Amidst the growing global push for sugar control, terms such as "sugar-free," "low sugar," and "no added sugar" have become increasingly frequent on food packaging, particularly in candy, beverages, dairy products, and baked goods. Consumers are increasingly concerned about the sugar content in food, but do you truly understand the meaning behind these labels? In particular, "no added sugar" does not equal "sugar-free," as the two differ significantly in regulatory definitions and the nature of their ingredients.
1. Differences in Definition: What are "no added sugar" and "sugar-free"?
According to food labeling regulations in mainstream markets, such as the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the European Union's Food Information Labeling Regulation (EU FIC), the terms "no added sugar" and "sugar-free" have clear legal definitions:
No added sugar refers to a product that does not contain any free sugars (such as sugar, fructose syrup, honey, etc.) or sugar-containing ingredients (such as candied fruit) during processing. However, this does not mean the product is sugar-free; ingredients such as fruit and dairy products may contain naturally occurring sugars.
Sugar-free meets stricter standards, typically requiring a sugar content of no more than 0.5 grams per 100 grams (or 100 milliliters), indicating extremely low or even near-zero sugar content. This term is more commonly used for functional foods, sugar substitutes, or foods that have undergone special processing.
Therefore, while "no added sugar" products may not appear as sweet as traditional candies, their actual sugar content may still be high.
II. Case Study: Added Sugar Content in Freeze-Dried Candies
Take a common freeze-dried candy on the market as an example. Its Nutrition Facts table shows that per 28 g serving, the candy contains a whopping 39 g of added sugar per 100 g, representing 78% of the Recommended Daily Value (%DV). Although some brands claim "no added sucrose" or "no added syrup" on their packaging, they may use ingredients containing natural sugars, such as fruit purees, maltodextrin, and corn syrup solids.
