Added Sugar Limit Calculator
The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend keeping added sugar below 10 percent of daily calories. This calculator converts that into grams and teaspoons at your calorie level and shows stricter heart-health reference numbers next to it.
How this is calculated
- Added sugar provides 4 kcal per gram, so 10 percent of calories divided by 4 gives the gram ceiling: 50 g at 2,000 kcal.
- One teaspoon of granulated sugar is about 4 g, so the 2,000 kcal ceiling is roughly 12 teaspoons a day.
- American Heart Association reference limits are 25 g a day for women and 36 g for men. Sugar naturally present in fruit and milk is not counted.
Read the guide
The content on this site is for general educational purposes and reflects widely published public health guidance. It is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always talk with a qualified healthcare provider before changing your diet, starting a supplement, or making a major dietary change, especially if you have a medical condition.