How the sugar intake calculator works
The basis is the 2015 recommendation of the World Health Organization (WHO): free sugars should make up less than 10 percent of your daily energy intake, that is the strong recommendation. In addition, the WHO issues a conditional recommendation to reduce the share to less than 5 percent, because that promises additional benefits, above all for dental health. Since 1 g of sugar provides around 4 kcal, your limit works out like this: calorie needs times 0.10 (or 0.05), divided by 4.
If you do not know your calorie needs, the calculator estimates them from your sex, age, height, weight and activity level. It uses the Mifflin-St Jeor formula:
- Men: 10 × weight (kg) + 6.25 × height (cm) − 5 × age + 5
- Women: 10 × weight (kg) + 6.25 × height (cm) − 5 × age − 161
The result is multiplied by your activity factor (PAL). For a more precise result with more explanation, use the calorie calculator.
Your sugar limit by calorie needs
| Calorie needs | WHO limit (10%) | Better target (5%) |
|---|---|---|
| 1,600 kcal | max. 40 g | max. 20 g |
| 1,800 kcal | max. 45 g | max. 22.5 g |
| 2,000 kcal | max. 50 g | max. 25 g |
| 2,200 kcal | max. 55 g | max. 27.5 g |
| 2,500 kcal | max. 62.5 g | max. 31.3 g |
| 3,000 kcal | max. 75 g | max. 37.5 g |
What counts as free sugars and what does not?
This distinction is the core of the WHO recommendation. Free sugars include all sugars that manufacturers or you yourself add to foods and drinks, plus the sugar naturally present in honey, syrups, fruit juices and fruit juice concentrates.
Not included is the sugar naturally contained in whole fruit, vegetables and milk. An apple does not count against your limit, a glass of apple juice does in full. The difference: in whole fruit, the sugar comes packaged with fiber and water, fills you up better and enters your blood more slowly. Pressing destroys that structure.
How much free sugar is in common foods?
A few reference values show how quickly the daily limit is reached:
| Food | Free sugars |
|---|---|
| 1 glass of cola (250 ml) | approx. 26 to 27 g |
| 1 glass of orange juice (200 ml) | approx. 18 g |
| 1 cup of fruit yogurt (150 g) | approx. 12 to 18 g, depending on the product |
| 1 bar of milk chocolate (25 g) | approx. 13 to 14 g |
| 1 tbsp ketchup (20 g) | approx. 4 to 5 g |
The figures are averages and vary from product to product. In fruit yogurt, the sugar comes both from added sugar and from the fruit preparation. A single glass of cola already uses up the stricter 25 g target completely. With cola and energy drinks, the caffeine is worth a look too, and for that we have our caffeine calculator.
Where Germany stands
Germany also has an official reference point: the joint consensus paper of the German Nutrition Society (DGE), the German Obesity Society (DAG) and the German Diabetes Society likewise recommends limiting free sugars to a maximum of 10 percent of energy intake. Actual intake in Germany is above that on average, especially clearly among younger people. That is no reason for a guilty conscience, but a good occasion to get a rough sense of your own consumption. Sweets do not have to disappear; it already helps to know the biggest sugar sources, such as sweetened drinks, and to replace them more often.
Cooking with less sugar is easier with the right ideas: in our healthy recipes you will find dishes that get by without much added sugar. And if you would like professional support, the coach directory helps you find qualified nutrition coaches near you or online.