WHAT ARE Added Sugars? Let’s start with the basics. Sugars are Sugars are found naturally in all plant and the simplest type of carbohydrate. They are easily digested and dairy foods and beverages and are also added absorbed by the body. Sugars provide calories, or energy, for the to foods and beverages for taste, texture and body. Each gram of sugar provides 4 calories. preservation. These sugars that are added to foods and beverages during the processing Sugars that contain one molecule of foods are considered ADDED SUGARS as Carbohydrates, along (monosaccharides) are small enough defined by the FDA. Added sugars do not with fat and protein, to be absorbed directly into the include low- and non-caloric sweeteners. are macronutrients bloodstream. Sugars that contain two that provide molecules of sugar linked together The term “added sugars” was defined by the body (disaccharides) are broken down in your the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) with energy. body into single sugars before absorption. Polysaccharides are longer chains of in 2016 as: sugars that are added during monosaccharides (more than 10) and are the processing of foods, or are packaged also broken down in the body. as such, and include sugars (free, mono- and disaccharides), sugars from syrups and honey, and sugars from concentrated Sugars, broken down fruit or vegetable juices that are in excess of what would be expected from the same Monosaccharides volume of 100 percent fruit or vegetable Glucose (dextrose) juice of the same type. Fructose (levulose or fruit sugar) Galactose (occurs in milk) Some specific examples of FDA’s definition of Disaccharides added sugars include: Sucrose (table sugar) = glucose + fructose • agave nectar • lactose* Lactose (milk sugar) = glucose + galactose • brown rice syrup • malt syrup Maltose (malt sugar) = glucose + glucose • brown sugar • maltose* • confectioner’s • maple sugar Polysaccharides powdered sugar • molasses Starch (glucose polymer) • coconut sugar • nectars (e.g. peach • corn syrup nectar, pear nectar) • dextrose • raw sugar In the body, sugars are broken down into glucose. • fructose* • rice syrup • Glucose in the blood (often called “blood sugar”) is the primary • glucose* • sucrose* source of energy for the body. • high-fructose corn • sugar • Glucose can be used immediately or stored in the liver and syrup muscles for later use. • white granulated • honey sugar In foods and beverages, sugars are used to sweeten, preserve, and • invert sugar improve other attributes like texture, color and browning capability. *also naturally occurring sugars founds in whole foods The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend limiting added sugars to no more than 10% of calories.1 This is a target to help individuals move toward healthy eating patterns within calorie limits. 1. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, U.S. Department of Agriculture. 2015–2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. 8th ed. Available at: https://health.gov/dietaryguidelines/2015/guidelines/. Published December 2015. Learn more at sugar.org @MoreToSugar Contact us at [email protected].