In some cases, the sugar in what we eat is obvious because it makes foods taste sweet. But you can’t always rely on your taste buds for an accurate reading.

For instance, a 12-ounce can of soda contains the equivalent of nine cubes of sugar; a half-cup of gelatin, six cubes; and one-and-a-half cups of sweetened cereal contains 11 cubes of sugar.

It’s not just the sugar in the candy and sweets that is causing these health problems. Sugar is also hidden in scores of processed foods.

Sugar is also used as a fermenting agent to help bread rise, bulk up ice cream, and even balance acidity in foods containing vinegar.

It’s estimated that 50 percent of the sugar consumed by Americans is hidden in prepackaged foods or in foodstuffs you’d never suspect.

Believe it or not, even toothpaste can be sweetened with sugar!

Here’s a short list of foods to watch out for:

• Ketchup

• Bread

• Crackers

• Salad dressing

• Cereals and oatmeal

• Canned salmon

• Cured meats

• Soups