MSU Extension Agricultural Literacy

Sugar Label Claims

Sugar is found in many products, either naturally occurring or added.

Natural Occurring Sugar occurs in the product naturally

Examples of foods high in naturally occurring sugar:

• Fruits (fructose & glucose)
• Milk (lactose)

Added Sugar is not naturally found in the product

Examples of foods high in added sugars:

• Baked goods
• Soda
• Candy

Understanding the Nutrition Facts

RECOMMENDED LIMIT- The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend no more than 10% of the diet be added sugar

• Approximately 12 teaspoons of added sugar based on a 2,000 calorie a day diet

LOW VS. HIGH- The best way to determine if a product is low in added sugar is by referencing the Percent Daily Value

• Low added sugar is less than 5% of the Daily Value
• High added sugar is greater than 20% Daily Value

TOTAL SUGARS and ADDED SUGARS are separated on the label

• Want to know how much naturally occurring sugar is in a food? Subtract Added Sugars from Total Sugars to find naturally occurring sugar

Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Defined Sugar Claims

“Sugar free” or “zero sugar”

• Contain less than 0.5 grams of sugar per serving
• If sugar is in the ingredient list, the label requires a statement such as “adds a trivial amount of sugar”

“No added sugar” or “without added sugar”

• No amount of sugar or any ingredient containing sugar was added during processing

“Reduced sugar” or “less sugar”

• Contains at least 25% less sugar compared to 100 grams of the referenced food

Artificial Sweeteners

• Manufactured sugar substitutes that contribute little to no calories
• Range from 200 to 20,000 times sweeter than table sugar (sucrose)
• The FDA approves artificial sweeteners safe for consumption
• Examples: saccharin (Sweet'N Low), aspartame (Equal), and sucralose (Splenda)