on the other hand, can have as much as 5 to 6 grams of sugar per packet.

          Instead, try adding fruits like blueberries or nuts and raisins to plain instant oatmeal. A cup (234 grams) of plain oatmeal will give you less than a gram of sugar plus all its heart-healthy benefits.

          5. Salad dressing

            You might cut down calories in your salad, but your choice in salad dressing could add more calories than you're trying to avoid. Sweet dressings contain the most sugar for every two tablespoon serving, so be careful how much you pour. For instance, Kraft's Raspberry Vinaigrette contains 7 grams of sugar, French Style has 5 grams, and Catalina has 7 grams.

            A low-sugar option is a vinegar and oil dressing, which contains less than a gram of sugar per serving. Or try these sugar-free salad dressing recipes instead from Linda Wilson.

            6. Breakfast cereals

              Kiddie cereals are undoubtedly high in sugar, but you don't expect it from healthy-sounding ones, right? That's where you're wrong. Sweetened varieties of oat, corn, and bran cereals can pack as much as 10 to 20 grams of sugar per cup. For instance, Raisin Bran has 18 grams of sugar for every cup, Kellogg's Raisin Bran Crunch has 20 grams, and Post's Raisin Bran Cereal has 21 grams. Always check the ingredients label to see how much you're getting, no matter what the front of the box says.

              7. Energy drinks

                No wonder they're called energy drinks, most energy drinks are loaded with sugar and caffeine plus a host of other stimulants that most consumers aren't familiar with. Energy drinks can easily ramp up your sugar intake; particularly if you drink more than a few cans a day. Popular energy drinks like Red Bull contains 27 grams of sugar per 8-ounce serving, Rockstar has 31 grams per 8-ounce serving, while Full Throttle has 57 grams per 16-ounce serving.

                The Mayo Clinic recommends to limit energy drink intake to about 16 ounces a day. Otherwise, if you're still constantly fatigued, you ought to consider a healthier way to boost your energy, like getting enough sleep, exercise and eating a well-balanced diet. If nothing seems to work, then consult your doctor. ?Fatigue is sometimes a sign of an underlying medical condition.

                8. Canned and packaged fruits

                  You don't really expect that something as healthy as fruits could be loaded with sugar, even those that are packed in "light syrup" or "100% fruit juice." Unfortunately, sugar is inevitably added to packaged fruits to prolong their shelf life.

                  Fruits packed in their own juices like Dole's Pineapple Chunks has 16 grams of sugar per half cup serving, while those in light syrup like Del Monte's Mandarin Oranges has 17 grams sugar per 113-gram can. Fruit desserts like fruit sorbets can contain as much as 27 grams of sugar per serving.

                  Opt for fresh fruits as a low sugar alternative.

                  9. Bottled iced tea

                    You're wary of the high sugar content in sodas and the added sugars in juices, so you shifted to tea. Surprisingly, this healthy-seeming alternative is just as loaded with sugar as the ones you're trying to avoid. Popular brands like Nestea Iced Tea has 21.8 grams of sugar per 8-ounce serving, Lipton Iced Tea has 21 grams per 8-ounce serving, and AriZona Lemon Tea has 24 grams per 8-ounce serving.

                    Drinking water is the easiest way to drastically cut down the sugar you're taking every day. If water's a little too bland for you, you can try squeezing citrus fruits like lemon or oranges or adding crushed berries to your water. Herbs like rosemary and mint work well, too.

                    10. Ketchup

                      You never think you're lacing your burgers with sugar, but with about 4 grams per tablespoon of ketchup, you might as well be. If you're trying to cut back on sugar, try shifting to yellow mustard instead. It'll give you less than a gram of sugar for every tablespoon.