What this calculator works out
This calculator compares your daily free sugars intake against a target, showing the difference per day and across a period.
The term that matters is free sugars. UK guidance is that adults should have no more than 30 g a day — and that figure applies to a specific category of sugars, not to everything sweet.
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Before you compare
- Free sugars means sugars added to food, plus those naturally present in honey, syrups, fruit juice and smoothies.
- Sugars in whole fruit, vegetables and milk are not free sugars and are not counted against the target.
- The UK adult maximum is 30 g a day, about seven teaspoons. Children need less: 24 g for ages 7 to 10 and 19 g for ages 4 to 6.
- Food labels give total sugars, not free sugars, so a label figure will overstate the number for products containing fruit or milk.
Nutrition labels report total sugars, which includes the naturally occurring sugars in milk and fruit. A fruit yoghurt showing 15 g of sugar may contain considerably less free sugar than that. This is the single most common source of confusion when comparing intake against the 30 g target.
How this calculator works
A comparison expressed three ways:
Share of target = intake ÷ target × 100
Per day = intake − target
Over the period = (intake − target) × days
4 g of sugar is roughly one teaspoonThe target is editable so you can use the figure appropriate to a child's age. The 30 g adult figure comes from the recommendation that free sugars should provide no more than 5% of total energy intake.
Worked example: 45 g against a 30 g target
Using the default figures — 45 g a day against a 30 g target, over 7 days:
- Share of target: 150%
- Per day: 15 g above
- Over 7 days: 105 g above
Fifteen grams is under four teaspoons, and a single 330 ml can of regular cola contains roughly 35 g on its own — more than the entire daily target. That is worth knowing before restructuring meals: for many people the excess is concentrated in drinks, and changing what is in the glass moves the figure further than changing what is on the plate.
Common mistakes
- Using the total sugars figure from the label. It includes sugars that do not count towards the target.
- Assuming fruit juice is exempt. Juicing releases the sugars, so they count as free sugars.
- Treating honey and syrups as healthier alternatives. They count in full.
- Ignoring drinks. They frequently contribute more than food.
- Using adult targets for children. The recommendations are substantially lower.
Frequently asked questions
What exactly counts as free sugars?
Sugars added to food or drink by a manufacturer, cook or consumer, plus sugars naturally present in honey, syrups, unsweetened fruit juice, vegetable juice and smoothies. Sugars in whole fruit and vegetables, and lactose in milk and plain dairy, are not free sugars. The distinction exists because the sugars in intact foods come packaged with fibre and are absorbed more slowly.
Are sweeteners a good substitute?
They reduce free sugars and calories, and approved sweeteners are assessed as safe at typical intakes. Whether swapping is right for you depends on what you are trying to achieve; NHS guidance treats sugar-free drinks as a reasonable step towards reducing free sugars, with water remaining the best default.
Is fruit bad because of the sugar?
No. The sugars in whole fruit are not free sugars and come with fibre, water and micronutrients. UK guidance recommends five portions of fruit and vegetables a day, and no upper limit on whole fruit applies for that reason. Juice and smoothies are treated differently, and are limited to 150 ml a day counting as one portion.
What about sugar in savoury food?
It is easy to miss and adds up. Sauces, marinades, bread, soups and ready meals frequently contain added sugar, and none of them taste sweet enough to prompt a check. If your intake is higher than you expected, savoury products are often where the difference sits.
Is what I enter stored?
No. Intake figures are processed in your browser and never transmitted or retained. If thinking about food or eating is causing you distress, tracking intake against a target may make that harder rather than easier. Beat, the UK eating disorder charity, runs a free helpline and online support, and a GP can refer you to specialist services.
Related tools
References
- NHS — free sugars guidance, recommended maximums and label reading
- GOV.UK — Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition report on carbohydrates and health
Sources are checked at publication and can change — how I choose and check references.