What does “sugar-free” and “reduced sugar” mean on the labels of food packages?
The FDA closely controls the use of these terms on food labels. A “sugar-free” food must contain less than 0.5 grams of sugars per serving. A “reduced sugar” food must contain at least 25 percent less sugar per serving than the regular product. Sugars may not be added to a food labeled “no added sugar,” “without added sugar” or “no sugar added.” Processing also must not increase the amount of sugars in the food. Unless the food meets other requirements for low or reduced calorie products, “sugar-free,” “no added sugar” or similarly labeled foods must feature another statement. The label must also state the product is not a reduced or low calorie food, or it is not for weight control. Do sugars cause hyperactivity? In the 1970s, anecdotal reports suggested sugars cause hyperactivity in children. Research, however, failed to confirm this theory. Hyperactivity was not seen in children after consistent high intakes or single large doses of sugars. In a recent study, researchers examined th
