Understanding How Much Is 10% of Added Sugar?

October 26, 2025 •

4 min read

According to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, limiting added sugar to less than 10% of total daily calories can support overall health and weight management. While this guideline sets a clear, actionable goal, many people struggle to understand exactly what the recommended added sugar intake amounts to in practical terms.

Quick Summary

This guide clarifies the 10% daily limit for added sugar, explaining how to calculate your personalized gram target and recognize common sources of hidden sugar to make informed dietary choices.

Key Points

10% Guideline: Limiting added sugar to less than 10% of total daily calories, as recommended by health authorities like the FDA and WHO, is crucial for overall health and avoiding excess empty calories.
Daily Grams Calculation: For a standard 2,000-calorie diet, the 10% limit for added sugar equates to 50 grams, which is approximately 12 teaspoons.
Hidden Sources: Added sugars are not only in sweets but also frequently hidden in processed foods, including condiments, sauces, breakfast cereals, and flavored dairy products.
Reading Labels: Since 2021, U.S. nutrition labels list "Added Sugars" separately, making it easier to track your intake. A product with 20% or more of the Daily Value for added sugars is considered high.
Practical Reduction: Actionable steps to cut down on added sugar include drinking more water, choosing whole fruits over juice, cooking at home, and gradually reducing sugar added to drinks and food.
Long-Term Benefits: Reducing added sugar intake can lead to more stable energy levels, better weight management, and a lower risk of developing chronic health conditions.

The 10% Added Sugar Guideline Explained

The recommendation to limit added sugar intake to less than 10% of total daily calories is a cornerstone of modern nutritional guidance. This threshold is critical because added sugars provide a large number of 'empty calories' that offer little to no nutritional value. By consuming too many calories from added sugars, it becomes significantly more difficult to meet your body's nutritional needs without exceeding your daily calorie target. Health organizations, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), endorse this limit to help combat conditions like obesity, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease.

How to Calculate Your 10% Added Sugar Limit

The first step to controlling your intake is to determine your personal 10% limit based on your estimated daily calorie needs. This is a straightforward calculation:

Determine your daily calorie needs: This can vary widely based on age, sex, height, weight, and activity level. For general nutrition advice, a 2,000-calorie diet is often used as a benchmark.
Calculate 10% of your total calories: Multiply your total daily calories by 0.10. For a 2,000-calorie diet, this would be 200 calories (2000 x 0.10).
Convert calories to grams: Since there are 4 calories in every gram of sugar, divide your calorie total from step two by four. For a 2,000-calorie diet, 200 calories equates to 50 grams of added sugar (200 / 4).

What 10% Added Sugar Looks Like in Reality

To help visualize your daily limit, here are a few examples based on a 50-gram added sugar target:

One 16-ounce can of soda often contains over 50 grams of added sugar, instantly pushing you over the daily limit.
Two Snickers candy bars can contain around 50 grams of added sugar.
One large slice of frosted birthday cake can easily contain your entire daily added sugar allowance.
A single flavored yogurt can contain a significant portion of your daily limit, sometimes as much as 15-20 grams of added sugar.

Hidden Sources of Added Sugar

Added sugars are not just in obvious sweets and desserts. They are surprisingly common in many processed foods, including those you might consider savory or healthy. Being aware of these hidden sources is key to staying within your limit.

Condiments and Sauces: Ketchup, barbecue sauce, salad dressings, and marinades often contain high amounts of added sugar.
Breakfast Cereals and Granola Bars: Many brands, even those marketed as healthy, are loaded with sugar to enhance flavor.
Flavored Yogurts and Milks: Chocolate milk and fruit-flavored yogurts contain far more added sugar than their plain counterparts.
Bread: Added sugar is often used in commercially produced bread to feed the yeast and improve flavor and texture.
Packaged Snacks: Crackers, fruit snacks, and even some pretzels can contain added sugars.

How to Read Nutrition Labels for Added Sugars

Since 2021, FDA regulations require "Added Sugars" to be listed separately on the Nutrition Facts label, making it easier to track your intake.

