WHO advises keeping free sugars below 10% of daily energy, about 50 g on a 2,000 kcal diet, and ideally below 5%, about 25 g or six teaspoons. One 355 ml can of cola already holds about 37 g, per USDA data. The 2025–2030 US Dietary Guidelines go further: no more than 10 g of added sugar per meal.
Key takeaways
- Keep free sugars below 10% of energy (about 50 g at 2,000 kcal); below 5% (about 25 g) is better.
- Free sugars include honey, syrups and fruit juice, but not the sugar in whole fruit or plain milk.
- A can of cola has about 37 g of sugar and a fruit yogurt about 32 g, per USDA data.
- The 2025–2030 US guidelines cap added sugar at 10 g per meal.
- WHO advises against using non-sugar sweeteners for weight control.
How much sugar per day is too much?
The World Health Organization's guideline is clear: keep free sugars below 10% of your daily energy, and aim for below 5% for additional health benefits. On a 2,000 kcal day, 10% is 200 kcal, or about 50 g of sugar. The 5% target is roughly 25 g, about six teaspoons. Türkiye's national nutrition guide (TÜBER) uses the same limits and adds that children under two should not be given foods and drinks with added sugar.
| Daily energy | Below 10% (upper limit) | Below 5% (ideal) |
|---|---|---|
| 1,600 kcal | 40 g | 20 g |
| 2,000 kcal | 50 g | 25 g |
| 2,500 kcal | 62 g | 31 g |
The newest official guidance goes further. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2025–2030, released in January 2026, state that no amount of added sugars is recommended as part of a healthy diet and that one meal should contain no more than 10 g of added sugars. For children aged 5 to 10 they say no amount of added sugar is recommended, and they advise avoiding added sugars in infancy and early childhood.
What counts as "free sugar"?
Free sugars are sugars added to foods and drinks by manufacturers, cooks or you at the table, plus the sugars naturally present in honey, syrups, fruit juices and fruit juice concentrates. The WHO limit does not apply to the sugars inside whole fresh fruit and vegetables or the natural sugar in plain milk.
That distinction matters. A medium apple holds about 19 g of sugar according to USDA data, but it also brings about 4.4 g of fibre and needs chewing, so it does not count toward the limit. Squeeze it into juice and the same kind of sugar becomes free sugar.
Where is sugar hiding?
Most free sugar does not come from the sugar bowl. It comes from drinks, sauces, flavoured dairy, spreads and breakfast foods. The values below are calculated from USDA FoodData Central; brands vary, so check labels.
| Food and portion | Sugar | Teaspoons (4.2 g) |
|---|---|---|
| Cola, 1 can (355 ml) | 36.8 g | ≈ 9 |
| Fruit yogurt, 1 pot (170 g) | 32.3 g* | ≈ 8 |
| Honey, 1 tablespoon (21 g) | 17.2 g | ≈ 4 |
| Jam, 1 tablespoon (20 g) | 9.7 g | ≈ 2.3 |
| Ketchup, 1 tablespoon (17 g) | 3.6 g | ≈ 0.9 |
| Sugar cube, 1 piece | 2.3 g | ≈ 0.5 |
| Plain whole-milk yogurt, 170 g | 7.9 g (natural milk sugar) | not free sugar |
*Total sugars; part of it is natural milk sugar, but compared with the 7.9 g in plain yogurt, most of the difference is added.
One can of regular cola alone is above the 5% target for a 2,000 kcal day. The US guidelines also list the many names added sugars hide under on labels: high-fructose corn syrup, agave syrup, rice syrup, dextrose, sucrose, maltose, fruit juice concentrate, honey and molasses, among others. A quick rule from the same document: look for "sugar", "syrup" or words ending in "-ose".
What does a "normal" day add up to?
