The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend keeping added sugars below 10% of total daily calories — about 50 g (12 tsp) on a 2,000-calorie diet. The World Health Organization suggests a similar limit. Added sugars are those put in during processing (sodas, desserts, many sauces). They differ from the sugars naturally in whole fruit and dairy, which come with fiber, water, or protein. Cutting back works best by swapping sugary drinks for water or unsweetened options and checking labels for syrups and "ose" endings (e.g., dextrose).
Key facts:
- Added sugar < 10% of daily calories
- ~50 g/day on a 2,000 kcal diet
- Whole fruit sugar is not "added"
- Check labels for syrups and -ose words