In this article, we'll explain 3 steps to effectively read food labels to avoid consuming too much sugar and make more informed decisions about our diet:

1. Ingredient list: Ingredients are listed in descending order by weight. If you see words like "sugar," "corn syrup," or "fructose" at the beginning of the list, it means the product may have a lot of added sugar. Keep in mind that sugar can have different names on food labels. Some common examples are sucrose, dextrose, high fructose corn syrup, honey, agave nectar, and fruit juice concentrate. Familiarise yourself with these names to spot added sugars more easily.

2. Serving Size: Nutritional information is based on a specific serving size of the food, usually 100 grams. However, it's becoming more common (especially in high-calorie or sugary products) to provide values for a smaller serving, such as 80 grams. When reading this information, be aware that the serving size indicated may not match the amount you actually consume. Additionally, when comparing products, make sure you're comparing them based on the same gram amount.

Sometimes this quantity is calculated in millilitres without indicating how many grams that amount corresponds to. This can lead to confusion, especially with products like ice cream that contain air, especially in industrial ice creams. In this case, we advise you to look for nutritional values per 100 grams and compare that portion with the amount you actually consume.

3. Nutritional Value: Pay attention to the amount of calories, fats, total sugars, and other nutrients in a serving of the food. Looking for the total sugars value on the label is the clearest way to identify them because it encompasses the total sugars from all ingredients, regardless of their names. This should be the reference value. Look for options that are low in sugar and saturated fats.

Now that we know how to read food labels and detect hidden sugars, here are some practical tips to avoid consuming too much sugar:

• Know your recommended sugar limits: The World Health Organization (WHO) suggests limiting the intake of added sugars to less than 10% of daily calories. Sugar provides 400 calories per 100 grams. Therefore, using the average calorie consumption of moderately active children, teenagers, and adults (1600 calories, 2000 calories, and 2400 calories, respectively) as a reference, the daily average intake of added sugars would be:

• Children up to 7 years: 40 grams

• Adolescents up to 16 years: 50 grams

• Adults up to 60 years: 60 grams

These values refer to added sugars only, not those naturally present in foods. However, these are the maximum recommended values, not necessarily what you should aim for if you want to maintain a healthy diet.

• Prioritise foods with few ingredients: The simpler the ingredient list of a product, the less likely it is to contain hidden sugars. Look for options with ingredients you can recognize and avoid those with long lists of additives and preservatives.

• Avoid artificial sweeteners: Some foods are promoted as "sugar-free" but instead contain artificial sweeteners. These can have negative effects on health and are not a healthy alternative to sugar.

Here are some examples:

Chocolate and Peanut Ice Cream, chopped roasted peanuts coated with chocolate (9%), and peanut cream (9%). 

Ingredients: water; reconstituted skimmed MILK powder; sugar; chopped roasted peanuts coated with chocolate (9.3%) (chopped roasted peanuts (41%), chocolate (36%) (sugar, cocoa mass, cocoa butter, LACTOSE, emulsifier: E 322 (SOY), flavour, minimum 43% cocoa), sugar, glucose syrup, coating agents: E 414, E 904, starch); peanut cream (roasted peanuts (67%), sugar, dextrose, glucose syrup, sunflower oil, emulsifiers: gum arabic, lecithins (SOY), polyglycerol polyricinoleate, mono and diglycerides of fatty acids, salt, antioxidant: tocopherol-rich extract); butter (MILK); coconut fat; PEANUTS (3%); cocoa paste (2.7%); glucose syrup; whey powder (MILK); defatted cocoa powder (1.1%); cocoa powder (1.1%); emulsifiers: E 471, E 322; stabilisers: E 410, E 412, E 407; cocoa butter (0.1%); natural flavour. 

May contain traces of NUTS and EGG.

Nutritional information per 100 g of product

Energy value 818 Kj / 196 Kcal

Fats 11 g

of which saturated 6,2 g

Carbohydrates 25 g

of which sugars 22 g

Proteins 5,6 g

Salt 0,16 g

This is an example of the nutritional information for an industrial ice cream marketed to children. Its ingredient list is endless. We identified added sugars: sugar, glucose syrup, and dextrose, which, combined with the sugar in other ingredients like milk or cream, make the total sugar content 22%. Additionally, it contains many additives and preservatives.

