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Added Sugar on a Nutrition Label: A Practical Reading Guide

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By HollyHerman.com Editorial Team | Sources last checked September 30, 2026

Quick answer: On a packaged food's Nutrition Facts label, added sugar has its own line under Total Sugars. It reads “Includes __g Added Sugars” and shows grams and a % Daily Value. Those numbers describe one serving, unless the package uses a dual-column label, so eating two servings doubles them. To compare similar foods, make sure the serving sizes match, then compare the added sugars line rather than the claim on the front of the package.

Where added sugar appears on the label

Look in the carbohydrate section of the label. Total Sugars is listed there, and the Added Sugars line sits beneath it. FDA explains that the word “Includes” means the added sugars are already counted inside the Total Sugars number (FDA: Added Sugars on the Nutrition Facts Label). FDA's sample yogurt label shows how to read it: 7 grams of added sugars and 8 grams of naturally occurring sugars, for 15 grams of total sugars. The 7 grams equals 14% of the Daily Value for added sugars (same FDA page).

Added sugars vs. total sugars

  • Total Sugars counts sugars naturally present in foods such as milk and fruit, plus any added sugars. FDA notes there is no Daily Value for total sugars because no recommendation has been made for the total amount to eat in a day.
  • Added Sugars include sugars added during processing (such as sucrose or dextrose), table sugar sold as a sweetener, syrups and honey, and sugars from concentrated fruit or vegetable juices. They do not include naturally occurring sugars in milk, fruits, and vegetables.

Because of that definition, a product made only from milk or fruit can show sugar under Total Sugars and still show 0 g of added sugars (FDA).

How serving size changes the number

FDA advises checking the serving size and the number of servings in the package first, because the amounts on the label, including calories, refer to one serving. The serving size reflects what people typically eat or drink. It is not a recommendation of how much you should have (FDA: How to Understand and Use the Nutrition Facts Label). Using FDA's sample yogurt numbers:

  • 1 serving: 7 g added sugars, which is 14% of the Daily Value.
  • 2 servings: 14 g added sugars, which is 28% of the Daily Value (our arithmetic: 14 g divided by the 50 g Daily Value).

Some larger packages use a dual-column label that shows amounts per serving and per package or unit, so you can see the total if you eat it all at once (FDA, how-to page).

What the % Daily Value tells you

FDA's Daily Value for added sugars is 50 grams per day, based on a 2,000-calorie diet. As a general guide, 5% DV or less per serving is a low source of added sugars, and 20% DV or more is a high source (FDA). FDA notes that calorie needs vary with age, sex, height, weight, and activity level, so treat the percentage as a reference point, not a personal target. For scale, CDC reports that one 12-ounce can of regular soda has more than 10 teaspoons (about 42 grams) of added sugar (CDC: Be Smart About Sugar). Against a 50 g Daily Value, that is roughly 84% in one can (our arithmetic).

The Added-Sugar Label Comparison Card

Use this to compare two similar foods, such as two yogurts, two cereals, or two bottled teas. Write the numbers in your phone notes or on paper.

  1. Match the serving size. Note the serving size and servings per container for both products. If the serving sizes differ, adjust before comparing.
  2. Read the added sugars line. Record grams and % DV per serving.
  3. Multiply by what you would actually eat. If you would have two servings, or the whole package, multiply both numbers.
  4. Check Total Sugars. The gap between Total Sugars and Added Sugars is the sugar that occurs naturally in the food.
  5. Scan the ingredient list. FDA counts sugars such as sucrose and dextrose, syrups, honey, and concentrated fruit or vegetable juices as added sugars.
  6. Read the rest of the label. FDA stresses that added sugars are just one piece of information and recommends reading the ingredient list and the whole label together.

Fill-in rows (Product A / Product B):

  • Serving size: A ___ / B ___
  • Servings per container: A ___ / B ___
  • Added sugars per serving: A ___ g (___% DV) / B ___ g (___% DV)
  • Total sugars per serving: A ___ g / B ___ g
  • Servings we would actually eat: A ___ / B ___
  • My added sugars: A ___ g (___% DV) / B ___ g (___% DV)

Worked example (FDA's sample yogurt label, not a specific product): 7 g added sugars (14% DV) and 15 g total sugars per serving. Two servings would be 14 g added sugars (28% DV) and 30 g total sugars. One exception: FDA says labels on single-ingredient sugars and syrups, such as table sugar, maple syrup, or honey, list the % DV for added sugars, and the gram amount may appear in a footnote instead of on the main line.

Zero-sugar marketing: what the claims do and don't tell you

Front-of-package claims are a starting point, not an answer. According to the American Heart Association's summary of FDA rules (AHA: Sugar Free vs. No Added Sugar):

  • Sugar free means less than 0.5 grams of sugars per serving, both natural and added. FDA's guidance to manufacturers sets the same threshold per reference amount customarily consumed and per labeled serving, and says a food that is not low or reduced in calories must disclose that (FDA guidance letter).
  • Reduced or less sugar means at least 25% less sugars than the regular version of the product.
  • No added sugar means no sugar or sugar-containing ingredient was added during processing or packaging. Since added sugars by definition exclude sugars naturally present in ingredients like fruit and milk, the product can still contain sugar from those ingredients, which Total Sugars will show.

AHA also notes that products with sugar claims often use sugar substitutes or low-calorie sweeteners, and that a claim alone does not make a product good for you. A “reduced sugar” cereal can still be sugary, and some products with such claims have more sugar than products without them. That is why the comparison card starts with the label numbers and not the claim.

What current guidance says, and why it may look different

Guidance on added sugars is being updated, so you may see different numbers depending on the source:

  • FDA's label page (content current as of March 4, 2026) describes the Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommendation to keep calories from added sugars under 10 percent of total calories. On a 2,000-calorie diet, that is 200 calories or 50 grams.
  • CDC's page, updated August 12, 2026, says the Dietary Guidelines recommend that children younger than 11 have no added sugar. It also says no amount of added sugars or non-nutritive sweeteners is recommended or considered part of a healthy or nutritious diet, and that one meal should contain no more than 10 grams of added sugars.

The 50 g Daily Value behind the % DV on the label is FDA's reference amount. Whichever target you follow, the label lets you see how one serving compares.

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