Glossary · Food categories
Free sugar
The WHO term for added sugars plus the sugar in honey, syrups, fruit juice and smoothies, even when they're 100% fruit. The sugar inside whole fruit and plain milk doesn't count, and free sugar is the part to keep small.
Free sugar and added sugar
Free sugar is a wider net than added sugar. It covers everything added by the cook or the maker, plus the sugar in honey, syrups, fruit juice and smoothies, even when they're 100% fruit. The sugar inside whole fruit, vegetables and plain milk isn't counted as free sugar. The idea is simple: sugar that's been taken out of its whole food, or added on top, is the part to keep small.
Why juice and smoothies count
A glass of juice can hold the sugar of several pieces of fruit, without the fiber and without the chewing. That's why whole fruit is the everyday choice. Juice waits until after the first birthday, and then it can be a small splash with a meal now and then, if you offer it at all.
Reading labels
On nutrition labels, "total sugars" mixes free sugar and natural sugar together, so the ingredients list is the better clue. Fruit purée, juice and juice concentrate in a snack's ingredients still count, even on a pack that says "no added sugar". Comparing two similar products side by side is quicker than reading every number.
Everyday habits
- Water and milk in the cup.
- Whole fruit, cut to suit your child's age, when they want something sweet.
- Homemade smoothies with a meal, not sipped all afternoon.
- Sweet foods with meals rather than between them.
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References
Related terms
Miriel uses this concept across food scans, meal plans, and AI Coach responses where it is relevant to a child's profile. For the underlying clinical and scientific basis, see the research page.