A US label showing 12g Total Sugars and 4g Added Sugars means 12g in total, not 16g. Added sugar is already inside the total. The word Includes is the clue.
- Read reference amount
- Read total sugars
- Added is part of total
- Scale each number separately
Includes does not mean add
The FDA explains that added sugars are included in total sugars, which also covers naturally occurring sugars. This guide concerns US wording; a total-sugar entry on another market’s label is not automatically added sugar.
| Fictional label | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Total Sugars 12g | 12g total |
| Includes 4g Added Sugars | 4g of that total is added |
| Twice the reference amount | 24g total; 8g added |
FDA: added sugars on nutrition labels
Make two comparison columns
Align A and B to equal quantities. Record total sugar and added sugar separately. Neither one number classifies an entire food as healthy or unhealthy. For your meal decision, check other relevant fields such as protein, fiber and allergens.
If added sugar is not listed
Total sugar alone cannot tell you the grams of added sugar. Finding sugar or syrup in the ingredients does not reveal its exact quantity. Leave that field unknown rather than inventing a number.
A worked example
For the fictional cereal, enter 12 and 4 in separate fields. If you eat twice the reference amount, double each field; do not add them together.
Common questions
Does zero added sugar mean zero total?
No. Check total sugars separately.
Which amount do I use?
Read the reference amount, then scale to what you will eat.