# Sugar by other names on food labels

> A label may not say "sugar" and still list sugar sources. Learn to recognise glucose syrup, dextrose, molasses, fruit juice concentrate and more.

Published: 31 October 2026 — Sugar, Label reading, Nutrition facts

Sugar does not always appear as "sugar" on a label. Glucose syrup, dextrose, fructose, invert sugar syrup, molasses and fruit juice concentrate are all ingredients that add sugar to a product. Knowing these names is the first step to comparing two products fairly.

## Why so many names?

"Sugar" is not one substance but a family of sweet-tasting ones. Table sugar (sucrose), glucose and fructose are the simple sugars, and syrups made from them are common too. A manufacturer has to name the ingredient it actually used, which is why you see more specific names than "sugar".

## Names you will often meet

| On the label | What it is |
| --- | --- |
| Sugar | Sucrose, or table sugar |
| Glucose syrup | A starch-derived syrup, mostly glucose |
| Glucose-fructose syrup | A syrup containing both glucose and fructose |
| Dextrose | Another name for glucose |
| Fructose | Fruit sugar |
| Maltose | Malt sugar |
| Invert sugar syrup | Sucrose split into glucose and fructose |
| Honey, molasses, agave syrup | Sweeteners of natural origin |
| Fruit juice concentrate | Juice with the water removed, rich in sugars |
| Malt extract | A sweet extract made from malt |

Maltodextrin often shows up in the same lists. It is made from starch and is not counted in the "sugars" line of the nutrition table, but it still provides carbohydrate.

## What the "of which sugars" line includes

The "of which sugars" line in the nutrition table adds up every sugar in the product. That includes sugars the manufacturer added as well as lactose from milk or the natural sugar in fruit. So for a product with milk or fruit, this line does not show added sugar on its own. Reading both sources together works best: the table for the total, the ingredient list for where the sugar comes from.

## Why the order matters

Ingredients are listed from the largest amount to the smallest. If sugar sources appear near the top, the product contains a lot of them. Several sugar sources written under different names can also be spread across the list; taken together, they may add up to more than any single entry suggests.

## What do health bodies say?

The World Health Organization strongly recommends that adults and children keep free sugars below 10% of total energy intake. Going below 5%, roughly 25 grams or 6 teaspoons a day, is a conditional recommendation. Free sugars include those added by the manufacturer, cook or consumer, plus the sugars in honey, syrups and fruit juice concentrates. Sugars naturally present in fresh fruit and vegetables and in milk are not part of that definition ([WHO](https://who.int/news/item/04-03-2015-who-calls-on-countries-to-reduce-sugars-intake-among-adults-and-children)).

This is not a verdict on any product; it helps you know what to look for when you read a label.

## A simple reading routine

1. Check which of the names above appear in the ingredient list.
2. Note which ones sit near the top.
3. Compare the "of which sugars" line per 100 grams in the nutrition table.
4. If the product contains milk or fruit, remember that part of the figure may be natural sugar.

Recipes change, so the label on a new pack of a familiar product can differ from what you remember.

https://logicfood.app/en/blog/sugar-other-names-on-labels/