How much sugar per day?

If you're active and exercise regularly, some sugar may help supply ready energy to fuel your muscles and keep your brain active. The problem for the majority of us is that many of the processed foods we eat – in particular those marketed at children – have added sugar that supplies energy in the form of ‘empty’ calories, which means we end up consuming more than we need and this is not good for us.

Read more about why sugar is bad for you.

How much sugar a day is a safe amount?

In the UK, the daily reference intake for the average, moderately active female is 90g of sugar from all sources. Current recommendations state that of this, added or ‘free’ sugar should make up no more than 5% of your daily calorie intake. The current World Health Organisation guidelines suggests for adults this is no more than seven teaspoons or cubes (30g) a day. A single teaspoon of sugar is roughly 4g, so you can see how easy it is to reach that amount.

Food packaging doesn’t make it easy to determine how much added sugar there is in something, so it’s tricky for us, as consumers, to calculate how much we’re eating. This is because the sugar figure you’ll see on the nutrition panel is ‘total sugar’ – this includes sugar found naturally in foods like milk and fruit etc, as well as added, ‘free’ sugar, the type we’re advised to cut back on. To help you understand the amount of added sugar in a product, check the ingredients list and look out for sugar in all its different guises – this includes ingredients ending in ‘ose’.

An investigation in 2010 found some breakfast cereals contained as much sugar as a doughnut, so it really is worth paying attention to the branded products that you buy regularly.

How many pieces of fruit should I have a day?

Current NHS guidelines are that we should all be eating a minimum of five portions of fruit and vegetables each day, with the emphasis on vegetables. That said, eating two to three pieces of fruit a day is fine, although try to have some nuts and seeds, nut butter or cottage cheese alongside your fruit. The protein and fat in nuts, seeds and dairy help slow the absorption of sugar into the bloodstream and provides longer lasting energy.

Vegetables offer excellent nutritional value and don’t affect blood sugar levels quite as much as fruit. However, for someone trying to cut back on refined sugars, fruit makes a great alternative to help wean yourself off sugary snacks. Remember, fruit juice is different because all the fibre is lost during processing, which means the sugar is very rapidly absorbed into the bloodstream. For this reason, juices should be limited to no more than one small glass (150ml) per day, preferably with a meal.

Certain fruit like apples and berries raise blood sugar levels less than the tropical varieties, such as mangoes and pineapple, which have a naturally high sugar content. The sugar content in dried fruit is also more concentrated because of the absence of water. That said, whole fresh fruit, and a moderate amount of dried fruit, are valuable sources of vitamins, minerals and fibre.

What signs suggest I’ve been eating too much sugar?

If you’ve been eating too much sugar, there are a few signs to look out for. Low blood sugar may result in dizziness, irritability, light-headedness, tension and anxiety. This is often how the sugar cycle is perpetuated, as you’ll then crave something sweet to help you feel less tired and dizzy.

The way to avoid this is to eat little and often. Avoid sugary quick fixes and opt for low-GI foods instead.

A nutritionist’s tips for managing sugar intake

Cutting back on sugar can be challenging. Here are three top tips:

1. Read the ingredients on foods labels and look out for all different forms of sugar – honey, agave, molasses and syrups like corn and rice syrup are all forms of sugar. The higher up the ingredient list these are, the more sugar the product contains.

2. Make sure you eat a balanced and varied diet with plenty of lower GI foods and don't skip meals. You're likely to reach for sugary snacks when hungry. Protein-rich snacks, like nuts and seeds, may help curb cravings and provide sustained energy.

3. Where possible, eat starchy carbohydrates when you eat protein as this lowers the GI impact, providing sustained energy and helps minimise cravings.

Get more practical tips to manage sugar cravings.

Like this? Now read...

10 things you should know before giving up sugar
Why is sugar bad for me?
How to eat a balanced diet
All you need to know about sugar
Our favourite lower sugar recipes
Low-GI dinner recipes

This page was reviewed on 28th January 2025 by Kerry Torrens

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