Three phrases show up on protein labels and get read as identical: zero sugar, sugar free, and no added sugar. They aren't identical. Two of them are the same claim and the third is doing something quite different.
1. "Zero sugar" and "sugar free" mean under half a gram
Both are regulated nutrient content claims, and both mean the product contains less than 0.5 grams of total sugars per serving — which is why they can round to 0 g on the Nutrition Facts panel. If you see either phrase, the sugar question is answered.
2. "No added sugar" is a claim about the process, not the product
It means no sugars were added during manufacturing. It says nothing about the sugar already present in the ingredients — which, in a dairy-based protein, is usually lactose. A product can honestly say "no added sugar" and still carry several grams per serving. Check the panel, not the front of the can.
3. Zero sugar always means something else is doing the sweetening
That's the question worth asking, and the honest answer should be short. MYND is sweetened with Reb M — rebaudioside M, a steviol glycoside from the stevia leaf, with documented FDA GRAS status. One sweetener, named.
You can read the whole list on our ingredients page, which is the standard we'd apply to anyone else's protein drink too.
The MYND take-away: "Zero sugar" tells you what was taken out. The sweetener tells you what was put in — and a label worth trusting will name it plainly.
