50 Different Names for Sugar You Need to Know

December 10, 2025 •

3 min read

It's a fact that there are dozens of names for sugar, making it hard to identify on food labels. This proliferation of different names for sugar is a tactic used by manufacturers to make products appear healthier and to make it difficult for consumers to track total sugar intake. By learning to recognize these alternative names, you can better control your consumption of added sugars hidden in everything from sauces to cereals.

Quick Summary

This guide reveals 50 common and uncommon names for sugar found in packaged foods, categorized by type, to help readers confidently decipher ingredient lists.

Key Points

Multiple Names for Sugar: Food companies use numerous names for sugar to make products seem healthier and to reduce sugar's prominence on the ingredient list.
Identify the '-ose' sugars: Look for ingredients ending in '-ose,' such as dextrose, fructose, and sucrose, as these are common names for sugar.
Beware of Syrups: High-fructose corn syrup, agave nectar, and rice syrup are liquid forms of sugar often added to processed foods.
Don't Be Fooled by 'Natural' Sweeteners: Honey, maple syrup, and fruit juice concentrate are also forms of added sugar that should be consumed in moderation.
Read the Full Ingredients List: Multiple sugar types may be used in a single product, so read the entire list to catch them all.
Check the 'Added Sugars' Line: The Nutrition Facts label now distinguishes between naturally occurring sugars and added sugars, making it easier to track.
Prioritize Whole Foods: The best strategy to reduce hidden sugar intake is to eat whole, unprocessed foods rather than relying on packaged goods.

Why Are There So Many Names for Sugar?

Food manufacturers often use multiple types of sweeteners to ensure their products taste sweet without listing "sugar" as a top ingredient by weight. The tactic involves using smaller amounts of three or four different types of sugar, which then appear further down the ingredients list. This creates the illusion of a lower-sugar product, even though sugar is a primary component. This makes it essential for consumers to read labels carefully and know what to look for beyond the obvious "sugar" entry.

The Many Faces of Sugar: 50 Names to Spot

Here is a comprehensive list of different names for sugar, grouped into common categories to help you identify them easily.

Simple Sugars (Monosaccharides and Disaccharides)

These are the most basic forms of sugar and often end in "-ose".

Dextrose
Fructose (Fruit Sugar)
Galactose (Milk Sugar)
Glucose (Blood Sugar)
Lactose (Dairy Sugar)
Maltose (Malt Sugar)
Sucrose (Table Sugar)

Syrups and Liquid Sweeteners

These are often added to processed foods for sweetness and texture.

Agave Nectar
Barley Malt
Blackstrap Molasses
Brown Rice Syrup
Buttered Syrup
Carob Syrup
Corn Syrup
Corn Syrup Solids
Evaporated Cane Juice
Golden Syrup
High-Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS)
Honey
Invert Sugar
Malt Syrup
Maple Syrup
Molasses
Refiner's Syrup
Rice Syrup
Sorghum Syrup

Granulated and Crystalline Sugars

These are often sourced from plants and can vary in refinement.

Beet Sugar
Brown Sugar
Cane Juice Crystals
Cane Sugar
Coconut Sugar
Confectioner's Sugar (Powdered Sugar)
Crystalline Fructose
Date Sugar
Demerara Sugar
Dextrin
Diastatic Malt
Grape Sugar
Icing Sugar
Maltodextrin
Muscovado Sugar
Panela Sugar
Rapadura
Raw Sugar
Sucanat
Turbinado Sugar
Yellow Sugar

Other Sweeteners

This category includes various compounds and concentrates.

Fruit Juice Concentrate
Ethyl Maltol
Florida Crystals
Golden Sugar

Comparison of Common Sugars

To help differentiate between these ingredients, here is a quick comparison table of some of the most common sugar types.


Name	Type	Source	Key Characteristics
Sucrose	Disaccharide	Sugarcane or sugar beets	Common table sugar; made of glucose and fructose.
High-Fructose Corn Syrup	Syrup	Cornstarch	Contains more fructose than glucose; used in many processed foods.
Agave Nectar	Syrup	Agave plant	Often marketed as "natural"; primarily fructose.
Dextrose	Monosaccharide	Corn or wheat	Glucose derived from cornstarch; used to sweeten processed items.
Brown Sugar	Crystalline	Sugarcane	Contains molasses, giving it a moist texture and richer flavor than white sugar.
Honey	Syrup	Bees/Flower Nectar	Natural sweetener with a unique flavor profile, but still a source of added sugar in processed goods.
Fruit Juice Concentrate	Concentrate	Fruit	Made from fruit with the water removed, leaving behind a highly concentrated sugar source.

How to Spot and Reduce Hidden Sugar Intake

Identifying these sneaky sweeteners is the first step toward a healthier diet. Here's how to become a sugar detective when you read food labels:

Check for "ose" words. Look for ingredients like dextrose, fructose, glucose, and maltose. These are simple sugars added for sweetness.
Be wary of syrups. Many syrups, including high-fructose corn syrup, corn syrup, and agave nectar, are concentrated sweeteners.
Read beyond the obvious. Don't just look for "sugar." Watch for natural-sounding sweeteners like honey, maple syrup, or fruit juice concentrate, which are still added sugars.
Prioritize whole foods. The best way to limit your added sugar intake is to cook your own meals and focus on whole, unprocessed foods like fruits and vegetables, which contain naturally occurring sugar alongside beneficial fiber and nutrients.
Look for the "Added Sugars" line. Since 2020, Nutrition Facts labels must list "Added Sugars" separately from total sugars, making it easier to track.

Conclusion

Understanding the multitude of names for sugar is a powerful step toward taking control of your dietary health. By recognizing these common and obscure terms on food labels, you can make more informed choices and reduce your intake of added sugars. The more you know, the easier it becomes to navigate the deceptive landscape of processed foods and move toward a healthier, more balanced diet.

Visit the USDA FoodData Central database for authoritative information on food composition.

Frequently Asked Questions

Companies use multiple names for sugar to prevent 'sugar' from being the first ingredient on the list. Since ingredients are listed by weight, using several different sweeteners in smaller amounts allows them to appear lower down the list, masking the product's true sugar content.

While natural sweeteners like honey or agave may contain trace minerals, they are still concentrated forms of sugar and are metabolized similarly to table sugar. The body processes added sugar, regardless of its source, the same way.

Most ingredients ending in '-ose' are sugars. Dextrose, fructose, glucose, and maltose are all common forms of sugar. It is a good practice to be aware of these terms when reading a food label.

Look for the "Added Sugars" line on the Nutrition Facts panel, which distinguishes between naturally occurring and added sweeteners. Scan the ingredients list for multiple types of sweeteners, especially those with multiple names for sugar.

No, not all processed foods are high in sugar. However, many ultra-processed foods, such as cereals, sodas, and baked goods, contain significant amounts of added sugar. Some processed foods, like wholemeal bread, can be part of a healthy diet.

Fruit juice concentrate is essentially a concentrated form of sugar. It offers very little nutritional benefit compared to whole fruit and is classified as an added sugar on nutrition labels.

Some of the most common names for sugar to be aware of include High-Fructose Corn Syrup, Sucrose, Dextrose, Maltose, and various types of syrup like corn syrup, agave nectar, and rice syrup.