Total sugars and added sugars: read the two lines together
Avoid double-counting sugars and compare hypothetical yogurts on an equal-weight basis with clear worked calculations.
When a US label lists total sugars and then says it includes added sugars, the second number is already part of the first. Adding the two together counts some sugar twice. Start with the two rows as a total and a subset.
The FDA describes total sugars as naturally occurring sugars plus added sugars. The added-sugars line identifies the portion covered by the added-sugars definition. FDA explanation of total and added sugars.
Keep a simple two-column note
Imagine yogurt A has a 150 g serving with 12 g total sugars, including 5 g added sugars. Its total is 12 g, not 17 g. Subtracting the displayed values gives 7 g that is not accounted for by the added-sugars line. Treat that subtraction as an estimate from the printed numbers, not as a laboratory breakdown of individual sugar types.
For yogurt B, suppose a 200 g serving lists 14 g total sugars, including 4 g added sugars. The bigger tub has a larger serving, so its total-sugars number alone does not settle the comparison. These are invented labels for practice.
| Example yogurt | Total sugars per 100 g | Added sugars per 100 g |
|---|---|---|
| A | 12 ÷ 150 × 100 = 8 g | 5 ÷ 150 × 100 = 3.33 g |
| B | 14 ÷ 200 × 100 = 7 g | 4 ÷ 200 × 100 = 2 g |
Choose the question before choosing the row
If your question is how much total sugar is in 100 g, use the first result column. If your question is specifically about added sugars, use the second. Neither number tells you the flavor, price, portion you will eat, or the other nutrient quantities. Record those separately if they matter to your comparison.
For a 180 g bowl of yogurt B, multiply the per-100-g values by 1.8. That gives 12.6 g total sugars and 3.6 g added sugars. Do not add 3.6 to 12.6. If you add a topping, calculate its contribution separately and then add like categories together.
When the second number is missing
Do not turn a blank or absent added-sugars field into zero. Label formats differ by market, and not every panel gives you the same categories. An ingredient list can help identify ingredients, but it does not usually provide enough quantities to reconstruct an exact added-sugars value. Save the field as unavailable and compare a category that both labels actually report.
A useful saved comparison states the product, market, portion, nutrient name, amount, and date checked. That record is easier to update than a single judgment such as “better yogurt,” especially if a package size or recipe changes.