Sugar 101

Understanding the two types of sugars

There are two types of sugars in foods: naturally occurring sugars and added sugars.

• Naturally occurring sugars are found naturally in foods such as fruit (fructose) and milk (lactose).
  
  
• Added sugars include any sugars or caloric sweeteners that are added to foods or beverages during processing or preparation, such as adding sugar to your coffee or cereal. Added sugars include white sugar, brown sugar and honey, as well as other added sweeteners that are chemically manufactured, such as high fructose corn syrup.   

Knowing the main sources of added sugars

The major sources of added sugars in American diets are: 

• Sugary beverages
• Desserts
• Sweet snacks
• Sweetened coffee and tea 
• Candy

Finding added sugars in food

Read the Nutrition Facts on the food label to understand how much added sugar is in a food.

• Total sugars include both added sugars and natural sugars.
• Added sugars are added during processing or preparation. You want to limit added sugars.
• Naturally occurring sugars are found in milk (lactose) and fruit (fructose). Any product that contains milk, such as yogurt, milk or cream, or fruit contains some natural sugars. 

*The Daily Values are reference amounts (in grams, milligrams, or micrograms) of nutrients to consume or not to exceed each day.  

In addition to the Nutrition Facts label, look at the ingredients list to see which, if any, added sugars are in the product. Here are some examples of added sugars: 

• Brown sugar
• Corn sweetener
• Corn syrup
• Fruit juice concentrates
• High-fructose corn syrup
• Honey
• Invert sugar
• Malt sugar
• Molasses
• Raw sugar
• Sugar
• Sugar molecules ending in “ose” (dextrose, glucose, lactose, maltose, sucrose)
• Syrup

Understanding common sugar claims

On some food products, you may see claims related to sugars. Here are some common terms and their meanings:

• Sugar Free – Less than 0.5 g of sugar per serving; contains no ingredient that is a sugar
  
  
• Reduced Sugar or Less Sugar – At least 25% less sugars per serving compared to a standard serving size of the traditional variety
  
  
• No Added Sugars or Without Added Sugars – No sugars or sugar-containing ingredient is added during processing
  
  
• Low Sugar – Not defined or allowed as a claim on food labels 

Limiting added sugars

The American Heart Association recommends limiting the amount of added sugars you consume.  

Although sugars are not harmful in small amounts to the body, our bodies don’t need added sugars to function properly. Added sugars contribute additional calories and zero nutrients to food. Reducing added sugars can help you to cut calories, improve your heart health and control your weight.