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Searching for nutritious food and snacks can be pretty confusing thanks to all the different sugar claims on packaging. Not all sugars are the same and we definitely need sugars as part of a balanced diet. But it's important to choose the right sugars.
Sometimes you'll spot 'no added sugars' on the snack packaging, but sometimes also 'sugar-free' or 'no refined sugar'. Do these 3 claims mean the same thing, and can you be sure you've got a more nutritious snack based on these claims alone?
Not necessarily. There's a clear difference between the 3 claims, and in this article we'll take a closer look at what 'no added sugars' actually means. You can read more in detail about the claims 'sugar-free' and 'no refined sugar' in 2 separate articles, but let's break down the difference briefly here so things are crystal clear for you as a consumer:
'Sugar-free'
When a product is 'sugar-free', you can be sure it contains no more than 0.5 grams of sugar per 100 grams or 100 ml. This rule is even set by law.
'No refined sugar'
When you read on a product that it contains no refined sugars, this means no refined sugars, such as crystal or cane sugar, were added to the product.
'No added sugars'
The claim 'no added sugars' on the other hand means the product contains no added sugars or mono- or disaccharides, but it may still contain naturally occurring sugars.
So does 'no added sugars' mean there's no sugar at all?
No added sugars doesn't mean no sugar at all. If you read on a package that there are no added sugars in the product, this means that no sugars were added to the product, but it may still naturally contain sugars. Does that mean these products are automatically more nutritious?
Not necessarily. Whether a product contains added sugars or not says nothing about whether the product is more nutritious, and it doesn't mean you can eat unlimited amounts of it. These products can still contain sugary ingredients like honey or rice syrup, and even though these are natural sugars, it's best to enjoy them in moderation too.
Snack in moderation
'No added sugars' can be a helpful guide in your search for more nutritious snacks, but it's important to realise you should also enjoy natural snacks in moderation. Because sugar is sugar, and even naturally occurring sugars shouldn't be overdone.
It's not just about the sugars, the presence of other essential nutrients like dietary fibre, vitamins and minerals also matters when choosing your snack. These give your body what it needs and help you feel fuller for longer.
So it always pays to use your common sense when picking a snack, so you can truly enjoy your break!