What Does “No Sugar Added” Mean?

No Sugar Added

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has set guidelines regarding the meaning of no sugar added. The FDA provides specific labeling requirements for the nutrient content of foods and claims about those foods. According to the FDA, when manufacturers claim a food has “no added sugars,” it cannot be processed with any sugar or sugar-containing ingredients, though it can have sugar alcohol or artificial sweeteners. Products without added sugar can contain naturally occurring sugar.

What Are the Laws about No Sugar Added?

In 2016, the FDA announced that a revised Nutrition Facts label would be required on food packaging. As part of the FDA added sugar regulations, the amount of added sugars must be listed in grams and as a percent of Daily Value on labels. The Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act and the Fair Packaging and Labeling Act allow the FDA to regulate food and labeling, including no added sugar claims on packaging.