Sugar and salt in Indian soft drinks and energy drinks: What 130 labels say
From my study of Indian packaged-food labels on Open Food Facts. Every number comes from the back of the pack.
Quick answers
How many Indian soft drinks and energy drinks have added sugar?
75% of the 130 soft drinks and energy drinks labels I read list an added sugar. In 73% a sugar is one of the first 3 ingredients, so it is a big part of the food.
Do soft drinks and energy drinks hide sugar under other names?
12% list sugar under 2 or more names. After plain sugar, the most common is dextrose, on 8% of labels.
How much sugar is in Indian soft drinks and energy drinks?
The median is 10.55 g of sugar in 100 g, about 2.6 teaspoons. That is from 60 products with a sugar value.
How much salt is in Indian soft drinks and energy drinks?
The median is 0.02 g of salt in 100 g. That is 0% of the 5 g a day WHO sets for adults. From 57 products with a salt or sodium value.
Other names for sugar on soft drinks and energy drinks labels
Share of the 130 labels that list each one. The guide explains each name.
| Sugar name | Share of labels |
|---|---|
| Dextrose, glucose | 8.5% |
| Fruit juice concentrate | 4.6% |
| Fructose, fruit sugar | 0.8% |
How to check a pack yourself
Turn the pack over. Read the list at the back from the top, and look for every name of sugar, not just the word sugar. Then check the sugar and salt for 100 g in the nutrition table. Paste any list into the Label Checker and it marks the sugar names for you.
Where this comes from
This is one category of the India Label Index 2026. The data is from Open Food Facts, filled in by volunteers, so it is not every pack in India. It covers categories, not brands, and rates no product. Full method and limits.
Narsinghani, D. (2026). Sugar and salt in Indian soft drinks and energy drinks: What 130 labels say. India Label Index 2026. https://devnarsinghani22.github.io/india-label-index/soft-drinks/. Data from Open Food Facts (ODbL).