A carton of plain milk can show 12 grams of Total Sugars and 0 grams of Added Sugars. A sweetened version may show a larger total plus a separate added-sugar number. The first line tells you all sugars present; the second tells you how much was introduced during processing.
On a U.S. Nutrition Facts label, Total Sugars answers “how much sugar is in the food?” while Added Sugars answers “how much of that sugar was added during processing or preparation?” Naturally occurring lactose in plain milk and fructose in whole fruit count toward Total Sugars without counting as Added Sugars. That distinction is important because the two lines describe different questions rather than competing measurements.
Serving size deserves attention too. Two products can have similar sugar concentrations but list very different serving sizes. Comparing foods in the same category per 100 grams or per 100 milliliters can standardize the comparison, while the labeled serving shows what you are likely to consume at once. Using both views prevents a tiny package from looking automatically low in sugar and keeps a large serving from seeming worse simply because the total number is larger.
A product with zero Added Sugars can still contain a meaningful amount of Total Sugars, just as a product with some Added Sugars can also provide fiber or protein. The two lines inform a decision; neither one replaces the rest of the label.
Total Sugars includes naturally occurring sugars
Lactose in milk and fructose, glucose, and sucrose naturally present in fruit count toward Total Sugars. If a manufacturer adds cane sugar, honey, syrup, or another qualifying sweetener, those grams are also part of the same total.
The Added Sugars number is already included inside Total Sugars, so the two should never be added together. A yogurt can show 12 grams of Total Sugars and 5 grams of Added Sugars; that means roughly 5 of the 12 grams came from added sweeteners, not that the cup contains 17 grams. This is one of the most common label-reading mistakes, and the nested relationship is the key to avoiding it.
Added Sugars is a subset, not an extra number to add
If a label says Total Sugars 18 g and Includes 10 g Added Sugars, the food has 18 grams altogether—not 28. Roughly 8 grams were already present in the ingredients and 10 grams were added.
| Label line | What it means |
|---|---|
| Total Sugars | All sugars in the serving |
| Includes Added Sugars | The part of Total Sugars added during processing |
The % Daily Value appears for Added Sugars because U.S. labeling provides a daily reference for that category. Total Sugars does not have a % Daily Value on the standard label because naturally occurring sugars come packaged in very different foods. A carton of plain milk and a sweetened soda can both contain sugar, but their ingredients and overall nutrition profiles are not equivalent. The label is designed to preserve that context.
The Daily Value applies to added sugars
On current U.S. labels, Added Sugars has a % Daily Value based on 50 grams for a 2,000-calorie diet. Total Sugars has no Daily Value because naturally occurring sugars are not assigned the same single limit on the label.
The ingredient list gives another layer of information. Sugar, corn syrup, honey, maple syrup, concentrates used as sweeteners, and other caloric sweeteners can contribute to Added Sugars. Ingredients are listed in descending order by weight, which helps show whether sweeteners are major components. You do not need to memorize every possible name; the Added Sugars line already does much of the accounting, while ingredients explain where the sweetness came from.
Ingredients explain the source
The ingredient list can show cane sugar, corn syrup, honey, fruit-juice concentrates used as sweeteners, and other added sources. It also helps you understand whether the food’s natural sugars come from milk, fruit, or another ingredient.
Read Total Sugars for the full amount and Added Sugars for the portion manufacturers put in.
When comparing products, start with your actual goal. If you want less sugar overall, compare Total Sugars per serving. If you specifically want fewer sugars added by the manufacturer, compare Added Sugars and its % Daily Value. Then look at protein, fiber, calories, sodium, and serving size. Nutrition Facts works best as a set of clues rather than a single number that can classify an entire food as good or bad.
Sources
- FDA — Added Sugars on the Nutrition Facts Label — Definitions and examples for total and added sugars.
- FDA — Daily Value on the Nutrition Facts Label — Daily Value context for added sugars.