“Natural” sounds healthy and “added” sounds bad, but the real rule is slightly different. To understand the guidelines, you need three terms: free sugars, added sugars and total sugars.
Three terms, explained
| Term | Meaning | Used by |
|---|---|---|
| Free sugars | All sugars added to foods and drinks by manufacturers, cooks or you, plus the sugars naturally present in honey, syrups, fruit juices and fruit juice concentrates | WHO, NHS |
| Added sugars | Sugars and syrups put into food or drinks while they are made or prepared | US labels, American Heart Association |
| Total sugars | Everything on the label: added sugars plus those naturally present in the food | Food labels |
The NHS adds that free sugars include sugars in honey, syrups, nectars, and unsweetened fruit or vegetable juices, smoothies and purées.
What does not count
The WHO says the sugars in fresh fruit and vegetables and the sugars naturally present in milk are not free sugars. It says there is no reported evidence of adverse effects from these. The NHS says the same: sugars naturally found in milk, whole fruit and vegetables do not count as free sugars, even though they appear in the “total sugars” figure on food labels.
Does it count? A quick guide
| Food | Counts toward your free sugars? |
|---|---|
| A whole apple or banana | No |
| Plain milk | No |
| Fruit juice or a smoothie | Yes. The sugar is released from the fruit. |
| Honey, maple syrup, agave | Yes |
| Sugar in tea or coffee | Yes |
| Biscuits, cakes and chocolate | Yes |
| Flavoured yoghurt | The added sugar does, but not the milk sugar |
| Breakfast cereal with added sugar | Yes, the added part |
| Plain yoghurt, no added sugar | No |
Why is juice different from fruit?
Juice and smoothies still contain fruit sugar, but when fruit is juiced or blended, the sugars are released from the cell walls of the fruit. That is why the WHO and NHS count them as free sugars. The NHS suggests limiting fruit juice and smoothies to a single small 150 ml glass a day, ideally with a meal.
Is sugar from fruit healthier than table sugar?
Chemically, glucose, fructose and sucrose are the same wherever they come from. The difference lies in the food around them. A whole piece of fruit comes with fibre and water, takes time to eat and fills you up. A sweet drink or a biscuit delivers sugar quickly, and it is easy to eat or drink a lot of it. The guidelines reflect these differences.
What the label says
On a US Nutrition Facts label, “Total sugars” includes both natural and added sugars, and the FDA says no daily value has been set for total sugars. The “Added sugars” line is the one to watch, and the FDA advises choosing foods lower in added sugars. UK packs show “sugars” per 100 g, which also includes natural sugars, so look at the ingredients list too. Our guide to reading a nutrition label shows how.
How to find added sugar on a label
- UK-style labels: look at “of which sugars” per 100 g. It includes naturally present sugars, so check the ingredients list for sugar, syrups and juice concentrate.
- US-style labels: look at the “Added sugars” line under “Total sugars”.
- Ingredients: if sugar, honey, syrup or a juice concentrate is near the top of the list, the product probably contains a lot.
See how to read a nutrition label for a step-by-step guide.
Other names for added sugar
Added sugar goes by many names on ingredient lists. Common ones include sugar, brown sugar, glucose, glucose syrup, fructose, dextrose, maltose, sucrose, honey, golden syrup, maple syrup, agave syrup and fruit juice concentrate. They are all forms of sugar, though they may sound different.
The bottom line
- Enjoy whole fruit, vegetables and plain milk or yoghurt.
- Keep an eye on drinks, sweets, desserts, flavoured yoghurts and sweetened cereals.
- Remember that honey, syrups and juice count as free sugars even though they sound natural.
For the numbers, see how much sugar per day, and use our hidden sugar guide to find where it lurks.
Frequently asked questions
Is the sugar in a banana bad for me?
The WHO and the NHS do not count the sugars in whole fruit as free sugars. Whole fruit is a normal part of a healthy diet.
Does fruit juice count?
Yes. The NHS counts the sugars in unsweetened fruit and vegetable juices, smoothies and purées as free sugars, and suggests limiting juice and smoothies to a 150 ml glass a day with a meal.
Is honey healthier than sugar?
Honey is counted as a free sugar by the WHO and the NHS. It may taste different, but for your daily limit it counts the same.
Why does the label show total sugars if only some count?
Labels list all the sugars in the food. The UK-style label does not separate added sugars, so use the ingredients list to judge. US labels have a separate line for added sugars.