How much added sugar is in the United States

Published Mar 3, 2026

Tridge summary

Core tip: How much added sugar in the U.S.? In early 2026, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the U.S. Department of Agriculture released the "2025-2030 Dietary Guidelines for Americans," which emphasize the priority of consuming whole nutrient-rich foods such as high-protein, full-fat dairy products, vegetables, fruits, healthy fats, and whole grains, and significantly reducing the intake of ultra-processed foods, added sugars, and artificial additives. What are added sugars, how do they differ from total sugars, why should their intake be reduced, and what are the labeling requirements? Food Partners Network will take everyone to understand the relevant content about added sugars in the U.S.

Original content

1. The difference between added sugars and total sugars According to the U.S. federal regulation 21CFR101.9, added sugars refer to sugars added during food processing (such as sucrose or glucose), foods packaged as sweeteners (such as granulated sugar), sugars from syrups and honey, and sugars in concentrated fruit and vegetable juices that exceed the sugar content of the same volume and type of 100% pure fruit or vegetable juice. However, it does not include sugars naturally present in milk, fruits, and vegetables. Total sugars refer to the sum of all free monosaccharides and disaccharides (such as glucose, fructose, lactose, and sucrose). Therefore, total sugars and added sugars can be understood as a containment relationship, with total sugars including naturally occurring sugars in food as well as sugars that may be added to the product. 2. U.S. recommendations on added sugar consumption In daily diets, the main sources of added sugars are sugary beverages, desserts, cookies, ...

Source: Foodmate