Sugar claims, are they legal? The use of the term "refined" is a little ambiguous and there are a few things that need to be clarified before a case can proceed. First, there is no definitive answer because every country has different definitions, but the most common examples are as follows: Refined means it has had any sugar removed and all parts of the mixture has been left in order to improve its taste and texture. There is some controversy about whether "refined" or "fortified" is actually legal in the United States. The FDA does not define the term, so it is up to each producer to decide what their definition is and what the claim means. In general, if a food contains a certain amount of sugar it cannot be called "refined." However, if a food contains a high degree of sugar it may be called "refined sugar" and it can still be sold. A couple of different types of sugar can be defined legally as "refined sugar." One type is generally considered to be "reduced sugar," which means it has had sugar removed from the basic sugar molecules. Another kind is "fructose corn syrup" which is simply high fructose corn syrup that has been purified. Both of these sugar forms are not legally defined as "sugar" by the FDA, but they can be sold as "reduced sugar" or "fructose corn syrup" on labels. Know what foods have sugar here! It is also important to understand the difference between sugar claims and other food label claims. For example, if you buy a product with a nutritional value, but say it has 3 grams of sugar per serving, this is technically true, but not legally correct because it is technically an "aid" claim rather than a food label claim. What we are talking about here is a statement like "this product provides up to eight grams of protein per serving." This type of statement is allowed because it meets the guidelines established by the US FDA. Check out this website at https://www.britannica.com/science/sugar-chemical-compound for more info about sugar. There are two main types of sugar that are commonly found in processed foods: sucrose (or table sugar) and glucose. While there are several other forms of sugar, including honey, molasses, maple syrup, cane sugar, and more sustainable home, these two sugar forms are the most common and are what most people think of when they hear about "sugar claims." Just as with food labels, sugar claims labels should provide detailed information about the form(s) in which they are used. The US FDA recommends that the words "reduced sugar" or" fructose corn syrup" be used instead of more complex words like "reduced sugar" or "reduced sugar syrup" to avoid confusion. Some other types of sugar claims that may be found on food labels include flavors like "Lightning McQueen," "Chocolate Fudge Sundae," "Candy Apple," " Banana Split," "Jelly Bean," "Cherry Vanilla," "Mocha", and more. Again, the wording that is used on the label and the dietary advice associated with it should be highlighted. Finally, sugar claims should be discussed with your doctor. It's always best to talk with your doctor before you purchase a food or before you start claiming any benefits from your diet. Your doctor will be able to advise you of the right level of intake of any nutrient or food product, and help you remove any possible misleading claims on your food claims labels. This is the only way to ensure that you are getting everything that your body needs from your diet, and that you are receiving everything without putting your health at risk.