What does ‘No added sugar’ really mean?
Also listed as: no sugar added, unsweetened
Short answer
It means no sugar was added during manufacturing, not that the product is low in sugar. Fruit, milk and dried-fruit sugars can still make it very sweet.
What it is
A front-of-pack claim about added sugars only.
Where you’ll see it
Juices, muesli, energy bars, flavoured yoghurts, baby foods and ‘healthy’ snacks.
+ The good side
- Rules out table sugar, syrups and similar added sweeteners in most cases
- Useful when comparing two similar products
− The other side
- Natural sugars from dates, fruit pastes or juice can be as high as added sugar
- Products may use sweeteners instead
- Doesn’t mean low calorie
Who should pay attention
People with diabetes, parents choosing children’s snacks, anyone cutting sugar.
💡 What to do: Ignore the front, read ‘total sugars per 100 g’ in the nutrition table.
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Maltodextrin
Not harmful in the small amounts used in most foods, but it is a fast-digesting carbohydrate that raises blood sugar quickly, so it matters if it appears high in the ingredient list.
Invert sugar syrup
It is added sugar: table sugar split into glucose and fructose. It counts towards your sugar intake just like sugar does.
‘High protein’
Regulations set a minimum protein level for the claim, but ‘high protein’ per 100 g can mean much less in the serving you actually eat, and sometimes comes with a lot of sugar or fat.
General food information, not medical advice. Exact limits and labelling rules vary by country. If you have a medical condition or allergy, follow your doctor’s or dietitian’s advice.