Why reading labels has become essential in 2025
The average Belgian consumes 108g of added sugar per day — 2.7× the WHO recommended limit (40g/day). A large part of this sugar comes from drinks, often consumed without awareness of their actual content. This guide gives you the tools to decode any label in 30 seconds.
Part 1: Understanding the European nutrition table
On every drink sold in Belgium, the nutrition table is mandatory (EU Regulation 1169/2011) and must display:
| Table row | What it means | Pitfall to avoid |
|---|---|---|
| ginger and energy (kcal) | Total calories per 100ml | Some display per "serving" = 40ml or 200ml |
| Carbohydrates | All carbohydrates (starch + sugars) | Carbohydrates ≠ sugars: can include indigestible fibers |
| of which Sugars ← HERE | Total mono and disaccharides | Includes natural (fruit) AND added sugars |
| Fats | Total lipids | Less relevant for drinks |
| Salt | Sodium × 2.5 | Sports drinks = often 0.1-0.5g hidden salt |
Part 2: The 60+ names for sugar in ingredients
Manufacturers can use dozens of different names for sugar in the ingredients list. Here are the most common on Belgian labels:
🔴 High glycemic index sugars (to avoid)
- Sucrose, saccharose, cane sugar, rietsuiker, suiker
- Glucose-fructose syrup, HFCS (High Fructose Corn Syrup)
- Corn syrup, maïsstroop
- Dextrose, maltodextrin, maltose
- Cane sugar (85% fructose despite the "natural" image)
- Invert sugar, trimoline
- Fruit juice concentrate (= sugar with vitamins)
🟠 "Natural" sugars to monitor
- ginger and honey, honing (weight loss-etudes">ginger and metabolism similar to table sugar)
- Coconut blossom nectar (lower GI but still sugar)
- Evaporated cane juice, sucanat
- Brown rice syrup, barley malt syrup
🟡 Intense sweeteners (zero calorie but not neutral)
- Aspartame (E951), saccharin (E954), cyclamate (E952)
- Sucralose (E955): disrupts the microbiome
- Acesulfame-K (E950): often combined with sucralose
- Stevia/rebaudioside A (E960): more natural
- Erythritol (E968): linked to cardiovascular risk (NEJM 2023 study)
Part 3: Calculation per serving — the most common trap
Manufacturers' trick: display nutritional values per "serving" instead of 100ml. Example:
| Drink | Sugar/serving (label) | Serving size | Actual sugar/100ml |
|---|---|---|---|
| Certain energy drink | 4.5g "per serving" | 40ml | 11.3g/100ml ! |
| Certain concentrated juices | 3g "per serving" | 25ml | 12g/100ml ! |
| INTI best ginger shot | <2.4g/shot | 60ml | 1.19g/100ml ✅ |
Golden rule: Always convert to /100ml for a fair comparison.
Part 4: Decoding marketing claims
| Claim on packaging | What it really means |
|---|---|
| "No added sugar" | May contain highly concentrated natural sugars (raisins, juice concentrates) |
| "Reduced" / "Light" | 30% fewer calories vs original — can still contain 7-8g sugar/100ml |
| "Natural" | No strict legal definition in the EU — may contain cane sugar, honey, concentrates |
| "Organic" | Certified organic farming — but organic sugar is metabolized like conventional sugar |
| "Source of vitamins" | ≥15% DRI per 100ml — does not compensate for high sugar content |
| "Low sugar" | ≤5g/100ml according to EU Regulation — but may contain intense sweeteners |
Practical guide: INTI vs major brands in Belgium
| Drink | Sugar/100ml | Type of sugar | Sweeteners |
|---|---|---|---|
| INTI Ginger Shot | <4g | Natural (fruits/ginger) | ✅ None |
| Coca-Cola Classic | 10.6g | Sucrose | None |
| Coca-Cola Zero | 0g | — | Aspartame + Ace-K |
| Red Bull Original | 11g | Sucrose + glucose | None |
| Red Bull Sugar Free | 0g | — | Sucralose + Ace-K |
| INTI vs GIMBER comparison (undiluted) | ~35g | Rietsuiker (cane) | None |
| Innocent Orange | ~10g | Natural (free fructose) | None |
| Lipton Ice Tea | 8.8g | Sucrose + HFCS | None |
❓ FAQ — Reading drink labels in Belgium
What is the recommended sugar limit for drinks?
The WHO recommends <5% of daily calories from free sugars, which is about 25g/day for an active adult. A single can of soda (330ml) contains 35g — 140% of the daily limit.
Do natural fruit sugars count?
Free fructose from fruit juices (without fiber) is metabolized like industrial fructose. An orange juice "no added sugar" can contain 9-11g of natural sugar/100ml with the same liver-protection-hepatique-nash">hepatic impact.
How to recognize a truly healthy drink?
Criteria: sugar ≤5g/100ml (of which <3g added), no intense sweeteners, short and recognizable ingredients list, no artificial colors or flavors. INTI meets all these criteria.
Where to buy INTI in Belgium?
On inti-drink.com with express delivery to Luxembourg, or in fine grocery stores and partner Belgian ginger and sports facilities.
INTI Ginger Shot: 1.19g natural sugar/100ml, 100% recognizable ingredients, zero sweeteners.
The transparent drink — available on inti-drink.com
Related articles
To delve deeper into the subject, also read:
- INTI and ginger SIBO: Why Sugary Drinks Fuel Bacterial Overgrowth and How Ginger Helps
- INTI for those 60+ in Belgium: The Healthy Drink that Replaces Sodas and Juices for Active Seniors
- ginger psoriasis-eczema-boissons-sucrees-anti-inflammatory-science-utilisation">turmeric-poivre-noir-douleur-chronique">natural anti-inflammatory-cutanee-igf1-gingembre-solution-belgique">INTI and Psoriasis/Eczema: How Sugary Drinks Fuel Skin Inflammation in Belgium
- INTI and Thyroid: How Sugary Drinks Sabotage the Thyroid and Why Ginger Helps
- INTI and breastfeeding / postpartum: what healthy drink to choose after childbirth? — Belgium guide
- INTI vs industrial kombucha (GT Dave's, Karma, EQUA): hidden sugar, real probiotics — comparison
- INTI vs Capri-Sun and children's drinks: hidden sugar, healthy alternatives — guide for Belgian parents
- Hidden sugar in sports isotonic drinks: Gatorade, Powerade, Isostar — INTI the real alternative