Guide
The names sugar goes by in ingredient lists
Sugar goes by dozens of names on ingredient lists. In USDA's branded database, 64% of ingredient statements name at least one sugar and 16% name three or more different ones.
Published · By GetFoodFacts · the rules are cited to FDA and USDA, the figures computed from USDA FoodData Central (April 30, 2026 release)
Why the names matter
Ingredients are listed by weight, heaviest first (21 CFR 101.4). A product can split its sugar across several names, each lower on the list than a single "sugar" would be. The label's "Includes Added Sugars" line adds them back up; older labels without it leave the ingredient list as the only clue.
How often each name appears
| Name on the ingredient list | Ingredient statements | Share |
|---|---|---|
| sugar * | 182,275 | 45.9% |
| corn syrup | 64,372 | 16.2% |
| dextrose | 52,228 | 13.2% |
| cane sugar * | 32,403 | 8.2% |
| high fructose corn syrup | 26,609 | 6.7% |
| honey | 19,933 | 5.0% |
| brown sugar | 18,952 | 4.8% |
| molasses | 17,999 | 4.5% |
| glucose | 8,677 | 2.2% |
| lactose | 8,260 | 2.1% |
| fructose | 7,778 | 2.0% |
| invert sugar | 7,705 | 1.9% |
| caramel * | 5,591 | 1.4% |
| barley malt * | 4,502 | 1.1% |
| tapioca syrup * | 4,334 | 1.1% |
| cane syrup * | 3,717 | 0.9% |
| brown rice syrup * | 3,264 | 0.8% |
| powdered sugar * | 2,747 | 0.7% |
| maple syrup * | 2,617 | 0.7% |
| agave * | 2,531 | 0.6% |
| sucrose | 2,508 | 0.6% |
| evaporated cane juice * | 1,550 | 0.4% |
| malt syrup | 1,302 | 0.3% |
| rice syrup * | 1,292 | 0.3% |
Source: USDA FoodData Central branded foods, April 30, 2026 release: 396,957 ingredient statements. Names from the Dietary Guidelines for Americans list of added sugars ("Cut Down on Added Sugars", health.gov); * marks other sugar names counted here, "sugar" itself among them. A longer name is counted once ("brown sugar" is not also "sugar"); "caramel color" is a coloring and is not counted.
How many sugars one product names
| Different sugar names | Products | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | 144,504 | 36% |
| 1 | 117,002 | 29% |
| 2 | 73,550 | 19% |
| 3 | 37,183 | 9% |
| 4 | 15,514 | 4% |
| 5 | 6,069 | 2% |
| 6 or more | 3,135 | 1% |
Total sugars and added sugars on the label
Sources for this page
- USDA FoodData Central
- the food and product records, April 30, 2026 release. fdc.nal.usda.gov
- USDA Food and Nutrient Database for Dietary Studies
- the survey foods and their portions. ars.usda.gov
- 21 CFR 101.9, Nutrition labeling of food
- the label format, rounding and Daily Values. ecfr.gov
- 21 CFR 101.12, Reference amounts customarily consumed
- the serving each kind of food is labeled by. ecfr.gov
- FDA, Daily Value on the Nutrition and Supplement Facts Labels
- the Daily Values in a table. fda.gov