How Much Added Sugar Per Day Is Recommended?

The answer depends on who you ask. The American Heart Association (AHA) recommends an upper limit of about 6 teaspoons a day for most women and 9 for most men ^[4]. The World Health Organization (WHO) says less than 10% of daily calories, about 50 grams or 12 level teaspoons ^[3]. The FDA label uses 50 grams as its reference ^[2]. The newest US Dietary Guidelines say no amount of added sugars is recommended and name a limit of 10 grams per meal ^[1].

How much sugar per day is too much?

Several groups publish a number. They do not match. Part of the reason is that each one measures something a little different.

Added sugars (sugars put into food during processing or cooking) are the target in the Guidelines, the AHA and the FDA label. The WHO uses a related term, "free sugars," which also counts the sugar in honey, syrups and fruit juice ^[3]. Sugars found naturally in fruit and plain milk are not counted as added sugars ^[1][2].

What do the current Dietary Guidelines say?

The Dietary Guidelines for Americans are the federal government's food advice. The 2025-2030 edition is dated January 2026 ^[1].

It says that no amount of added sugars is recommended, and that one meal should contain no more than 10 grams of added sugars ^[1]. It also says to avoid sugar-sweetened beverages, such as sodas, fruit drinks and energy drinks ^[1].

This is a change in style from a single daily number. The FDA label page still describes the Guidelines as recommending that calories from added sugars stay under 10 percent of total calories per day. That works out to about 200 calories, or 50 grams, on a 2,000 calorie diet ^[2].

What do the guidelines say about added sugar for children?

The Guidelines say to avoid added sugars during infancy and early childhood. For ages 5 to 10, they say no amount of added sugars is recommended ^[1].

The AHA gave its own numbers in a 2016 scientific statement. It said children should consume 25 grams or less of added sugars per day (100 calories, about 6 teaspoons) ^[4]. It also said added sugars should be avoided for children under 2 ^[4]. The WHO says free sugars should be limited throughout life, and its page does not give a separate number for children ^[3].

Why do the numbers differ?

Three differences help explain the gap.

• Different units. The AHA counts calories, the WHO counts a share of calories, and the FDA label counts grams.
• Different sugars. The WHO writes about "free sugars." The Guidelines, the AHA and the FDA write about "added sugars."
• Different cut-off levels. The WHO calls 10% of calories its main limit, and says going to 5% or less may provide additional benefits ^[3]. The WHO's 5% level equals about 25 grams, or 6 teaspoons, for an adult in the normal weight range ^[4].

The FDA's 50 grams is a label reference. The FDA says it is based on a 2,000 calorie daily diet ^[2].

How do you read "Added Sugars" on a label?

The Nutrition Facts label lists added sugars in grams and as a percent of the Daily Value (%DV, the share of a day's reference amount in one serving) ^[2]. The word "Includes" before added sugars tells the reader that those grams are part of the total sugars figure ^[2].

The FDA gives an example. A yogurt label shows 15 grams of total sugar, of which 7 grams are added sugars and 8 grams occur naturally. Those 7 grams equal 14% of the Daily Value ^[2].

The FDA also says 5% DV or less is a low source of added sugars, and 20% DV or more is a high source ^[2].

The Dietary Guidelines add that added sugars can appear on ingredient lists under many names, including corn syrup, honey, molasses and fruit juice concentrate. They also say ingredients that include the word "sugar" or "syrup," or end in "-ose," point to added sugars ^[1].

How much added sugar do Americans actually eat?

The CDC reports data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), a federal survey of what people eat. In 2017 to 2018, the average person aged 20 or older took in 17 teaspoons of added sugars a day. Men averaged 19 teaspoons and women 15 ^[5].

For children and young adults aged 2 to 19, the average was also 17 teaspoons a day. Boys averaged 18 teaspoons and girls 15 ^[5].

A 2016 AHA statement reported that US children aged 2 to 19 consumed an average of 80 grams of added sugar a day, nearly 16% of their calories. These figures come from earlier years than the CDC numbers above ^[4].

The CDC's adult average of 17 teaspoons is higher than the AHA's 6 to 9 teaspoons for adults ^[4][5].

The bottom line

The sources give different numbers. The Dietary Guidelines say no amount of added sugars is recommended. The AHA gives about 6 to 9 teaspoons a day for adults. The WHO and FDA reference points sit near 50 grams ^[1][2][3][4]. The CDC reports that in 2017 to 2018 the average adult took in 17 teaspoons a day ^[5].