Check the "Added Sugars" line: This line, located under "Total Sugars," explicitly states how many grams of added sugar are in a single serving.
Understand the % Daily Value (%DV): The %DV for added sugar is based on the 50-gram daily limit for a 2,000-calorie diet. A food with 5% DV or less is considered low in added sugars, while 20% DV or more is considered high.
Check the ingredients list: Sugar has many aliases, including corn syrup, high-fructose corn syrup, cane sugar, dextrose, and agave nectar. The higher up the list these ingredients appear, the greater their quantity in the product.

Comparison: High vs. Low Added Sugar Day


Meal	High Added Sugar Example	Added Sugar (approx.)	Low Added Sugar Example	Added Sugar (approx.)
Breakfast	A bowl of sweetened cereal with flavored milk	18g	Plain oatmeal with fresh berries and nuts	0g
Morning Snack	Fruit yogurt	15g	Plain yogurt with cinnamon	0g
Lunch	Sandwich with barbecue sauce and a soda	40g	Turkey and avocado lettuce wrap	0g
Afternoon Snack	Granola bar	12g	A handful of almonds	0g
Dinner	Sweet and sour chicken with a side of white rice	20g	Baked salmon with roasted vegetables	0g
Dessert	Chocolate cake	25g	Fresh fruit salad	0g
Total	~130g	~0g	~0g

This comparison table illustrates how easily added sugar can accumulate throughout the day, often without realizing it. The low-sugar day focuses on whole foods that naturally contain beneficial nutrients like fiber, which can help moderate blood sugar levels.

Practical Tips for Reducing Added Sugar Intake

Rethink Your Drinks: Swap sugary beverages like soda, sweetened teas, and fruit juice for water, sparkling water, or unsweetened tea or coffee.
Embrace Whole Foods: Choose whole fruits instead of juice, and snack on vegetables, nuts, and seeds instead of processed snacks.
Cook at Home More: When you prepare your own food, you have complete control over the ingredients, including how much (if any) sugar is added.
Transition Gradually: If you currently add sugar to coffee or cereal, slowly reduce the amount over a few weeks. Your taste buds will adjust.
Read Labels Carefully: Make a habit of checking the "Added Sugars" line and the ingredients list on all packaged foods before purchasing.

Conclusion: Taking Control of Your Sugar Consumption

Understanding how much is 10% of added sugar is the first step toward reclaiming control over your diet. For the average person on a 2,000-calorie diet, this translates to 50 grams, or about 12 teaspoons, of sugar per day. By learning to identify hidden sugar sources, reading nutrition labels effectively, and making simple swaps, you can significantly reduce your intake of empty calories. The long-term reward is better health, more stable energy levels, and a reduced risk of serious diseases. Knowledge and awareness are your most powerful tools for making healthier, more mindful dietary choices every day.

For more in-depth information on nutrition labels, you can visit the official FDA website.

Frequently Asked Questions

'Total Sugars' includes both naturally occurring sugars (like in fruit and milk) and added sugars. 'Added Sugars' specifically refers to sugars and syrups added during processing, not the natural sugars in the food itself.

First, determine your daily calorie needs. Next, multiply that number by 0.10 to get your calorie limit for added sugar. Finally, divide that calorie amount by 4 (since sugar has 4 calories per gram) to get your daily added sugar limit in grams.

Added sugars have many names, including cane sugar, high-fructose corn syrup, dextrose, sucrose, agave nectar, maltose, and fruit juice concentrates.

Yes, for added sugars, it is better to aim for a low %DV. A %DV of 5% or less is considered low, while 20% or more is considered high. The goal is to choose foods that are lower in added sugars more often.

For children under two years old, the recommendation is to avoid added sugars entirely. For children over two, the less than 10% guideline applies, but the gram amount will be lower based on their lower calorie needs.

While diet drinks contain less or no sugar, water is generally the best alternative. Sugary drinks of any kind, whether regular or diet, do not offer nutritional benefits and should be limited as part of a healthy diet.

When baking, you can often reduce the specified amount of sugar by a third without losing flavor. Using spices like cinnamon or nutmeg and extracts like vanilla or almond can also enhance flavor without adding sugar.