What ‘No Added Sugar’ Doesn’t Mean (And What to Look For Instead)
Because sometimes what a label doesn’t say says it all.
You’ve seen it.
Big, bold letters.
Front of the pack.
Halo font.
NO ADDED SUGAR
Cue the guilt-free munching. Cue the mental high-five. Cue the... sugar crash?
Yeah. Let’s talk.
“No Added Sugar” ≠ No Sugar. Let’s Be Clear.
When you see no added sugar snacks on the shelf, don’t let the halo blind you.
It doesn’t mean your snack is sugar-free.
It just means it wasn’t sweetened with white sugar. But sugar has many names. And brands? They know how to play the game.
Here’s what no added sugar often doesn’t mean:
No added sugar ≠ No sugar
No added sugar ≠ Healthy
No added sugar ≠ Blood sugar-friendly
No added sugar ≠ Good for your gut
Sugar, by Any Other Name, Still Spikes
Look at the ingredients list. If you see any of these sweet aliases, your body will still respond the same way:
Date syrup
Fruit juice concentrate
Brown rice syrup
Evaporated cane juice
Coconut sugar
Maltodextrin (the villain in yoga pants)
Artificial sweeteners (think: sucralose, aspartame, acesulfame K)
These “natural sweeteners” are still processed. And your body? It knows. Blood sugar spikes. Cravings. That mid-afternoon crash.
So, even if it says no added sugar, these sugar substitutes could be lurking inside.
Why Are We So Obsessed With Sweetness?
Because sweet sells.
It comforts. It calms. It tricks the brain. And brands know this. That’s why they market sweetness in sneaky ways, relying on words like:
“No sugar added”
“Naturally sweetened”
“Wholesome”
“Guilt-free”
But when you flip the pack, the ingredient list tells a different story.
What to Look for Instead of "No Added Sugar"
Want real healthy snacks? Here’s your checklist:
Check Total Sugar Content
Not just added sugar. Check how much sugar is in a single serving — including natural sources.
Ingredients You Know
If it sounds like it came from a lab, it probably did.
No Maida Cookies
Choose cookies made from whole grains, millet flours, or oats. Avoid refined flour (aka maida) completely.
Clean Labels
Look for real ingredients: millets, pulses, nuts, seeds, herbs.
Balanced Nutrition
Snack formulas should offer a mix of fiber, protein, healthy fats — not just carbs and sweeteners.
What Makes Natible Snacks Different?
At Natible, we don’t do:
Misleading “health” claims
Sneaky sugars
Hidden sweeteners
We do:
Millet-based nutrition
Truly no added sugar in our clean-label snacks
Products that fuel you, not fool you
Want an example? Try our No Maida Millet Cookies — made with wholesome flours, no refined sugar, and a flavor that doesn’t need to hide behind marketing gimmicks.
In Conclusion: Flip the Damn Pack
If a product is yelling “no added sugar”, flip the label. Dig deeper. Choose brands that show you everything, not just what looks good on the front.
Because you’re not just eating a snack.
You’re deciding what your body deals with for the next 6 hours.
Shop Smarter, Snack Cleaner:
Explore Natible Snacks
Read Our Ingredient Transparency Promise
Check Out Our No Added Sugar Collection
PS:
Natible snacks don’t just say the right things.
They do the right things.
No fake sugar. No fake promises.
Just food that’s actually good for you.
And yes, it still tastes like a treat.
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