Added sugar” refers to any sugars or sweeteners that are added to foods or beverages during processing or preparation. Unlike naturally occurring sugars found in fruits, vegetables, and dairy products, added sugars provide additional calories without any essential nutrients.

Common sources of added sugar include:

1. Sugary beverages: Soft drinks, energy drinks, sweetened teas, and fruit drinks.
2. Snacks and sweets: Candy, cookies, cakes, pastries, and ice cream.
3. Processed foods: Sauces, salad dressings, flavored yogurts, and granola bars.
4. Breakfast cereals: Many cereals marketed to children are high in added sugars.

On a Nutrition Facts label, “added sugars” refers to sugars that have been added during the processing of foods, as opposed to naturally occurring sugars present in foods like fruits and dairy products. The label will list added sugars separately to help consumers distinguish between the two types of sugars and manage their intake more effectively.

Here’s how you can identify and understand added sugars on a Nutrition Facts label:

1. Total Sugars: This includes both natural sugars and added sugars.
2. Includes Added Sugars: This line item is specifically for sugars that have been added during manufacturing, cooking, or at the table. It is listed directly under the “Total Sugars” line.

For example:

• Total Sugars: 10g
  • Includes 8g Added Sugars

This means out of the 10 grams of total sugars, 8 grams have been added during processing.

Ingredients List: Added sugars can also be identified by looking at the ingredients list. Common names for added sugars include:

• Sucrose
• High fructose corn syrup
• Brown sugar
• Corn syrup
• Honey
• Maple syrup
• Molasses
• Dextrose
• Glucose

Daily Value (DV): The Nutrition Facts label also provides a Daily Value percentage for added sugars. This percentage helps consumers understand how much a serving of the food contributes to the recommended daily limit for added sugars, which is typically no more than 10% of total daily calories. For a 2,000-calorie diet, this translates to about 50 grams of added sugars per day.

The FDA added an “Added Sugars” line to the Nutrition Facts label to help consumers make more informed dietary choices. Here are the key reasons for this change:

1. Health Concerns: Excessive consumption of added sugars is linked to several health issues, including obesity, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and dental cavities. By distinguishing added sugars from naturally occurring sugars, the FDA aims to help consumers reduce their intake of added sugars and mitigate these health risks.
2. Dietary Recommendations: Public health organizations, including the American Heart Association and the World Health Organization, recommend limiting added sugars to reduce the risk of chronic diseases.
3. Transparency: By providing specific information about added sugars, the FDA promotes transparency and allows consumers to make better choices based on their health goals and nutritional needs.
4. Informed Choices: With clearer labeling, consumers can more easily compare products and choose options with lower added sugar content.
5. Education and Awareness: Including added sugars on the label raises awareness about the prevalence of added sugars in processed foods. This can lead to increased consumer knowledge and proactive efforts to reduce added sugar consumption.

All of our Food Labels that are FDA compliant contain an added sugar line. If there is no added sugar, it won’t show a value.