Sugar is everywhere, and while it makes things taste amazing, too much of it can be harmful. Excess sugar is linked to weight gain, diabetes, heart disease, and even skin issues. The problem isn’t just sugar itself—it’s how much of it sneaks into our daily diet without us realizing it.
The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that added sugar intake should be less than 10% of your daily calories, and ideally below 5% for even better health benefits. NHS UK advises consuming not more than 30 grams of sugar in a day. The American Heart Association suggests limiting added sugar intake to 25 grams (about 6 teaspoons) per day for women and 36 grams (about 9 teaspoons) per day for men. The WHO guideline does not refer to the sugars in fresh fruits and vegetables, and sugars naturally present in milk, because there is no reported evidence of adverse effects of consuming these sugars. It advises against the consumption of hidden sugars: for example a single can of sugar-sweetened soda contains up to 40 grams (around 10 teaspoons) of free sugars.
