What Is Added Sugar on a Nutrition Label?

Quick Answer

Added sugars are sugars added to food during processing or packaging — separate from naturally occurring sugars in whole fruit, dairy, or vegetables. The FDA 2020 rule requires a "Includes Xg Added Sugars" sub-line under "Total Sugars" on every nutrition label, with a % Daily Value calculated against a 50g daily reference. Examples that count: cane sugar, brown sugar, honey, maple syrup, agave, high-fructose corn syrup, fruit juice concentrate, molasses, brown rice syrup. Examples that do NOT count: lactose in milk, naturally occurring fructose in whole fruit, sugars in plain unsweetened yogurt.

The 2020 FDA nutrition label update added one of the most consequential lines in modern food regulation: "Includes Xg Added Sugars." The line appears as a sub-bullet under "Total Sugars," with its own gram amount and % Daily Value. For food entrepreneurs, getting this line right is now a top compliance priority.

The Definition

Added sugars are sugars added to food during processing or packaging — anything caloric, sweet, and not part of the raw ingredient in its whole form. The FDA categorizes added sugars in 21 CFR 101.9(c)(6)(iii). Common examples:

Cane sugar, brown sugar, raw sugar, turbinado
High-fructose corn syrup, corn syrup, glucose syrup
Honey, maple syrup, agave nectar
Molasses, brown rice syrup, malt syrup
Fruit juice concentrates (when added in concentrations exceeding what would be expected from 100% juice)
Sucrose, dextrose, fructose, and other sugars added as ingredients
Sugars from "natural flavors" that are sweetened

What Does NOT Count

Naturally occurring sugars in whole foods are NOT added sugars:

Lactose in plain milk and unsweetened dairy
Fructose in whole fresh or frozen fruit
Sugars naturally present in whole vegetables (e.g., natural sugars in tomatoes)
Sugars in 100% unconcentrated fruit juice (at the natural concentration of the source fruit)
Non-caloric sweeteners (stevia, monk fruit, sucralose, aspartame, erythritol) — these are not sugars at all

The Daily Value: 50 Grams

The FDA established a 50g Daily Value for added sugars — equal to 10% of a 2,000-calorie diet. This aligns with Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommendations. A product with 12g of added sugars per serving shows "24% DV" (12 ÷ 50 × 100, rounded).

Several products now disclose surprisingly high added sugar percentages: a 12-oz soda might show 30-40g added sugars (60-80% DV), and a single granola bar can hit 8-12g (16-24% DV). The label transparency was the FDA\'s intent.

How to Calculate Added Sugars for Your Product

Three-step workflow:

List all sweet ingredients you added during preparation — sugar, honey, syrups, concentrates.
Convert each to grams of pure sugar. Honey is roughly 80% sugar by weight; maple syrup is roughly 65%; agave is roughly 70-75%. Use ingredient spec sheets or USDA FoodData Central for precise values.
Sum and divide by servings. Total grams of added sugar ÷ servings per container = per-serving added sugar value.

Why This Line Matters

The added sugars line is one of the most-consulted parts of a label by health-conscious consumers. FDA consumer-behavior research from 2022-2024 suggested products labeled with high added sugar percentages saw measurable purchase declines (5-10% on average). Many manufacturers responded by reformulating to lower added sugar content rather than reduce sales. The market dynamics created by this single line are arguably the rule\'s biggest impact.

For practical label generation that handles added sugar disclosure correctly, use our free generator. For the full 2020 update context, see our 2020 Changes guide.

Frequently Asked Questions

What counts as added sugar?

Any sugar added during food processing or packaging. The FDA list includes: cane sugar, brown sugar, honey, maple syrup, agave, high-fructose corn syrup, glucose, fructose, sucrose, dextrose, molasses, brown rice syrup, fruit juice concentrates that exceed what would be expected from 100% juice, and any other sugar introduced by the manufacturer. Sugars from concentrate fruit juices count even if the source is "natural."

What does NOT count as added sugar?

Naturally occurring sugars in whole foods. Lactose in plain milk, fructose in fresh fruit, and natural sugars in unsweetened dairy products are not added sugars. If you start with plain milk and end with plain yogurt, the lactose remains a naturally occurring sugar — but if you add sweetener during processing, that sweetener is an added sugar.

What's the % Daily Value for added sugars?

50 grams per day (representing 10% of a 2,000-calorie diet). The FDA set this threshold based on Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommendations. A product with 25g of added sugars per serving shows "50% DV" — meaning one serving provides half the daily limit.

How do I know if a sweetener counts as added sugar?

Three-question test: Was the sugar added during preparation or packaging? Was it absent from the raw ingredients? Is it caloric (provides energy)? If yes to all three, it counts as added sugar. Non-caloric sweeteners (stevia, monk fruit, sucralose, aspartame) are NOT added sugars even though they're added during processing.

Does the added sugars rule apply to milk and yogurt?

Plain milk: no added sugars (only lactose). Sweetened milk products (chocolate milk, flavored milk): yes, added sugar. Plain unsweetened yogurt: no added sugars. Flavored yogurt: yes, added sugars from added fruit purees, syrups, or sweeteners. Greek yogurt with honey added at the factory: yes, added sugars.

How accurate must added sugar values be?

Within FDA tolerance — Class II nutrients allow actual ≤ 120% of declared. If your label says 5g added sugars, the actual product must contain no more than 6g to remain compliant. Be conservative in your declaration.

What Is Added Sugar and Why Is It on Nutrition Labels?