Sugar Sleuth: Master Label Reading & Avoid Hidden Sugars

Reading food labels might seem tricky at first, but once you learn how to spot hidden sugars, you gain real power over what you eat. Becoming a “Sugar Sleuth” means you can spot sneaky sweeteners, see through marketing tricks, and make smarter choices that support your health without cutting out all sugar overnight. It’s not about being perfect—it’s about being aware, consistent, and in control. With practice, checking labels becomes a quick habit that helps you pick better foods, avoid energy crashes, and feel more confident about what you’re putting in your body.

You’ve decided to take control of your sugar intake. You’re choosing fruit over candy, water over soda, maybe even tackling some of the healthy sugar swaps we’ve talked about. You’re feeling good, making progress on your journey to kick sugar addiction & transform your health. But then… you glance at the label on your “healthy” yogurt, your go-to pasta sauce, or that whole-wheat bread, and you see it: sugar, sugar, and more sugar, often hiding under weird-sounding names. It’s frustrating, right? It feels like navigating a minefield where sugar lurks in the most unexpected places, ready to sabotage your best efforts. How can you possibly cut back effectively if sugar is hiding everywhere?

Welcome to the world of hidden sugars. Food manufacturers add sugar to an astounding array of products, not just the obvious sweet ones. It’s used to enhance flavor (especially in low-fat products where fat is removed), improve texture and mouthfeel, act as a preservative, provide bulk, and sometimes simply because it’s a cheap ingredient. The result? Many people consume far more added sugar than they realize, even when actively trying to eat healthy. This constant, often unconscious, intake keeps the sugar cravings alive, contributes to blood sugar instability, fuels inflammation, and hinders progress towards health goals like weight management or improved energy levels. It’s like trying to bail water out of a boat while ignoring several small leaks – you work hard, but you don’t get very far.

But what if you could spot those leaks? What if you had a secret decoder ring to instantly identify where sugar is hiding? Good news: you do! It’s called the nutrition label, and learning to read it effectively is perhaps the single most empowering skill you can develop on your sugar-reduction journey. Mastering label reading transforms you from a passive consumer into an informed Sugar Sleuth, capable of seeing past marketing claims and making truly conscious choices about what you put into your body. It puts you back in control.

This article is your official Sugar Sleuth training manual. We’ll teach you exactly how to decipher the Nutrition Facts panel, focusing on that all-important “Added Sugars” line. We’ll equip you with a list of sugar’s sneaky aliases so you can spot them in the ingredient list. We’ll uncover the most common hiding spots for sugar in everyday foods and teach you to see through misleading health claims. Get ready to put on your detective hat – by the end of this, you’ll be a master label reader, confidently navigating the grocery aisles and avoiding those hidden sugar traps like a pro.

Why Bother? The Sneaky Nature of Hidden Sugars

Before we get into the ‘how,’ let’s solidify the ‘why.’ Why is becoming a Sugar Sleuth so important? Because added sugar is deliberately hidden in countless processed foods, often where you least expect it, and this hidden load significantly contributes to the health problems associated with excess sugar consumption.

The Motivation Behind the Sweetness

Food manufacturers aren’t necessarily being malicious, but they are trying to sell products. Adding sugar helps them achieve this in several ways:

Flavor Enhancement: Sugar makes things taste good, or rather, it hits that bliss point in our brains conditioned to seek sweetness. It’s especially used to compensate for flavor loss when fat is removed (hello, low-fat products).
Texture & Mouthfeel: Sugar contributes to the texture, moisture, browning, and overall palatability of many baked goods, sauces, and processed items.
Preservation: Sugar acts as a preservative in jams, jellies, and some processed meats by binding water, inhibiting microbial growth.
Bulking Agent: It adds volume and weight relatively cheaply.
Fermentation: It provides food for yeast in bread making.

Because sugar serves so many functions and is relatively inexpensive, it finds its way into an incredibly wide range of products beyond the obvious candy and soda aisles.

