Understanding Nutrition Labels

When you read a nutrition label, you’ll often see sections like:

Close-up of a nutrition facts label showing an 8-ounce serving with 110 calories, no fat, no cholesterol, sodium 55mg, total carbohydrates 27g, dietary fiber 0g, total sugars 25g, added sugars 46%, protein 0g, vitamin D 0mcg, calcium 0mg, iron 0mg, potassium 40mg.

  • Total Carbohydrates

  • Dietary Fiber

  • Total Sugars

  • Added Sugars

  • Carbohydrates are your body’s main source of energy. On a label, “Total Carbohydrates” includes:

    • Sugars (natural and added)

    • Starches (like in bread, rice, or pasta)

    • Fiber (which helps digestion and keeps you full)

    So when you see Total Carbohydrates, it’s the sum of everything in the carb family — not just sugar.

  • Under “Total Carbohydrates,” you’ll see “Total Sugars”, which tells you how much sugar is in the food.

    • Natural sugars come from ingredients like fruit or milk.

    • Added sugars are sugars manufacturers put in during processing (like in candy, soda, or flavored yogurt).

    If a label says:

    • Total Carbohydrates: 30g
        - Dietary Fiber: 5g
        - Total Sugars: 10g
          - Includes Added Sugars: 6g

    That means:

    • There are 30 grams of carbs total.

    • 10g of those are sugars (including 6g that were added).

    • The remaining carbs come from fiber and starches.

Why this matters

Carbs give you energy.

Fiber helps with digestion and blood sugar control.

Natural sugars (like in fruit) come with nutrients and fiber.

Added sugars don’t — they can lead to energy crashes and health problems if you eat too much.

So, when reading a label, don’t just look at the sugar — look at the full picture of carbohydrates, and especially how much is added sugar vs. natural or fiber-rich carbs.