Sugar intake calculator
Free sugars are the ones added to food and drinks, plus honey, syrups and juice. Adults should have no more than 30 g a day, about seven teaspoons. Here is how a day adds up.
Your details
Use free sugars where you can. The "of which sugars" line on labels also includes sugar from milk and whole fruit.
Free sugars so far
28 g
93% of the 30 g limit
- Food or drink 16.0 g
- Food or drink 210 g
- Food or drink 312 g
- Limit for age 4030 g (7.5 teaspoons)
- Label check: total sugars per 100 ggreen (low)
- Left for today2.0 g
Free sugars are those added to food plus the sugar in honey, syrups, juice and smoothies. Sugar inside whole fruit and plain milk does not count. Labels show total sugars, which include milk and fruit sugars, so a yoghurt or fruit snack can show amber or red while adding few free sugars.
The working
Grams, then teaspoons
We add your amounts and compare them with the UK maximum for free sugars: 30 g from age 11, 24 g for 7 to 10 and 19 g for 4 to 6. Under 4s should avoid sugar sweetened drinks and food with added sugar. A teaspoon of sugar is about 4 g.
The example day is 6 + 10 + 12 = 28 g, about 7 teaspoons, or 93% of the adult maximum.
Reading one label
Green, amber or red
| Total sugars | Green (low) | Amber | Red (high) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Food, per 100 g | 5 g or less | over 5 to 22.5 g | over 22.5 g |
| Drink, per 100 ml | 2.5 g or less | over 2.5 to 11.25 g | over 11.25 g |
A drink portion over 150 ml also goes red with more than 13.5 g of sugars. A 330 ml can of cola at 10.6 g per 100 ml is amber per 100 ml, but the can holds 35 g, about 8.7 teaspoons, so it shows red. Labels give total sugars, including milk and fruit sugars, so use them as a guide alongside the free sugars count above.
Where it hides
Common sources
| Food or drink | Free sugars, roughly |
|---|---|
| 330 ml can of cola | 35 g |
| 150 ml glass of orange juice | 13 g |
| Chocolate bar (45 g) | 23 g |
| Flavoured yogurt pot | 8 to 12 g |
| Tablespoon of ketchup | 4 g |
| Bowl of sugary cereal | 10 g |
Tips
Cutting down without missing out
- Halve the sugar in tea, then halve it again a few weeks later
- Swap sugary drinks for sugar free versions or water with fruit
- Choose plain yogurt and add berries
- Keep the treat you really love and drop the ones you barely notice
Read with care
What this cannot tell you
- Total sugarsLabels lump free and natural sugars together, so we cannot split them for you.
- DiabetesPeople with diabetes may need tailored carbohydrate advice.
- SweetenersThese are not counted.
Questions
Common questions
How much sugar can I have a day?
No more than 30 g of free sugars for adults and children from 11. That is about seven sugar cubes.
Does fruit sugar count?
Sugar inside whole fruit does not count as free sugar. Juice and smoothies do, because the sugar is released.
Is honey healthier than sugar?
Not really. Honey counts as free sugar, just like table sugar.
Sources
- NHS: sugar, the facts
- SACN: carbohydrates and health 2015
- Department of Health: front of pack nutrition labelling guidance
- NHS Healthier Families: sugar
Last checked 21 October 2026. Spotted something wrong? Tell us and we will fix it.
If food feels hard
If eating, weight or food is on your mind a lot, you are not alone. Your GP can help, and Beat has a free helpline on 0808 801 0677 (England, weekdays 3pm to 8pm).
Related
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