Where Does Sugar Hide? Surprising Culprits

Think you only need to check labels on sweets? Think again. Hidden sugars frequently lurk in:

Savory Sauces: Pasta sauce, ketchup, BBQ sauce, teriyaki sauce, salad dressings.
“Healthy” Yogurts: Especially flavored or low-fat varieties.
Breakfast Cereals: Even those marketed as “whole grain” or “high fiber.”
Breads & Baked Goods: Many commercial breads contain added sugar.
Processed Meats: Some sausages, deli meats, bacon, and jerky contain added sugar.
Canned Goods: Baked beans, canned fruits in syrup, some soups and vegetables.
Plant-Based Milks: Flavored and even some “original” versions of almond, soy, or oat milk contain added sugar. Always look for “unsweetened.”
Snack Foods: Flavored crackers, pretzels, granola bars, protein bars, trail mixes.
Condiments: Relish, some mustards (especially honey mustard).

The Sabotage Effect

Consuming these hidden sugars, even if you’re avoiding obvious sweets, keeps your body on the sugar rollercoaster. It contributes to:

Persistent Cravings: Constantly stimulating your sweet taste receptors keeps cravings alive.
Blood Sugar Instability: Even small amounts of added sugar throughout the day contribute to fluctuations, impacting energy and mood. Addressing these fluctuations is key to boosting mood and focus.
Inflammation: Added sugar fuels chronic inflammation, regardless of its source.
Weight Management Difficulty: Empty calories from hidden sugars add up quickly.
Undermining Health Goals: It counteracts your efforts to reduce overall sugar intake and reap the benefits, making the journey feel harder than it needs to be.

Becoming a Sugar Sleuth isn’t about being obsessive; it’s about awareness. It’s about understanding what you’re really eating so you can make informed choices that align with your goal of kicking sugar and transforming your health. It gives you the power to sidestep the hidden traps laid by the modern food environment.

Decoding the Nutrition Facts Panel: Your Primary Clue

The Nutrition Facts panel is your first stop in the investigation. Recent updates have made it even more helpful for sugar sleuths, thanks to one crucial line item. Let’s break down how to use it effectively.

The Star Witness: “Added Sugars”

This is the most important piece of information for spotting sugars intentionally put into the product during processing.

What it Means: The “Added Sugars” line, listed indented under “Total Sugars,” tells you exactly how many grams of sugar were added to the food. This includes sugars like sucrose (table sugar), dextrose, syrups (like high-fructose corn syrup), honey, and concentrated fruit juice. It does not include naturally occurring sugars like lactose in milk or fructose in whole fruit (though these still count towards “Total Sugars”).
Why it’s Crucial: This line separates the sugars that manufacturers deliberately put in (the ones we primarily want to minimize) from those naturally present in the food’s base ingredients. Before this line was mandatory, it was much harder to tell how much sugar was inherent versus added.
Units (Grams): Added sugar is listed in grams (g). This might not mean much initially, so it’s helpful to convert it to teaspoons, which are easier to visualize.
The Magic Conversion: Grams to Teaspoons: Remember this simple rule: 4 grams of sugar ≈ 1 teaspoon of sugar. So, if a label says “12g Added Sugars,” that’s equivalent to about 3 teaspoons of sugar added to that serving!

Understanding “Total Sugars”

Listed above “Added Sugars,” this line includes all sugars in the food – both naturally occurring and added.

Usefulness: While “Added Sugars” is key, “Total Sugars” can still be informative, especially for foods with naturally occurring sugars. For example, plain milk will have “Total Sugars” (from lactose) but ideally “0g Added Sugars.” Plain fruit will have “Total Sugars” (from fructose) but “0g Added Sugars.” Flavored yogurt, however, will have both “Total Sugars” (from lactose and added sugars) and a significant number under “Added Sugars.” Comparing Total vs. Added helps you understand the source.

% Daily Value (%DV)

You’ll also see a percentage next to “Added Sugars.”

What it Represents: This tells you what percentage of the recommended daily maximum for added sugars is in one serving of that food. The %DV is based on a recommendation of limiting added sugars to less than 10% of total daily calories, which equates to 50 grams of added sugar for a standard 2,000-calorie diet.
How to Use It: It provides quick context. A product with 20% DV for added sugars contains one-fifth of the maximum recommended amount for the entire day in just one serving. Aim for products with a low %DV for added sugars, ideally 5% or less per serving.

Serving Size Matters!

Crucially, always check the “Serving Size” and “Servings Per Container” at the top of the label. All the numbers listed (grams, %DV) apply to one serving. If you eat more than one serving (which is easy to do with things like cereal, drinks, or snacks), you need to multiply the “Added Sugars” grams and %DV accordingly. A small bottle of iced tea might look okay per serving, but if the bottle contains 2 servings and you drink the whole thing, you’ve just consumed double the listed added sugar.

