Dietitian Natalie Rizzo Urges Checking 6-7 Grams Added Sugar First on Food Labels
Updated
Updated · TODAY · Jul 20
Dietitian Natalie Rizzo Urges Checking 6-7 Grams Added Sugar First on Food Labels
2 articles · Updated · TODAY · Jul 20
Summary
Natalie Rizzo says her quickest test for a packaged food is the ingredients list first, followed by the added sugar line on the nutrition label.
That two-step check helps cut through healthy-sounding marketing by showing whether a product is built from recognizable whole foods or loaded with refined ingredients, additives or sweeteners.
Rizzo says she looks for ingredients such as oats, beans, whole grains, nuts or fruit near the top of the list, and uses added sugar to spot products like yogurt that may seem healthy but are heavily sweetened.
Dr. Ian Smith previously told TODAY that shoppers should then check serving size, calories, protein and fiber, with a target of at least 20 grams of protein per meal and 25 grams of fiber a day.
For added sugar, Smith's rule of thumb is no more than 6-7 grams per serving, reinforcing the label-first approach as a simple daily screening tool.