Sugars on the package: what this number shows

The «sugars» line in the nutritional value shows all sugars in a product. This includes sugars added during production and those naturally present in the product, such as lactose in milk. In EU Regulation 1169/2011, sugars are defined as mono- and disaccharides, excluding polyols.

Therefore, this perk does not look for «added sugar» and does not determine whether a product is good or bad. It provides a single number that makes it easy to compare similar products, for example, two yogurts with different fillings.

The perk marks a product as «almost sugar-free» if sugars are up to 0.5 g per 100 g, and as «low sugar» if up to 5 g per 100 g. This is useful as a quick filter when choosing between items in the same category.

Also, look at the serving size. In a drink or a large dessert, the sugar per serving can be significantly higher than the 100 g figure. And a low sugar content does not mean low carbohydrates or low calories.