By focusing on the “Added Sugars” line, understanding its relation to “Total Sugars” and %DV, and always checking the serving size, the Nutrition Facts panel becomes your most powerful tool for quickly assessing a product’s sugar load.

The Ingredient List Investigation: Unmasking Sugar’s Aliases

While the “Added Sugars” line on the Nutrition Facts panel gives you the quantity, the ingredient list tells you the source and helps you spot sugar even when it’s disguised. Manufacturers often use multiple types of sweeteners, and knowing their names is key to becoming a true Sugar Sleuth.

Reading the Fine Print: How Ingredients are Listed

Order Matters: Ingredients are listed in descending order by weight. The ingredient that makes up the largest portion of the product is listed first, and the smallest portion is listed last.
Spotting Sugar Early: If you see any form of sugar listed among the first few ingredients, it’s a major component of that product – likely a red flag!

Sugar’s Many Disguises: Common Aliases to Know

Sugar doesn’t always go by its common name. Manufacturers use a wide variety of caloric sweeteners. Memorizing every single name isn’t necessary, but familiarizing yourself with common categories and endings is helpful:

Obvious Sugars: Sugar, brown sugar, raw sugar, cane sugar, beet sugar, invert sugar.
Words Ending in “-ose”: This is a big category!
- Sucrose (table sugar)
- Glucose (simple sugar)
- Fructose (fruit sugar, often added in concentrated forms)
- Dextrose (another name for glucose)
- Maltose (malt sugar)
- Lactose (milk sugar – can be natural or added)
Syrups: These are very common added sweeteners.
- High-Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS)
- Corn Syrup / Corn Syrup Solids
- Maple Syrup
- Agave Nectar / Agave Syrup (often marketed as healthy, but very high in fructose)
- Rice Syrup / Brown Rice Syrup
- Malt Syrup
- Golden Syrup
- Tapioca Syrup
- Sorghum Syrup
From Cane:
- Evaporated Cane Juice / Dried Cane Syrup / Cane Juice Crystals (These are just fancy names for sugar!)
- Turbinado Sugar
- Muscovado Sugar
- Demerara Sugar
From Fruit (Concentrated Forms):
- Fruit Juice Concentrate / Concentrated Fruit Juice
- Fruit Nectar
Other Common Names:
- Honey
- Molasses / Treacle
- Barley Malt / Barley Malt Extract
- Caramel
- Coconut Sugar / Coconut Palm Sugar (Still sugar, similar impact to regular sugar)
- Date Sugar (Pulverized dried dates – contains fiber but still concentrated sugar)

Pro Tip: Don’t be fooled if you see several different types of sugar listed further down the ingredient list. Manufacturers sometimes use smaller amounts of multiple sweeteners so that no single type of sugar appears high up on the list. Add them all up in your mind – it’s still a significant sugar contribution!

What About Sugar Alcohols and Artificial Sweeteners?

While reading the ingredient list, you might also spot:

Sugar Alcohols (ending in “-ol”): Erythritol, xylitol, sorbitol, mannitol. These are lower in calories than sugar but can cause digestive upset for some. They are not included in the “Added Sugars” count but contribute to sweetness. Xylitol is toxic to dogs.
Artificial Sweeteners: Sucralose, aspartame, acesulfame potassium (Ace-K), saccharin. These are non-caloric but, as discussed in our healthy swaps article, may have other downsides regarding cravings and palate training.
Natural Zero-Calorie Sweeteners: Stevia, Monk Fruit extract. Generally considered better options if a zero-calorie sweetener is needed, but choose pure forms without added fillers like dextrose (which is sugar).

By carefully scanning the ingredient list for these various names, you gain a complete picture of what types of sweeteners are in your food, complementing the how much information from the Nutrition Facts panel.

Beyond the Obvious: Common Hiding Spots for Sugar

You’ve mastered reading the labels, you know the aliases – now, where should you focus your sleuthing efforts? While sugar can technically hide anywhere, certain food categories are notorious hotspots for hidden added sugars, often masquerading as healthy or savory options. Being extra vigilant when choosing these items is key.

