Unmasking Hidden Sugars How to Read Food Labels for Better Health
Walking through a supermarket can sometimes feel like trying to decode a foreign language.
Food packages promise to be natural, healthy, low-fat or made with real fruit. But turn the package around, and the Nutrition Facts label can tell a very different story.
One number that frequently causes confusion is sugar.
Is 15 grams of sugar a lot? Does sugar from fruit count the same way as sugar added to a cookie? And what exactly is the difference between total sugars vs. added sugars?
Understanding those two terms can make food shopping much easier. It can also help people reduce excess sugar without feeling that they have to completely eliminate carbohydrates or sweet foods.
Total Sugar and Added Sugar Are Not the Same Thing
The simplest way to think about it is this:
Total sugars include both naturally occurring sugars and added sugars.
Naturally occurring sugars are found in foods such as fruit and plain milk. An apple, for example, contains naturally occurring sugars, but it also provides fiber, water, vitamins and other nutrients.
Added sugars are put into foods or beverages during processing, preparation
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