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Nutrition & Dietetics vocabulary · Food Labels and Guidelines

Added sugar

Meaning in nutrition & dietetics, with examples

nounCommon term

In nutrition & dietetics, added sugar means: Sugars and syrups put into foods and drinks during processing or preparation, such as table sugar, honey and corn syrup, as opposed to the sugars naturally found in whole fruit and milk.

In Turkish: ilave şeker, eklenmiş şeker

How it is used

Shown as a separate line, 'Includes Added Sugars', on US labels. The WHO uses the wider term 'free sugars', which also covers the sugars in fruit juice, and recommends keeping them below 10% of energy intake. Dietitians talk about hidden added sugars in sauces and drinks.

Example sentences

  1. Flavored yogurts can contain a surprising amount of added sugar.

  2. The new rules limit added sugar in products sold in school canteens.

Common collocations

  • high in added sugar
  • free sugars
  • hidden sugars
  • sugar-sweetened beverages
  • nutrition labelThe panel on packaged food that lists the energy and the amounts of nutrients, such as fat, carbohydrate, sugar, protein and salt, usually per 100 g and per serving.
  • ingredient listThe part of a food label that names every ingredient in the product, listed in descending order of weight, so the main ingredient comes first.
  • cut down onTo eat, drink or use less of something, without stopping completely. It describes a softer, more realistic goal than cutting something out of the diet.
  • ultra-processed foodAn industrial food product made mostly from refined ingredients and additives, such as many soft drinks, packaged snacks, instant noodles and processed meats. The term comes from the NOVA classification.

More terms: Food Labels and Guidelines

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This page explains English vocabulary for learners. It is not medical advice.