Which of the following are hidden sugar names?

• A. corn syrup, high fructose corn syrup, fruit juice concentrate, maltose, dextrose, sucrose, honey, maple syrup
• B. lactose, maltodextrin, galactose, glucose
• C. fructose, glucose, starch
• D. aspartame, saccharin, sucralose, stevia

Answer: (A)

Hidden sugars show up on ingredient lists under many names that may not look like sugar at first glance. The list that includes corn syrup, high fructose corn syrup, fruit juice concentrate, maltose, dextrose, sucrose, honey, and maple syrup consists entirely of real sugar names or sugar-containing ingredients commonly found in foods. These are the kinds of terms that signal added sugars on labels, even though they aren’t written simply as “sugar.” The other options mix in terms that aren’t sugars by name—maltodextrin is a carbohydrate derivative, starch isn’t a sugar, and artificial sweeteners or non-sugar sweeteners (like aspartame, saccharin, sucralose, stevia) aren’t sugars at all. That’s why the first set is the best choice for identifying hidden sugar names.