zerosugar

Zerosugar is a marketing term used to describe foods and beverages that contain little or no sugar per serving. It is not a formal nutritional category, and its meaning can vary by country, regulator, and brand. In general, zerosugar claims aim to deliver sweetness without the caloric or glycemic impact associated with sugar, typically by using sugar substitutes or ingredients that contain no sugar.

Common approaches include artificial sweeteners such as aspartame, sucralose, or saccharin; sugar alcohols such as erythritol or xylitol; and other zero-sugar ingredients. Some products may still contain trace amounts of naturally occurring sugars or sugar alcohols, but at levels intended to be negligible for labeling purposes. The exact formulation is often kept proprietary by manufacturers.

Labeling and regulation vary by jurisdiction. In the United States, terms like sugar-free or no added sugars are governed by nutrition labeling rules; “zero sugar” is not a tightly defined regulatory category, but many products may claim zero sugars if the total sugars per serving are 0 g or fall within applicable thresholds. Other countries have their own standards for front-of-package claims and for what qualifies as “zero sugar.”

Health considerations include that zero-sugar products may rely on non-nutritive sweeteners, which can affect taste, appetite, or tolerance in some individuals. They can also contain calories from other ingredients or sugar alcohols that may cause digestive effects in some people. Zerosugar products are common in beverages, snacks, and desserts as part of efforts to reduce sugar intake.