How do you find added sugars in drinks and foods?

A large amount of added sugar can be hiding in drinks and foods. All that sugar can be hard to see, especially when it’s dissolved in a brightly colored fruit drink or a bottle of soda.

The quickest way to spot that sugar is to ignore the front label and turn the drink around.

Look for the Nutrition Facts label. On that label, focus on the line called Includes Added Sugars.

Choose foods and drinks without added sweeteners. You’ll know that’s the case if the “Includes Added Sugars” line says 0 grams. That includes water — even sparkling, flavored, unsweetened water. That also includes plain, white milk.

The label to the right is for one serving of fat-free plain milk. One serving of plain milk includes 12 grams of natural sugar from the lactose found in milk, but it has no added sugar.

You can also spot added sugar by looking at the ingredients list that is typically near the Nutrition Facts label. Sugar isn’t always called sugar in the ingredients list, though. Sweeteners that add calories can go by many names. Here’s a list of some of those names:

Webpage updated October 2024