Although sugar occurs naturally in a variety of foods, the bulk of sugar in the average American's diet gets added to foods during processing or preparation, according to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2010. Roughly 16 percent of the calories in a typical diet come from added sugar. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration regulates food labeling to help you identify products that are sugar-free or contain less sugar than applicable reference foods.
Sugar Claims
The FDA allows food processors and manufactures to claim "sugar free" or "reduced/less" sugar on food labels if specific criteria are met. The term "low sugar" is neither defined by the FDA, nor is it allowed as a claim on food labels. To claim "sugar free" on the label, a food must contain less than 0.5 g of sugar per serving. Foods that claim to contain a reduced or lesser amount of sugar must provide at least 25 percent less sugar than a comparable reference food. When making this claim, the reference food may be another brand of the same product, such as orange juice for orange juice, for example. The reference food may also be a dissimilar food that typically gets substituted for another, such as pretzels for potato chips, according to the Electronic Code of Federal Regulations.
More Sugar Terms
Certain foods contain natural sugars, such as the fructose in fruit or the lactose in milk. Foods in which sugar naturally occurs may claim "no added sugars" or "without added sugars" on the label, as long as sugar is not added during processing, explains the FDA. Check the ingredient list to verify whether a product contains added sugar. Other names for sugar include malt, maple, pancake, corn or high fructose corn syrup, as well as brown sugar, fructose sweetener, honey, molasses and crystal dextrose, according to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2010.
Recommended Intakes
Although there is no established recommendation for sugar intake, health organizations such as the American Heart Association and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recommend limiting added sugar in your diet. Roughly 36 percent of added sugar in the typical American diet comes from beverages such as cola, energy drinks and sports drinks. For optimal heart health, the American Heart Association recommends that you limit calories from sweetened beverages to no more than 450 calories per week.
Considerations
Exercise moderation even when consuming products labeled "sugar free" or "reduced sugar." While sugar content is one consideration when making healthy diet choices, the overall calorie and nutrient content also matters. Consume a well-balanced diet with healthful choices from each food group and limit processed foods in your diet. Consult with your doctor about how much sugar is appropriate for you, particularly if you have diabetes or other specific diet-related health concerns.
References
- U.S. Department of Health and Human Services: Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2010
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration; Definitions of Nutrient Content Claims; Oct. 2009
- American Heart Association: Healthy Diet Goals
- MayoClinic.com; Nutrition and Healthy Eating; Katherine Zeratsky, R.D., L.D.; May 2010
- American Diabetes Association: Nutrient Content Claim and Percentage
- Electronic Code of Federal Regulations: Title 21: Food and Drugs: Part 101: Food Labeling
