Why Does Honey Say Added Sugar? The FDA's Labeling Rule Explained

January 10, 2026 •

4 min read

According to a 2018 study, consumer perception of 'added sugar' on honey labels is overwhelmingly negative and confusing. The reason for this label is not because sugar was added to the honey, but due to a specific U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) guideline that redefines 'added sugar' for informational purposes.

Quick Summary

This article clarifies the FDA's complex labeling rule regarding honey, explaining why this single-ingredient sweetener is counted as an 'added sugar.' It examines the consumer confusion and industry response surrounding this regulation, offering a comprehensive look at the nutritional details.

Key Points

FDA's Definition: The U.S. FDA classifies all concentrated caloric sweeteners, including pure honey, as 'added sugars' to help consumers track their intake.
No Adulteration: The label does not mean sugar was added to pure honey; it means the honey itself is considered an added sugar in the diet.
Consumer Confusion Led to Changes: Following pushback from beekeepers and consumers, the FDA revised its guidance for single-ingredient sweeteners.
New Labeling Method: Single-ingredient pure honey labels now show the percent Daily Value for added sugars with an explanatory footnote, rather than a gram amount.
Nutritional Similarities: While honey has trace nutrients, its high sugar content and similar metabolic impact to table sugar mean it should be consumed in moderation.
Health Guidance: The labeling initiative promotes the recommendation to limit intake of all concentrated sweeteners, regardless of their source.
Informed Choices: The goal is to provide a consistent metric on nutrition labels, enabling consumers to make more informed decisions about their total sugar consumption.

Understanding the FDA's 'Added Sugar' Definition

The confusion surrounding honey's classification as an "added sugar" stems from the FDA's specific regulatory definition, which differs from the common interpretation of the term. While 'added' typically means something was physically mixed into a product, the FDA uses it to refer to any caloric sweetener that is not naturally occurring within a whole food like a piece of fruit. Since honey is typically consumed for its sweetening properties rather than for its minimal nutritional value, the FDA classifies it as an added sugar to help consumers track their overall intake of sweeteners.

The Purpose of the Added Sugar Label

The FDA's primary motivation for including an "Added Sugars" line on Nutrition Facts labels was to help combat the excessive consumption of sweeteners in the American diet, which is linked to health issues like obesity and type 2 diabetes. By requiring all concentrated sweeteners, including pure honey and maple syrup, to be accounted for in this metric, the agency provides a consistent standard for consumers to limit their intake. The intention is to make it easier to compare products and understand how different sweeteners contribute to one's daily recommended sugar limit.

The Industry and Consumer Controversy

The FDA's ruling was not without pushback from the honey and maple syrup industries, as well as concerned consumers. Beekeepers and producers argued that labeling a single-ingredient, natural product as having "added sugars" was misleading and could damage consumer trust. They worried that people would incorrectly assume their product had been adulterated with corn syrup or other cheaper sweeteners.

In response to this feedback, the FDA issued guidance that allows for a nuanced labeling approach for single-ingredient sweeteners. Instead of the text "Includes Xg Added Sugars," pure honey labels can now display a percentage of the Daily Value (%DV) for Added Sugars, along with a footnote. This allows manufacturers to provide more context, such as, "One serving adds 17g of sugar to your diet and represents 34% of the Daily Value for Added Sugars".

Comparison: Honey vs. Refined Sugar

While honey and table sugar are both considered added sugars by the FDA, they differ in their composition and minimal nutrient content.


Feature	Honey	Refined Sugar
Source	Nectar from flowers, processed by bees.	Sugarcane or sugar beets, processed heavily.
Composition	Primarily fructose and glucose, plus small amounts of minerals, vitamins, and antioxidants.	Pure sucrose (a molecule of glucose and fructose bonded together).
Taste	Sweeter than table sugar, so less may be needed.	Neutral sweetness.
Nutrients	Trace amounts of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.	No nutritional value beyond calories.
Impact on Blood Sugar	Has a slightly lower glycemic index (GI) than table sugar due to its higher fructose content.	Higher GI, leading to a faster blood sugar spike.