1. Sauces and Condiments:

Ketchup & BBQ Sauce: Often contain significant amounts of sugar or HFCS as one of the primary ingredients. Look for “no sugar added” versions or make your own.
Pasta Sauces: Marinara sauces vary wildly. Some have minimal sugar, while others (especially certain brands or flavored varieties) can pack a surprising punch. Compare labels!
Salad Dressings: Creamy dressings and sweet vinaigrettes (like French, raspberry, honey mustard, Thousand Island) are common culprits. Low-fat versions often compensate with extra sugar. Opt for simple oil & vinegar or check labels carefully for low-sugar options.
Teriyaki, Sweet & Sour, Other Glazes: Often loaded with sugar or corn syrup. Look for low-sugar alternatives like tamari or coconut aminos used sparingly.

2. Yogurt:

Flavored Yogurts: Fruit-on-the-bottom, vanilla, honey-flavored – these can contain as much sugar as a dessert.
Low-Fat Yogurts: Again, fat removal often means sugar addition for palatability.
Your Best Bet: Choose plain, unsweetened yogurt (Greek or regular) and add your own fresh fruit, nuts, seeds, and cinnamon.

3. Breakfast Cereals & Granola:

Kids’ Cereals: Often brightly colored sugar bombs.
“Healthy” Adult Cereals: Many contain substantial added sugar, even those touting whole grains or fiber. Check the “Added Sugars” line carefully.
Granola: Can be deceivingly high in sugar due to syrups and dried fruit. Look for low-sugar options or make your own. Plain oatmeal is a safer bet.

4. Breads and Baked Goods:

Commercial Breads: Many sliced breads, rolls, and bagels contain added sugar or HFCS to aid browning and flavor. Compare brands – some have much less than others.
Muffins, Pastries, “Breakfast” Cookies: Often marketed for breakfast but are essentially cakes in disguise.

5. Beverages (Beyond Soda):

Sweetened Teas & Coffees: Bottled/canned versions and cafe drinks can be loaded.
Sports Drinks: Primarily sugar water unless needed for intense endurance activity.
Tonic Water & Ginger Ale: High in sugar.
Flavored Plant Milks: Always choose “unsweetened” versions of almond, soy, oat milk etc.

6. “Healthy” Snacks:

Granola Bars & Cereal Bars: Often held together with various syrups and sugars.
Protein Bars: Can vary hugely. Some are low sugar, others are basically candy bars with added protein. Read labels!
Dried Fruit: Some dried fruits like cranberries or mangoes often have sugar added. Look for unsweetened versions. Even naturally sweet dried fruit (raisins, dates) is concentrated sugar – use sparingly.
Flavored Crackers & Pretzels: Can contain surprising amounts of added sugar.

7. Canned & Jarred Goods:

Baked Beans: Almost always contain a lot of added sugar.
Canned Fruit: Choose fruit packed in water or its own juice, NOT heavy or light syrup.
Soups: Some canned soups contain added sugar for flavor balance.

Being aware of these common hiding spots allows you to prioritize which labels need the most scrutiny. Don’t assume something is low in sugar just because it isn’t sweet or because it’s marketed as healthy. Always turn it over and do your Sugar Sleuth detective work!

Making Sense of Health Claims & Marketing Terms

You’re standing in the grocery aisle, and the front of the package shouts “All Natural!”, “Low Fat!”, “Made with Real Fruit!”. Looks promising, right? Not so fast! Front-of-package claims are marketing tools designed to catch your eye and make products seem healthier than they might actually be. A true Sugar Sleuth knows to be skeptical and rely on the Nutrition Facts and ingredient list, not the hype.

Common Claims and What They Really Mean (or Don’t Mean):

“Natural” or “All Natural”: This term is poorly regulated by the FDA. It generally means nothing artificial or synthetic has been included, but it says nothing about the sugar content. High-fructose corn syrup, cane sugar, and honey can all be considered “natural,” and a product can be loaded with them while still bearing this label. Ignore this claim regarding sugar.
“Low Fat” or “Fat-Free”: Be extra suspicious! When manufacturers remove fat, they often add more sugar and sodium to make the product palatable. Always compare the “Added Sugars” line on low-fat versus full-fat versions of products like yogurt, dressings, or cookies. The full-fat version is often the lower-sugar choice.
“Made with Real Fruit” or “Contains Fruit”: This sounds healthy, but the “fruit” could be a tiny amount, or it could be fruit concentrate (which is essentially sugar), alongside lots of added sugars like corn syrup. Check the ingredient list to see where fruit falls and look at the “Added Sugars” number.
“No High-Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS)”: This is a common marketing tactic playing on consumer awareness of HFCS. However, manufacturers often just swap HFCS for other types of added sugar (like cane sugar, agave, or tapioca syrup) in similar amounts. The total “Added Sugars” might be just as high or even higher.
“Lightly Sweetened”: This is subjective and unregulated. “Lightly” compared to what? Always check the actual grams of added sugar.
“Organic”: Organic simply refers to how the ingredients were grown (without synthetic pesticides, etc.). Organic sugar is still sugar and impacts your body the same way conventional sugar does. An organic cookie can be just as high in sugar as a non-organic one.
“Gluten-Free”: This only means the product doesn’t contain wheat, barley, or rye. Gluten-free products, especially baked goods, often contain more sugar and refined starches than their gluten-containing counterparts to achieve a desirable texture.
“Whole Grain” or “Made with Whole Grains”: While whole grains are generally good, a product can contain a small amount of whole grain alongside a lot of refined flour and added sugar. Look for “100% Whole Grain” and still check the added sugar content, especially on cereals and breads.

