Why don't generic foods have added sugars?

This is actually an industry-wide limitation that affects most, if not all, nutrition tracking apps.

Why Added Sugars Are Missing

Apps rely on the USDA database for generic foods because it's the most comprehensive and trusted source available, with lab-tested data on 70+ nutrients. However, added sugars can't be measured in a lab–it's more of a regulatory concept that the FDA requires brands to calculate and report on labels. So there's a tradeoff: generic foods have excellent micronutrient data but lack added sugars, while branded foods have added sugars but sometimes less complete nutrient profiles.

Apps like MyFitnessPal and Cronometer have dealt with user complaints about this for years–it's a fundamental limitation of the USDA data source.

What We Recommend

• Use branded foods when available for complete nutrition info

• Import a recipe from a website or copy/paste ingredients to calculate accurate nutrition

• Save the generic item to your library where you can edit it to add added sugars

• Create a custom library food based on a trusted source (like nutrition info from a brand you trust)

For generic cookies and similar foods, you can generally assume most or all of the total sugars are added sugars.