The Bottom Line: Moderation is Key

The takeaway is that while honey offers minimal nutritional benefits that refined sugar does not, such as trace minerals and antioxidants, it is still a concentrated source of sugar and calories. The body processes the sugars in honey and table sugar similarly. Therefore, health experts and regulatory bodies like the FDA and the British Heart Foundation agree that both should be consumed in moderation as part of a healthy, balanced diet. The labeling is designed to remind consumers of this fact, encouraging healthier eating habits.

Conclusion

The phrase why does honey say added sugar is rooted in a regulatory distinction, not a compositional one. The FDA's labeling rules are designed to help consumers manage their intake of all concentrated sweeteners, including pure honey, by classifying them as "added sugars". The subsequent updates to the guidance address industry and consumer concerns by allowing single-ingredient products to use a footnote to clarify the source of the sugar. This approach educates the public that while natural, honey still contributes to the daily added sugar limit, with moderation being the most important factor for health.

What the labeling changes mean for you

You won't see "Includes Xg Added Sugars" on pure honey. Instead, you'll see a percent Daily Value (%DV) for Added Sugars.
A footnote will clarify the sugar's source. A small symbol, like a dagger (†), will lead to a note explaining that the sugar is naturally occurring within the honey but counts towards the daily limit for added sugars.
The regulation highlights honey's calorie density. The rule emphasizes that even though honey is a natural product, it is primarily a source of sugar and calories that should be consumed in moderation.
The FDA prioritizes consistent public health messaging. The decision reflects the FDA's goal of creating consistent standards across all foods and sweeteners to help consumers track their total daily intake of concentrated sugars.
It's a balance between industry concerns and consumer education. The revised guidance is a compromise between the industry's desire to avoid misleading labels and the FDA's mission to inform the public about daily sugar consumption.

Key Takeaways

Regulatory Definition: The FDA defines "added sugars" as all caloric sweeteners, including honey and maple syrup, to help consumers limit intake.
No Adulteration: The label does not mean sugar was added to the honey, but that the honey itself contributes to the "added sugar" tally in your diet.
Consumer Confusion: The labeling initially caused widespread confusion, with many believing pure honey was being manipulated by manufacturers.
Labeling Compromise: Recent FDA guidance allows single-ingredient products like pure honey to use a percent Daily Value and footnote for clarification.
Nutritional Context: Although honey has trace nutrients, it is a concentrated source of sugar and calories, making moderation essential.
Moderation Matters: Health experts recommend limiting all concentrated sweeteners, whether natural like honey or refined like table sugar.
Informed Decisions: The label is intended to provide clearer information for comparing products and making more informed dietary choices.

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes, honey is a natural sugar made by bees from flower nectar. The confusion arises because the U.S. FDA's labeling rules classify it as an "added sugar" from a regulatory standpoint, even though no sugars are added to pure honey.

No, the label does not mean that sugar was added to the pure honey. The FDA classifies pure honey itself as an added sugar because it is a concentrated sweetener added to other foods and drinks, and the agency wants consumers to be aware of their daily intake from all such sources.

The FDA considers honey an "added sugar" to help consumers track their overall intake of concentrated sweeteners. Unlike sugars naturally found in fruit, honey is a standalone caloric sweetener that contributes to the daily limit on added sugar, so it is counted in that category.

Recent FDA guidance allows pure, single-ingredient honey to use a footnote to clarify its sugar content. The label will not state "Includes Xg Added Sugars," but will still show the percentage of the Daily Value (%DV) for added sugars, with a symbol directing consumers to an explanatory footnote.

Honey is often perceived as healthier because it contains trace amounts of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, unlike refined table sugar. However, both are concentrated sources of sugar and calories that impact blood glucose levels, so health experts recommend limiting both.

The rule caused controversy because the honey industry and consumers feared that labeling pure honey as having "added sugar" was misleading and would cause people to believe the product was adulterated. The updated guidance was a compromise to address this concern.

Because honey is a concentrated sugar that raises blood glucose, it should be consumed in moderation by people with diabetes, if at all, as part of a carefully managed dietary plan. Its slightly lower glycemic index compared to sugar is a minor difference.