Added Sugars vs Total Sugars on a Nutrition Label

Two sugar numbers sit on almost every nutrition label: "Total Sugars" and, indented underneath it, "Includes Xg Added Sugars." They look similar but answer different questions, and the FDA treats them differently on purpose.

What each number actually counts

According to the FDA, Total Sugars includes every sugar in the product, whether it occurs naturally (like the sugar in milk or fruit) or was added during processing. There is no Daily Value for Total Sugars, because no official recommendation exists for how much total sugar to eat in a day.

Added Sugars is the narrower, more actionable number. The FDA defines it as sugars added during food processing, such as sucrose or dextrose, table sugar sold as a sweetener, sugars from syrups and honey, and sugars from concentrated fruit or vegetable juices. It specifically excludes the sugars that occur naturally in milk, fruit, and vegetables. This is the number the Dietary Guidelines for Americans actually sets a limit on.

Where the 50 gram number comes from

The FDA states the Daily Value for added sugars is 50 grams per day, based on a 2,000-calorie diet. That number is not arbitrary. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends keeping calories from added sugars under 10 percent of total daily calories. Checking that math, using 4 calories per gram of sugar.

That works out to 200 calories, exactly 10 percent, matching the FDA's stated basis for the 50 gram Daily Value. If your own calorie target is different from 2,000, the 50 gram figure and the %DV printed on any label will not be calibrated to you specifically, since %DV on packaged food is always based on the 2,000-calorie reference diet.

Reading the label line itself

The FDA gives a concrete example: a yogurt label might show 15 grams of Total Sugars, with "Includes 7g Added Sugars" listed underneath. That means 7 grams are added and the remaining 8 grams occur naturally in the milk. The word "Includes" is doing real work there. It signals that the added sugar amount is a subset of the total sugar figure, not an extra amount stacked on top. Checking the arithmetic.

This confirms 8 grams are naturally occurring and the %DV for the added sugars is 14 percent, which is the figure the FDA cites for that example label.

Using percent Daily Value to compare products fast

The FDA gives a simple rule for reading any %DV on the label, including added sugars: 5% DV or less per serving is considered low, and 20% DV or more is considered high. That rule applies across nutrients, not just sugar, so it works the same way whether you are checking added sugars, sodium, or saturated fat.

A practical way to use this in a store aisle:

1. Find the serving size first. The %DV and gram amounts are only meaningful per that serving, and two products can have different serving sizes.
2. Check the %DV for added sugars specifically, not just the Total Sugars grams, since Total Sugars mixes in naturally occurring sugar you are not trying to limit.
3. Treat 20% DV or higher as a high-added-sugar serving and 5% DV or lower as a low one, per the FDA's own guide.
4. Remember the %DV is based on a 2,000-calorie diet, so it is a consistent yardstick for comparing products side by side, even if it is not a personalized target for your own calorie needs.

What the FDA says about cutting added sugars to zero

The FDA notes that a limited amount of added sugars can fit within an overall healthy eating pattern that also includes choices from each food group. The label is meant to support an informed choice, not a strict rule to eliminate added sugars entirely. Reading the ingredient list alongside the Nutrition Facts panel gives more context than the sugar line alone.

Key takeaways

• Total Sugars includes both natural and added sugars; Added Sugars is the narrower number with its own Daily Value.
• The 50 gram Daily Value for added sugars corresponds to 10 percent of calories on a 2,000-calorie diet.
• "Includes Xg Added Sugars" means that amount is part of, not separate from, the Total Sugars figure above it.
• Use the FDA's 5%/20% DV rule to quickly judge whether a serving is low or high in added sugars.
• The %DV is standardized to a 2,000-calorie diet, which makes it useful for comparing products even though it is not personalized to your own calorie needs.

This article explains how to read a label and is not medical or dietary advice for your specific needs. Talk to a doctor or registered dietitian about your own sugar intake, especially if you have diabetes or another condition affected by sugar.