This is another example from a premium industrial ice cream brand. As we can see on its label, in addition to nutritional values per 100 grams, two more columns of data are provided: nutritional values per serving (87 grams), which is usually one scoop of ice cream, and the reference intake (RI) percentage, indicating the percentage of each value or nutrient that an adult should consume. This index is very relative and confusing, so we do not recommend using it as a reference. 

In terms of ingredients, sugar and glucose syrup would be the added sugars used. It's worth noting that it doesn't contain artificial additives or preservatives beyond the "natural" vanilla flavouring.

Creamy chocolate ice cream (12.3%), with salted butter caramel sauce (10%) and pieces of salted caramel (8%).

Ingredients: Pasteurised cream (25%), sugar, skimmed evaporated milk, water, cocoa paste, egg yolk, condensed milk, glucose syrup, salted butter, cocoa powder, coconut oil, butter, cocoa butter, emulsifiers (sunflower lecithin, soy lecithin), salt, natural vanilla flavours, thickener (pectins). Allergens: see ingredients in bold. May contain nuts. Gluten-free.

Suitable for vegetarians.

(*) Reference intake of an average adult (8400 kJ/2000 kcal)

Once defrosted, do not refreeze. Store at temperatures below -18 °C.

460 ml Contains at least 4 servings.

Nutritional information per 100 g of product

Energy value 601 kJ / 144 Kcal

Fats 5,3 g

of which saturated 3,4 g

Carbohydrates 14 g

of which sugars 8,5 g

Proteins  9,2g

Salt 0,21 g

Banana-flavoured milk ice cream with chocolate chips (6%).

Ingredients: Reconstituted skimmed MILK powder; MILK proteins; sweeteners: xylitol, maltitol, acesulfame K, sucralose; cream (MILK); banana puree (6.2%); skimmed MILK powder; bulking agent: polydextrose; cocoa powder (2.5%); emulsifiers: mono- and diglycerides of fatty acids, lecithins; natural flavour; cocoa butter (0.2%); stabilisers: locust bean gum, guar gum, carrageenans; colouring: carotenes; acidulant: ascorbic acid. 

May contain traces of: NUTS, PEANUTS, and EGG.

Lastly, we couldn't leave out one of our labels, the one for our classic Madagascar Vanilla ice cream:

In the ingredient list, relatively short for an ice cream, all ingredients are distinguishable. Organic agave syrup (with a low glycemic index) and cane sugar are used as added sugars, and erythritol, a naturally occurring sugar alcohol, is used as a sweetener. The star ingredient is simply Madagascar Bourbon vanilla. The dots indicate the calories per serving. As an Italian-style Gelato, it has a very low air content, making it more filling than industrial ice creams, which can have air contents of up to 45%, as in the previous example. Comparatively, this ice cream's total sugar content is 9.5%, well below the typical 25% found in most ice creams of its category.

VANILLA ice cream

INGREDIENTS: Whole fresh milk, fresh cream, sweetener: erythritol, skimmed milk powder, organic agave syrup, cane sugar, vegetable dietary fibre, rice flour, Bourbon vanilla, salt, milk protein, sunflower lecithin.

100ml SERVING - 80g

SUGAR 7,79g

CALORIES 107g

FIBER 0,65g

PROTEIN 3,28g

Per 100g serving

Kcal 129

Total Fat 7,9%

• Saturated Fats 5,5%

Total Carbohydrates 20,5%

• Sugars 9,5%

• Fiber 0,8%

• Polyols 9,57%

• Net carbohydrates 10,12%

• Protein 4,0%

Reading food labels is essential for making healthier decisions about our diet. Identifying hidden sugars helps us avoid excessive sugar consumption and improve our overall health. By understanding how to read labels, recognizing different sugar names, and following practical tips, we can adopt a more conscious and balanced approach to our nutrition. We hope this post has been helpful!