Hidden Sugars
The many faces of sugar.
4 min read
Does it say "No Added Sugar"? Check the label — it might be hidden under another name. Companies use over 50 different names to hide sugar in the ingredient list.
The Trick:
If "Sugar" is listed as the first ingredient, consumers might avoid the product. Solution? Split the sugar into 4-5 different types. They all move down the list (since ingredients are listed by weight), but the total sugar content remains high!
24+ Names for Sugar
Sucrose
Regular table sugar
High Fructose Corn Syrup
HFCS - Corn sweetener
Glucose
Dextrose - Simple sugar
Fructose
Fruit sugar
Maltose
Malt sugar
Maltodextrin
Processed starch sugar
Corn Syrup
Liquid corn sweetener
Invert Sugar
Liquid sugar syrup
Jaggery
Unrefined sugar/Gur
Honey
Natural sugar syrup
Agave Nectar
"Natural" syrup
Brown Sugar
Refined sugar + molasses
Cane Sugar
Regular sugar
Coconut Sugar
Palm sugar
Date Sugar
Ground dates
Molasses
Thick sugar syrup
Rice Syrup
Rice derived sweetener
Barley Malt
Malted barley sugar
Evaporated Cane Juice
Fancy name for sugar
Fruit Juice Concentrate
Concentrated sugar
Dextrin
Modified starch
Caramel
Burnt sugar
Golden Syrup
Inverted sugar syrup
Treacle
Dark molasses
Highlighted = Most commonly found in Indian products
Worst Offenders
Maltodextrin
Technically "not sugar", but its glycemic index is higher than sugar! Commonly found in protein powders and "health" drinks.
Fruit Juice Concentrate
Sounds natural, but it's just sugar extracted from fruit. "100% fruit juice" drinks often have more sugar than cola.
Jaggery/Honey in "Healthy" Products
"Made with jaggery" ≠ healthy. Jaggery has some trace minerals, but its sugar content is almost the same as white sugar. It still spikes insulin.
Quick Detection Tips
- ✓ Anything ending in "-ose" is probably sugar (glucose, fructose, sucrose)
- ✓ Any "syrup" is liquid sugar (corn syrup, rice syrup, etc.)
- ✓ "Concentrate" usually means concentrated sugar
- ✓ Multiple sugars in top 10 ingredients = sugar bomb
"No Added Sugar" Myth
"No Added Sugar" only means they didn't add extra white sugar. The product might be naturally sugary (like fruit juice) or contain sugar alcohols/artificial sweeteners.
FoodAtEase Tip
Confused by the ingredient list? Just look at "Total Sugars" in the nutrition table. That is the honest number — regardless of the name.