The recommended daily intake of sugar varies depending on the type of sugar and the health organization, but here are key guidelines:
- Added sugars (sugars added during processing or preparation) should be limited because excess intake is linked to health issues like obesity, diabetes, and heart disease.
- The American Heart Association (AHA) recommends:
- Men: no more than 36 grams (9 teaspoons) of added sugar per day.
- Women: no more than 25 grams (6 teaspoons) of added sugar per day
- The UK National Health Service (NHS) advises adults to consume no more than 30 grams of free sugars per day (about 7 sugar cubes), which includes added sugars and sugars naturally present in honey, syrups, and fruit juices
- The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends reducing free sugar intake to less than 10% of total daily energy intake, ideally below 5%, which corresponds to about 25–50 grams per day for an average adult consuming 2,000 calories
- The Dietary Guidelines for Americans suggest limiting added sugars to less than 10% of daily calories, roughly 50 grams (12 teaspoons) per day on a 2,000-calorie diet, but many experts consider lower targets (around 25–30 grams) safer
Summary:
Organization| Recommended Max Added/Free Sugar per Day| Approx. Teaspoons|
Notes
---|---|---|---
American Heart Association| Men: 36g; Women: 25g| 9 tsp (men); 6 tsp (women)|
Added sugars only
UK NHS| 30g free sugars| 7 tsp| Includes added + some natural sugars
WHO| <10% energy (~50g), ideally <5% (~25g)| 10 tsp / 5 tsp| Free sugars
Dietary Guidelines for Americans| <10% energy (~50g)| 12 tsp| Added sugars
In practice, aiming for no more than about 25 grams (6 teaspoons) of added or free sugars daily is a prudent target for most adults to reduce health risks