Here is a day that does not feel especially sweet:
| When | What | Free sugar |
|---|---|---|
| Breakfast | 1 tbsp honey on toast, 2 cups of tea with 2 sugar cubes each | 26.4 g |
| Lunch | Burger with 2 tbsp ketchup, 1 can of cola | 44.0 g |
| Afternoon | 2 more cups of tea with 2 cubes each | 9.2 g |
| Total | 79.6 g |
That is about 320 kcal from free sugar, or 16% of a 2,000 kcal day, well above the 10% limit. Swap the cola for water or sparkling water and use one teaspoon of honey instead of a tablespoon, and the total falls to about 31 g, close to the 5% target, while saving roughly 200 kcal. Sugary drinks are the easiest win; our guide to liquid calories shows how they add up.
What does the latest research say about sugar and health?
A 2023 umbrella review in The BMJ examined 73 meta-analyses covering 83 health outcomes. It found that high sugar intake was generally more harmful than beneficial, especially for cardiometabolic health. Moderate-quality evidence linked sugar-sweetened beverages with higher body weight. Low-quality evidence suggested that every extra 250 ml a day of sugary drinks was associated with a 17% higher risk of coronary heart disease and a 4% higher risk of death from any cause. The authors recommended keeping free or added sugars below 25 g a day and sugary drinks to less than one serving a week.
These are associations, mostly from observational studies, and they do not mean that any single sweet food is harmful. They do explain why guidelines focus on drinks first: liquid sugar adds calories without making you feel full.
Are sweeteners the answer?
Not for weight control, according to WHO. In May 2023 it published a guideline recommending against using non-sugar sweeteners such as aspartame, sucralose, saccharin, acesulfame K and stevia to control body weight or reduce the risk of noncommunicable diseases. Its systematic review found no long-term benefit for reducing body fat in adults or children and possible links between long-term use and type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and mortality. The recommendation is conditional and does not apply to people with existing diabetes. The US guidelines also advise limiting low-calorie non-nutritive sweeteners.
WHO's practical suggestion is to reduce sweetness overall, for example with fruit or unsweetened foods and drinks, rather than replacing sugar with sweeteners. If you have diabetes, ask your doctor or dietitian what fits your treatment plan.
How can you cut sugar without feeling deprived?
- Start with drinks. Water, sparkling water, plain tea and coffee contain no sugar. Reduce tea sugar one cube at a time.
- Choose plain dairy. Plain yogurt with fresh fruit gives sweetness with fibre instead of added sugar.
- Measure spreads and sauces. A teaspoon of honey or jam instead of a tablespoon cuts the sugar by about two-thirds.
- Eat fruit, don't drink it. Whole fruit keeps its fibre; see how much fibre you need.
- Keep sweets as sweets. Enjoy a dessert you really want, in a portion you choose, rather than many small hidden sugars you do not notice.
Sugar is a carbohydrate with 4 kcal per gram, so it also counts toward your daily calorie and carb targets; see macros explained and how many calories to lose weight. Logging what you drink in Sporty is often the quickest way to see where free sugar enters your day.
Frequently asked questions
How many grams of sugar a day is OK?
WHO advises keeping free sugars below 10% of energy, about 50 g on 2,000 kcal, and ideally below 5%, about 25 g. The sugar in whole fruit, vegetables and plain milk does not count toward this limit.
Does sugar in fruit count?
No, not in whole fresh fruit. Fruit juice, smoothies made from juice, honey and syrups do count as free sugars.
Is honey healthier than sugar?
For these limits, honey counts as free sugar just like table sugar. One tablespoon has about 17 g of sugar.
Should I switch to sweeteners to lose weight?
WHO's 2023 guideline recommends against using non-sugar sweeteners for weight control because they showed no long-term benefit for body fat. People with diabetes should follow their doctor's advice.
What is the new US limit for added sugar?
The Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2025–2030 say no amount of added sugar is recommended and that one meal should contain no more than 10 g of added sugars.
Sources
This article is general information, not medical advice. If you have a health condition, are pregnant or under 18, talk to a doctor or registered dietitian before changing your diet.