The indication “no added sugar” on certain products is appealing and reassuring. At least on paper. If this yoghurt does not have a surplus of sugar, it is surely healthier. But this name actually hides other elements, which we must be wary of. 

etween a packet of biscuits “without added sugar” on a supermarket shelf and another without any particular indication, the balance could lean more towards the first. We think that if these cookies are content with the sugar provided naturally by its ingredients, they would be healthier. And for good reason, a sugar addiction happens quickly. But one would have to be very attentive to what is hidden behind this mention. In one of their January publications, UFC-Que Choisir points to these products labeled “no added sugar”. The Consumers' Union has drawn up comparisons to highlight what is behind this so-called sugar reduction.

First element: if sugar is not added to a product, it is probably because it is quite naturally. This does not mean that it has no sweetening power. On the contrary, some of these products are already very sweet. This is the case, for example, of fruit juices , or even energy bars according to Que Choisir. 

One of the tricks to avoid adding sugar is to replace it with fats, which are not much healthier. The consumer association presents the case of chocolate bars. Those from Léa Nature's Karéléa brand may not have any added sugar, but their fat content is 47% higher than a Lindt fleur de sel dark chocolate bar. Moreover, sugar is sometimes replaced by a higher concentration of salt, increasing the risk of hypertension and cardiovascular disorder.

“No added sugar” does not mean absence of other additives. We can find many sweeteners to deceive the sweet taste such as sucralose or aspartame, which can impact the intestinal flora. These elements can notably be found in the famous “0%” syrups. The UFC Que-choisir specifies all the same that certain products deserve to be placed in the spotlight. We can therefore applaud the sugar-reduced jams as well as the compotes which generally compensate for the absence of sugar with a greater concentration of fruit.