GLOSSARY

Naturally Occurring Sugars are sugars originally present in a food, such as milk lactose or fruit sugars. 'Natural' describes origin; these sugars do not all occur in the same food structure or belong to the same free-sugar category.

Glucose or sucrose does not become a different molecule simply because its origin is natural or added. Practical differences often concern amount, food structure, fibre and accompanying components. Eating whole fruit differs from drinking a large sweetened beverage even when some sugars share the same chemical names.

WHO free sugars include added sugars as well as sugars in honey, syrups, fruit juice and fruit-juice concentrates. Sugars within intact fruit and naturally present milk lactose are outside this definition. Consequently, 'no added sugar' does not necessarily mean 'no free sugars' or 'sugar-free'.

Food is more than the sum of listed components. Cellular arrangement, fibre, fat, and protein influence nutrient release and digestion. Whole and ground forms of a seed, for example, may behave differently during digestion despite sharing the same starting material.

Most foods provide several nutrients together. Lentils, for example, contain carbohydrate and fibre as well as protein, while milk can provide protein and calcium. Assigning each food to just one nutrient therefore simplifies its actual composition.

A carbohydrate source is assessed through fibre, food structure, accompanying nutrients, free sugars and the purpose of use. Calling its molecules simple or complex does not by itself establish a healthy or unhealthy choice. A fruit containing simple sugars and a highly refined starchy product can play very different nutritional roles.

Actual portion size determines how much of a food's components is consumed. If the labelled serving differs from the portion eaten, calculations must be adjusted to the actual amount. Accompanying oils, sauces, and drinks also matter when interpreting a meal.