Your Strategy:

Turn the Package Over: Make it a habit to immediately ignore the front-of-package claims and go straight to the Nutrition Facts panel and the ingredient list. These provide objective information, while the front provides marketing spin.
Focus on Facts, Not Buzzwords: Base your decision on the grams of “Added Sugars,” the %DV, the serving size, and the ingredient list – not on appealing but potentially meaningless health claims.

Becoming immune to marketing hype and relying on factual label information is a core skill of an effective Sugar Sleuth. It ensures you’re making choices based on reality, not advertising.

Putting It Into Practice: Becoming a Savvy Shopper

You’ve learned the techniques, deciphered the codes, and identified the traps. Now it’s time to take your Sugar Sleuth skills into the real world – the grocery store! Here are some practical tips to make label reading a manageable and effective part of your shopping routine.

Shop the Perimeter (Mostly): The outer aisles of most grocery stores typically contain whole, unprocessed foods like fresh fruits and vegetables, meats, fish, eggs, and dairy. These items generally have no labels or very simple ones. Processed foods, often higher in hidden sugars, tend to dominate the center aisles. Focusing mostly on the perimeter naturally reduces your exposure to hidden sugars.
Make a List & Plan Ahead: Shopping with a list helps you stay focused and avoid impulse buys of sugary snacks or processed items. If you know you need pasta sauce or yogurt, you can allocate a little extra time to compare labels for those specific items.
Allocate a Little Extra Time (Initially): The first few times you shop with a Sugar Sleuth mindset, it might take longer as you compare labels on products you usually buy automatically. Be patient with yourself! Once you identify lower-sugar brands you like for staples (sauce, bread, yogurt, etc.), future trips will be much faster.
Compare Brands: Don’t just grab your usual brand out of habit. Take 30 seconds to compare the “Added Sugars” line on a few different brands of the same product (e.g., marinara sauce, peanut butter, canned tomatoes). You’ll often find significant differences, and discovering a lower-sugar favorite is empowering.
Focus on Staples First: Don’t feel you need to scrutinize every single item on your first go. Focus on the products you buy regularly, especially those in the common hiding spot categories (sauces, yogurts, cereals, breads, snacks).
Prioritize “0g Added Sugars”: When possible, especially for staples like plain yogurt, canned tomatoes, nut butters, or plant milks, actively look for options with “0g Added Sugars.”
Consider Cooking from Scratch More Often: The ultimate way to control sugar is to make things yourself using whole ingredients. Homemade salad dressing, pasta sauce, or even granola takes a little time but gives you complete control over the sweetness.
Use Technology (Optional): Some grocery store apps or nutrition apps allow you to scan barcodes and view nutritional information, which can sometimes be quicker than reading tiny labels. However, always double-check the app’s data against the actual package label, as formulations can change.
Practice Makes Perfect: Like any skill, label reading gets easier and faster the more you do it. Soon, you’ll be able to quickly scan a label and identify the key information you need.

Becoming a savvy shopper isn’t about perfection or spending hours reading labels. It’s about developing a consistent habit of checking the key indicators – Added Sugars, ingredients, serving size – for the processed foods you buy, allowing you to make informed choices that support your health goals and keep hidden sugars from derailing your progress.

