The many names of sugar
Sugar shows up on ingredient labels under more than ninety different names. Most are simply sugar by another word — regional, culinary or processing terms for the same thing. A few only sound like sugar. This is a plain, sourced reference to what each name actually means.
At a glance
What actually counts as sugar
In nutrition terms, "sugar" is the everyday word for the simplest carbohydrates — the single sugars (such as glucose, fructose and galactose) and the two-sugar pairs they form (such as sucrose, lactose and maltose).
Health authorities draw one line that matters more than any other: the difference between the sugars naturally locked inside whole foods and the sugars that are added or freed during processing. The sugars in whole fruit, vegetables and plain milk are called intrinsic sugars. The World Health Organization's term free sugars covers everything else — sugars added by a manufacturer, cook or consumer, plus the sugars naturally present in honey, syrups, fruit juices and concentrates. On the US Nutrition Facts panel, the parallel idea is the Added Sugars line.
How to read this honestly
This page is nomenclature, not judgement. Naming a sweetener does not make it "good" or "bad" — it simply identifies what an ingredient is. It is also accurate to note what the authorities say: many names that sound more natural or wholesome, such as cane juice, honey or maple syrup, are still sugars, and the body processes most of them in much the same way. That is the honest summary — the facts, not a verdict.
The names sugar goes by
Grouped by what they are. Names with a dedicated Zero Sugar Facts page are linked.
Cane, beet & crystalline sugars
These are all sucrose — ordinary table sugar — under regional, culinary or processing names. "Evaporated cane juice" and similar terms are sucrose as well.
Simple sugars
Each names a specific sugar molecule — single sugars and a couple of two-sugar pairs.
Syrups & liquid sugars
Concentrated sugar in fluid form — including the sugars in fruit-juice concentrates. Links go to HFCS, honey, agave and molasses pages.
Sounds like sugar — but isn't
These appear near sugar on ingredient lists and are easy to mistake for it, but chemically they are something else. Listed here for accuracy.
| Name | What it actually is |
|---|---|
| Sorbitol | A sugar alcohol (polyol), not a free sugar. Lower in calories; counted separately from sugars on the label. |
| Maltodextrin | A carbohydrate made from starch. Not classified or labeled as a sugar, though it is digested quickly. |
| Dextrin | A starch-derived carbohydrate used as a thickener or binder — not a sugar. |
| Dextran | A glucose polysaccharide used as a thickener — not a sugar. |
| Maltol / Ethyl maltol | Aroma and flavour compounds that smell sweet. Not sugars or sweeteners. |
| Diastase / Diastatic malt | An enzyme (and malt treated with it) used in baking — not a sugar itself. |
How much sugar is recommended
Guidance is framed around free or added sugars — not the intrinsic sugars in whole fruit, vegetables and plain dairy. Presented as the authorities state it.
| Authority | Recommendation |
|---|---|
| World Health Organization | Keep free sugars below 10% of total daily calories; a further reduction below 5% is suggested for additional benefit. |
| American Heart Association | A daily added-sugar ceiling of about 25 g (6 tsp) for women and 36 g (9 tsp) for men. |
| US Dietary Guidelines (2025–2030) | No amount of added sugars is recommended as part of a healthy diet; no more than 10 g of added sugars in a single meal. |
| UK (SACN / NHS) | Free sugars should stay under 5% of energy — roughly 30 g a day for adults. |
Because so many of the names above are the same few sugars, the most reliable way to find sugar in a product is the Added Sugars line on the Nutrition Facts panel and the ingredient list — not the marketing on the front of the pack.
Common questions
What are "free sugars"?
Free sugars are the sugars added to food and drink by manufacturers, cooks or consumers, plus the sugars naturally present in honey, syrups, fruit juices and concentrates. The sugars locked inside whole fruit, vegetables and plain milk are not counted as free sugars.
Why does sugar have so many names?
Most are regional, culinary or processing terms for the same sugars — cane sugar, beet sugar and table sugar are all sucrose, for example. Others name a specific sugar such as fructose, glucose or lactose, or a syrup made from them.
Is honey or maple syrup healthier than table sugar?
They contain trace vitamins and minerals, but the amounts are very small. In nutrition terms they are still free sugars, and the body handles them in much the same way as table sugar.
Is maltodextrin a sugar?
No. Maltodextrin is a carbohydrate made from starch. It is not classified as a sugar and is not listed on the Added Sugars line, though it is digested quickly.
Selected sources
- World Health Organization — guideline on free-sugar intake for adults and children.
- US Food & Drug Administration — Nutrition Facts label and the Added Sugars line.
- Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2025–2030 — guidance on added sugars.
- American Heart Association — recommended limits on added sugars.
- UK Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN) / NHS — free-sugars guidance.
See how the sugars compare
Many of these names are the same handful of sugars. See how sucrose, fructose, HFCS, honey and the rest line up on calories, glycemic impact and baking — all twenty-one side by side.
Open the comparison hub →Natural vs. artificial sweeteners →