Generated on Mar 15, 2025, 7:07:59 AMgpt-4o-mini
In a lower-sugar food, sugar may appear in the ingredient list under various names, often towards the end of the list, indicating it is present in smaller amounts. Ideally, the first ingredients listed should be whole food components such as whole grains, fruits, or vegetables, which signify a healthier product. Five other names for sugar that could appear in the ingredient list include sucrose, high fructose corn syrup, cane sugar, agave nectar, and dextrose. To identify a whole grain product, look for the term "whole grain" on the packaging, preferably as the first ingredient. The term "enriched" refers to the process of adding back nutrients that were lost during processing, such as B vitamins and iron, but it does not imply the presence of whole grains. A food is considered "high fiber" if it contains 20% or more of the Daily Value for fiber, while a "low fiber" food has less than 5%. A product is classified as "high in fiber" if it contains 5 grams or more of fiber per serving. The recommended added sugar limit for adults is no more than 25 grams per day for women and 36 grams for men. Healthy carbohydrate-containing foods that might not have labels include fresh fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, and seeds.