Sugar is a master of disguise: just because you don’t see “sugar” on the ingredient list when scanning a nutrition label does not guarantee the item is sugar or sweetener-free. Sugar goes by a slew of different names, making it easy for manufacturers to hide how much sugar is truly in a given product. A whopping 56 different names! While some of these names are more obvious, like brown and cane sugar, others are trickier to spot (e.g., Maltodextrin and dextrose).
Shockingly, over 68% of barcoded food products sold in the US contain added sweeteners—even if they are labeled as “natural” or “healthy.”¹ The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) requires that all packaged food and beverage nutrition labels display the sugar content per serving. However, most manufacturers have until January 1, 2020 to display if a product includes added sugars.²
The best way to ensure you’re not consuming excess added sugars is to get in the habit of always scanning the ingredient list below before you throw the item in your cart. Keep in mind that ingredients are listed by quantity from high to low: the closer to the front of the list a form of sugar is, the more the product contains.*
Feeling overwhelmed? Use this list of sugar names below to help you avoid a head rush when you shop!
(Excluding artificial sweeteners and sugar substitutes)
Basic Simple Sugars (monosaccharides and disaccharides):
Solid or Granulated Sugars:
Liquid or Syrup Sugars:
*Note: If you spot any of these names listed on a label, keep in mind it’s not automatically a no-go. It’s the amount of sugar that counts! If the total carbohydrate count is 1–2 grams, it’s still fine to have if you’re following a low carb lifestyle. For example, many keto-friendly salad dressings include a pinch of sugar with 1–2 grams total carbs—these are still suitable to consume.