Quick Takeaways: Mastering Label Reading

Hidden Sugars Abound: Added sugar lurks in many processed foods, savory and sweet, sabotaging health goals. Label reading is crucial.
Check “Added Sugars”: This line on the Nutrition Facts panel is key. Aim for low grams (remember 4g ≈ 1 tsp) and low %DV (ideally <5%).
Mind the Serving Size: All label info applies to one serving. Multiply if you eat more.
Scan the Ingredient List: Look for sugar’s many aliases (-ose words, syrups, cane juice). Sugar listed early means more sugar content.
Beware Common Hiding Spots: Be extra vigilant with sauces, condiments, yogurts, cereals, breads, snacks, and sweetened beverages.
Ignore Marketing Hype: Don’t rely on front-of-package claims (“natural,” “low fat”). Trust the Nutrition Facts and ingredients instead.
Shop Smart: Plan your list, compare brands for staples, prioritize whole foods, and practice consistently – it gets easier!

Unlocking Food Freedom: The Power of Label Literacy

Navigating the modern food landscape can feel overwhelming, especially when hidden sugars seem to be lurking around every corner. But armed with the skills of a Sugar Sleuth, you are no longer navigating blind. Mastering the art of reading Nutrition Facts panels and ingredient lists transforms you from a potential victim of hidden sugars into an empowered consumer, fully capable of making choices that align with your health goals. It’s a fundamental skill for anyone serious about reducing their sugar intake and achieving lasting well-being.

This isn’t about achieving perfection or eliminating every gram of sugar overnight. It’s about awareness, control, and consistency. By understanding how to quickly identify added sugars, recognize their many names, and see past misleading marketing, you gain food freedom. You can confidently choose products that nourish your body, sidestep those that derail your progress, and significantly reduce your overall sugar load without feeling deprived or confused. This literacy is essential for breaking the craving cycle, stabilizing your energy and mood, and supporting the holistic health transformation you seek.

Make label reading a regular habit. Start with your staples, compare brands, prioritize whole foods, and celebrate finding lower-sugar options. It might take a little extra time initially, but the payoff – knowing exactly what you’re fueling your body with and confidently avoiding hidden sugar traps – is immense. Embrace your inner Sugar Sleuth, take control of your choices, and enjoy the clarity and confidence that comes with truly understanding your food.

What’s the most surprising food you’ve found hidden sugar in?

Share your discoveries in the comments – let’s help each other become better Sugar Sleuths!

If you found this guide helpful, please share it so others can learn to decode labels too.

Label Reading FAQs

What’s the difference between “Total Sugars” and “Added Sugars” again?
“Total Sugars” includes all sugar in the product – naturally occurring (like lactose in milk, fructose in fruit) PLUS any sugars added during processing. “Added Sugars” only counts the sugars put in by the manufacturer (like table sugar, syrups, honey). Focus primarily on minimizing the “Added Sugars.”
If a product has “0g Added Sugars,” is it automatically healthy?
Not necessarily. It might still be high in calories, sodium, unhealthy fats, or refined starches. It also doesn’t account for artificial sweeteners or sugar alcohols if those are used. “0g Added Sugars” is a great starting point, but consider the overall nutritional profile and ingredient list.
Are natural sugars like honey or maple syrup listed under “Added Sugars”?
Yes. If honey, maple syrup, agave nectar, or concentrated fruit juice are added to a product during manufacturing, they count towards the “Added Sugars” grams on the Nutrition Facts panel.
How should I interpret sugar content in whole fruits or plain dairy?
Whole fruits and plain dairy products (like milk or unsweetened yogurt) will contain “Total Sugars” naturally (fructose and lactose, respectively) but should have “0g Added Sugars.” These natural sugars come packaged with fiber, protein, vitamins, and minerals, making them part of a healthy diet in moderation. Don’t avoid these foods just because of their “Total Sugars” number if “Added Sugars” are zero.
What about “sugar-free” claims on the package?
According to the FDA, “sugar-free” means the product contains less than 0.5 grams of sugars (both natural and added) per serving. However, it can still contain calories, carbohydrates, fats, and potentially sugar alcohols or artificial sweeteners. Always check the full Nutrition Facts and ingredient list to understand what you’re consuming.

References

U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA). Changes to the Nutrition Facts Label.
U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA). Added Sugars on the New Nutrition Facts Label.
American Heart Association (AHA). Added Sugars. (Provides daily recommendations)
Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. The Nutrition Source: Added Sugar in the Diet.
Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI). Guide to Sugar Aliases.
WebMD. Nutrition Section. Spotting Hidden Sugars in Your Food.