According to the FDA, when manufacturers claim a food has “no added sugars,” it cannot be processed with any sugar or sugar-containing ingredients, though it can have sugar alcohol or artificial sweeteners. Products without added sugar can contain naturally occurring sugar.

What does no sugar diet mean?

A no-added sugar diet plan is one that eliminates all forms of sugar not occurring naturally in the foods we eat. Keeping to a no-added sugar diet is actually harder than you might think. Beyond obviously sweet treats like ice cream or soda, sugar may be hiding in places you don't expect.

What does zero sugar really mean?

“Sugar-free” (a.k.a. zero sugar, sugarless) means that a product contains, per serving, less than 0.5 g of sugar and less than five calories. Artificially sweetened drinks and sugarless gums, for example, can carry this claim.