For CBD beverage brands, terms like “low-carb,” “no sugar,” and “zero carbs” may sound simple, but they sit in a tightly regulated space. Understanding what these phrases actually mean under U.S. food-labeling rules helps both companies and consumers avoid confusion—and potential enforcement.

Under the Nutrition Labeling and Education Act (NLEA), the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) controls “nutrient content claims” such as “free,” “low,” “reduced,” and similar phrases about calories, sugar, or fat. These rules apply to CBD drinks the same way they apply to any other packaged food or beverage, alongside additional CBD-specific labeling requirements at the federal and state level.

What “no sugar” and “zero sugar” really mean

For sugar claims, FDA has clear definitions. “Sugar-free,” “no sugar,” “sugarless,” and “zero sugar” can be used only when a serving contains less than 0.5 grams of total sugars (natural plus added). That means a CBD seltzer marketed as “no sugar” can still contain a very small amount of sugar, but it must be nutritionally negligible.

If a beverage carries a “sugar-free”–type claim and is not also “low calorie” or “reduced calorie,” FDA generally requires an extra statement such as “not a low calorie food” so shoppers are not misled into thinking sugar-free automatically means diet-friendly.

It is important to distinguish “sugar-free” from “no added sugar.” “No added sugar” means no sugar or sugar-containing ingredient was added during processing, but the product may still contain naturally occurring sugars from fruit juice or other ingredients.

What about “low-carb” and “zero carbs”?

Here things get trickier. Unlike sugar, FDA has not created an official nutrient content claim for “low carbohydrate” or related phrases like “keto-friendly.” Brands sometimes borrow informal rules (for example, under 10 grams per serving), but there is no legally defined cutoff.

Because “low-carb” is undefined, using it still falls under the general prohibition on false or misleading labeling. If a CBD drink marketed as “low-carb” actually contains more carbohydrates than similar products, regulators—or plaintiffs’ lawyers—could argue the claim misleads consumers. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has repeatedly reminded CBD companies that all product claims must be truthful, not deceptive, and backed by evidence.

“Zero carbs” is even higher-risk. Nutrition-facts regulations allow very small amounts of some nutrients to be rounded to 0 grams per serving if they are below 0.5 grams. But a big “zero carbs” flag on the front of a CBD drink that actually delivers measurable carbohydrate from sugar alcohols or starches could invite scrutiny. Many compliance teams prefer precise back-panel numbers (“Total Carbohydrate 0 g”) without bold front-of-pack “zero carb” marketing unless they are confident the product is effectively carb-free under FDA rounding rules.

CBD-specific compliance layers

On top of macronutrient claims, CBD beverages must navigate an evolving federal landscape. FDA still maintains that it is generally unlawful to add CBD to foods in interstate commerce, but numerous hemp-derived CBD products are sold under a patchwork of state programs. Regardless, these products must comply with general food labeling rules (identity statement, net quantity, ingredient list, allergen disclosure, nutrition facts) and often state-level CBD warnings and disclaimers.

For brands, the safest strategy is to treat “low-carb,” “no sugar,” and “zero carbs” as serious promises, not loose marketing language—aligning every claim with FDA definitions where they exist, and with clear, defensible consumer expectations where they don’t. For consumers, reading both the front label and the Nutrition Facts panel remains the best way to know what’s really in that CBD drink.