Total vs. Added Sugar: The Key Difference
First, let's clear up a common point of confusion. The 'Total Sugars' line on a nutrition panel includes all sugars in the product. This means both naturally occurring sugars, like lactose in milk or fructose in fruit, and 'Added Sugars'. Added sugars are
those put in during processing to enhance flavour, texture, or shelf life. Think of it this way: the sugar in a plain glass of milk is natural. The sugar in a flavoured milkshake is mostly added. The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) now mandates that companies list 'Added Sugars' separately, which is a big step forward for consumers. This distinction is vital because health bodies are most concerned about the overconsumption of these added sugars, which are linked to weight gain, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease.
The Many Disguises of Added Sugar
Why is it so hard to spot added sugar? Because it rarely just says 'sugar'. Food manufacturers use dozens of different names, making it difficult for shoppers to get a clear picture. Common aliases you'll find on Indian product labels include high-fructose corn syrup, dextrose, sucrose, maltose, corn syrup solids, and invert sugar. You might also see seemingly healthier names like agave nectar, honey, fruit juice concentrate, or brown rice syrup. While some of these sound natural, your body processes them similarly to regular table sugar. A common tactic is to use several different types of sugar in one product. This way, no single sugar appears high up on the ingredient list, which is ordered by weight. This can give the false impression that a product isn't as sugar-laden as it truly is.
The Problem with Label Layout
Under current FSSAI regulations, the nutritional information (including the amount of added sugar in grams) is in a table, while the list of ingredients is a separate block of text. A consumer might see '15g of added sugar' in the table, but to understand where that sugar comes from, they have to scan a long, often tiny, list of ingredients and try to identify the multiple sugar aliases. This disconnect makes it hard to quickly assess a product. You know the 'what' (how much sugar) but not the 'how' (which ingredients contribute to it) without detective work. This separation is where confusion thrives. A shopper in a hurry is unlikely to cross-reference the two sections. They might just look at the ingredient list, not see the word 'sugar' in the first few items, and assume the product is a healthy choice.
Why Placement Beside Ingredients Matters
Now, imagine a different label. Right beside the ingredient list—where you see items like high-fructose corn syrup, maltodextrin, and fruit juice concentrate—is the total 'Added Sugar' gram count. This simple change in placement would connect the 'what' and the 'how' instantly. You would see the list of sugar sources and immediately understand their combined impact. This would make it much harder for manufacturers to hide behind multiple, confusing names. It would empower consumers to make faster, more informed decisions in the seconds they spend looking at a package. Studies on the impact of clearer labelling, such as the introduction of the 'Added Sugars' line in the US, have predicted significant public health benefits, including a reduction in chronic diseases like diabetes and heart conditions. Better placement is the logical next step in making labels truly work for the consumer.
How to Be a Savvy Shopper Today
While we wait for more intuitive labels, you can still protect yourself with a few simple habits. First, always read the ingredient list. Ingredients are listed by weight, so if a form of sugar is one of the first three ingredients, the product is likely high in added sugar. Second, get familiar with sugar's many names. A quick rule of thumb is to be wary of anything ending in '-ose' (like fructose, dextrose, sucrose) and any kind of 'syrup'. Finally, use the 'per 100g' column to compare different products fairly, as serving sizes can be misleadingly small. A snack with more than 15g of sugar per 100g should generally be considered a sweet treat, no matter what health claims are on the front of the box.
