Added Sugars on the New Nutrition Facts Label

The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends limiting calories from added sugars to less than 10 percent of total calories per day. For example, if you consume a 2,000 calorie daily diet, that would be 200 calories or 50 grams of added sugars per day. Consuming too much added sugars can make it difficult to meet nutrient needs while staying within calorie limits. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is including added sugars on the Nutrition Facts label so that you can make informed choices, based on your individual needs and preferences.

 Everything you need to know about added sugars (and how to avoid them)

You should already be avoiding added sugars—but you’re probably not. Whoops.

 How to read labels for added sugar

Remember that 4g = 1 teaspoon of sugar Technically, 4.2g = 1 teaspoon of sugar, but for the easy on-the-spot calculation, just remember 4g equals one teaspoon. For example, a 375ml can of Coca-Cola is about 40g of sugar. Dividing that by 4 means there are 10 teaspoons of added sugar in the one can... we want to aim for limiting intake of added sugar 6 teaspoons per day. That is 25g and is recommended by the WHO for optimal health.

Added Sugar Increases Heart Risk

New research indicates that diets high in added sugar — the kind in processed foods — may also increase a person's risk for heart disease. Americans are eating more and more sugar. How do you figure out how much you're getting, and how do you keep that number down?

Can Our Bodies Even Tell the Difference Between Naturally Occurring and Added Sugars?

Nutrition labels are now specifically calling out added sugar. But...why, though?

FDA’s plan to define ‘healthy’ for food packaging: Better than the existing labeling anarchy, but do we really need it?

The FDA says that a “healthy” product must meet two requirements: It must contain a meaningful amount of food, and it must not contain more than certain upper limits for saturated fat, sodium, and added sugars.

Hidden in Plain Sight

We tend to think that added sugar is mainly found in desserts like cookies and cakes, but it's also found in many savory foods, such as bread and pasta sauce. And some foods promoted as "natural" or "healthy" are laden with added sugars, compounding the confusion. In fact, manufacturers add sugar to 74% of packaged foods sold in supermarkets.1 So, even if you skip dessert, you may still be consuming more added sugar than is recommended.

How much added sugar are you eating? You’ll soon know

In a major loss to the sugar industry, the Food and Drug Administration on Friday ordered food companies to disclose the amount of added sugar in all packaged foods. Until now, the agency required companies to list only the total amount of sugar in each product, with no distinction between naturally occurring sugars from fruit, for example, and sugar added in the form of high-fructose corn syrup or other flavorings.

How to Eat Less Sugar

One of the best things you can do for your health is to cut back on foods with added sugar.

Secret Sugars: 56 Different Names for Sugar

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. There are several “synonyms” for sugar that you should be aware of - at least 56 of them! Sugar goes by a slew of different names, making it easy for manufacturers to hide how much sugar is truly in a given product. While some of these names are more obvious, like brown and cane sugar, others are trickier to spot (e.g., maltodextrin and dextrose).. Sugar goes by a slew of different names, making it easy for manufacturers to hide how much sugar is truly in a given product. While some of these names are more obvious, like brown and cane sugar, others are trickier to spot (e.g., maltodextrin and dextrose).

The FDA made it easier to spot sneaky added sugar in your food — here's how to avoid it, says nutritionists

Nutrition labels were invented to help people understand the nutritional value of the products they purchase. But sometimes they need a bit of deciphering, especially the portion of the label listing sugar content.

Watch Out for These Sneaky Sugar Sources!

The average American eats about 22 teaspoons of sugar a day, but the American Heart Association recommends a limit of 5 teaspoons a day for women. Eek! But where is it coming from? Dessert isn't always the main culprit. Read on for more sneaky sources.