Reading Food labels: ‘what does sugar free’, ‘No added Sugar’ mean?

A sugar-free label on food, candy, snacks or beverages you buy may seem like a healthier option compared to those without – not necessarily. Let’s break it down for you;

Before we dive in, we want to introduce another term you might have seen on food labels-‘No Added Sugar’. Is it the same as Sugar-Free? No.

First, let us decode for you the common sugar-content terms manufacturers use on nutrition labels.

Keep in mind that naturally occurring sugars such as those in fruit and dairy are not required to appear in ingredient lists.

Different Types of Sugars

• Naturally Occurring Sugar: These sugars are found naturally in fruit (fructose) and dairy (lactose). These sugars are hard to overdo because they typically come in combination with fiber, protein, and good-for-you vitamins and minerals. Foods that pack a naturally sweet flavor such as pineapples, bananas, and sweet potatoes are nutrient-rich and part of a healthy diet.

• Added Sugar: Processed foods, baked goods, and soft drinks may contain added sugar to enhance their flavor or achieve proper or desired texture. Added sugar includes baking staples such as brown sugar, honey, maple syrup, high fructose corn syrup, granulated sugar, and many more.

• Artificial Sweeteners: Common sources of artificial sweeteners include foods often marketed as sugar-free—such as diet soft drinks, candy, light snacks and tabletop sweeteners.
  Common artificial sweeteners are labeled as aspartame, saccharin, and sucralose on ingredient lists- have you seen any of these before?

• Sugar Alcohols: Also called polyols, sugar alcohols are commonly used to sweeten sugar-free foods because they are not associated with tooth decay. Common sources of sugar alcohols include chewing gum and hard candy and appear on ingredient lists as sorbitol or mannitol. Keep in mind that they may have a laxative effect on some people.

So what is the difference between Sugar-free and No added Sugar?

Sugar-Free

According to the FDA, a food is considered “sugar-free” if it contains less than 0.5 grams of sugar per serving. It’s important to note the actual number of servings in the food because there may still be a small amount of sugar, even with a sugar-free claim. What’s more, sugar-free includes naturally occurring and added sugars, but doesn’t include artificial sweeteners or sugar alcohols.

It’s important that you check the ingredient list for artificial sweeteners or sugar alcohols, both of which are used to enhance flavor in the absence of sugar. Common sources of “sugar-free” on food labels include chewing gum, pancake syrup, fruit preserves, candy, and more.

No Added Sugar

The FDA permits a food label to claim “no added sugar” if it “contains no sugars added during processing or packing, including ingredients that contain sugar such as juice or dry fruit.” In other words, as long as sugar isn’t added to the food manually, it can carry this claim. This term is not the same as sugar-free, since naturally occurring sugars, artificial sugars, and sugar alcohols may still be present. Look for this claim on foods such as granola, peanut butter, fruit juice, fruit preserves, and more.

Do you have any related questions? Leave us a comment or reach out to us on info@sweetbrandsafrica.com