Sugar Intake Calculator

Your added-sugar limit in grams and teaspoons.

Calculate your daily added sugar limit using WHO and AHA guidance, converted into grams, teaspoons and everyday drink equivalents.

Written and maintained by Mohit PatelLast checked August 4, 2026How we build these

Sex

Daily calories

kcal

Added sugar limit (AHA)

36 g

9.0 teaspoons

WHO, under 10% of calories50 g

WHO, ideal, under 5%25 g

One can of cola39 g

Cans of cola to hit the AHA limit0.9

This is added sugar only. Sugars in whole fruit and plain milk are not counted; they arrive with fibre, water and nutrients that change how they behave.

How the Sugar Intake Calculator works

Guidance targets added sugars. Those put into food during processing: rather than the sugars naturally present in fruit and milk, which arrive with fibre, water and nutrients. The distinction matters, because the same 25 grams behaves very differently in an apple and in a cola.

Also known as: daily sugar limit · added sugar recommendation · how much sugar per day · sugar calculator

Free sugars and what they include

The WHO recommends limiting free sugars to less than 10% of total energy intake, with a conditional further recommendation of under 5% for additional benefit.

Free sugars are those added to foods, plus sugars naturally present in honey, syrups and unsweetened fruit juice. Sugars within the structure of whole fruit and vegetables, and lactose in milk, are excluded.

For a 2,000 calorie diet, 10% is 50 grams and 5% is 25 grams. The UK recommendation of no more than 30 grams a day for adults sits between them and is the figure most UK guidance uses.

Why fruit is treated differently

Sugar in whole fruit is not counted as free sugar because it is contained within the cell structure, accompanied by fibre and water, and released slowly during digestion.

Juicing releases it, which is why fruit juice counts as free sugar even without anything added. A glass of orange juice contains roughly the sugar of several oranges with none of the fibre, and it is consumed in a fraction of the time.

UK guidance limits fruit juice and smoothies to a combined 150 millilitres a day, counting as one of the five daily portions of fruit and vegetables regardless of quantity, for exactly this reason.

Reading labels

Nutrition labels in the UK and EU show total sugars, which includes both free sugars and those naturally present. They do not separate them, which makes assessing free sugar intake from labels harder than it should be.

The traffic light system uses thresholds of 5 grams per 100 grams for low and 22.5 grams per 100 grams for high, applied to total sugars.

The ingredient list helps, since ingredients are listed in descending order by weight. Sugar appears under many names, including sucrose, glucose syrup, fructose, dextrose, molasses, invert sugar and concentrated fruit juice, and splitting the sugar across several of these moves each one further down the list.

Where the sugar actually comes from

In the UK, sugar-sweetened drinks have historically been the largest single source for children and teenagers, though the soft drinks industry levy has substantially reduced the sugar content of many products.

For adults, the sources are more distributed: confectionery, biscuits, cakes, breakfast cereals, yoghurts, and sugar added to hot drinks.

The less obvious sources are savoury: sauces, ready meals, bread and processed meats frequently contain added sugar in quantities that surprise people. Checking a few of the staples in a regular shop is usually more informative than any general advice.

What the evidence does and does not say

The strongest evidence links free sugar intake to dental caries, where the relationship is direct and dose-dependent, and to weight gain through excess energy intake, particularly from sugar-sweetened drinks which are poorly compensated for at subsequent meals.

The claim that sugar is uniquely fattening beyond its energy content is not well supported by controlled studies that match energy intake. In isocaloric conditions, sugar does not produce more fat gain than other carbohydrate.

Which does not make reducing it pointless. Sugar-dense foods are energy-dense and less satiating, so they make excess intake easier, and the dental evidence stands on its own. Reducing free sugars is well-supported advice for reasons that do not require it to be metabolically unique.

Where to go next

The Sugar Intake question rarely arrives on its own. These are the ones that usually come with it:

Carb Calculator — Daily carbohydrate target, including a low-carb option.
Calorie & BMR Calculator — Daily calorie needs for losing, holding, or gaining weight.
Fiber Intake Calculator — Daily fibre target and how far typical diets fall short.
BMI Calculator — Body mass index with category and healthy weight range.

Sources

Not medical advice. This calculator gives a general estimate, not medical advice. It cannot account for your individual health, medical history, or medication. Talk to a qualified healthcare professional before acting on any result.

Frequently asked questions

How much added sugar is too much?

The WHO recommends under 10% of total calories, and suggests below 5% for additional benefit. The American Heart Association is stricter: no more than 25 g a day for women and 36 g for men. At 2,000 calories, 10% is about 50 g, or 12 teaspoons.

Does fruit sugar count toward the limit?

No. Whole fruit comes packaged with fibre and water that slow absorption, and cohort studies consistently link fruit intake to better outcomes. Fruit juice is treated differently, once the fibre is removed, it behaves much more like a sugary drink.

How much sugar is in a can of cola?

About 35-39 g, or 9-10 teaspoons, at or above the entire daily AHA limit for a woman in one 330 ml can. This is why sugary drinks dominate added-sugar intake in most national dietary surveys.

Are natural sweeteners like honey any better?

Metabolically, barely. Honey, maple syrup and agave are still added sugars and count toward the limit. Their trace minerals are present in quantities too small to matter at realistic intakes.