Sugar Intake Calculator

Enter daily calories and sugar sources to calculate added sugar, free sugars, and their share of energy.

Record one day of sugar sources

kcal

Must be above 0. Use the calorie value from your plan or record; this tool does not estimate energy needs.

Presets are editable examples. Prefer the current product label; do not automatically count sugars in whole fruit or milk as free sugars.

The 2,000 kcal and 50 g free-sugar example is loaded.

Calculated entirely in this browser; dietary inputs are not uploaded or automatically saved.

Result summaryAt 10%
Free sugars as daily energy10%50 g of free sugars at 4 kcal/g, compared with 2,000 kcal of daily energy.
Total free sugars
50 g
Added sugar within total
50 g
Energy from sugars
200 kcal
WHO free-sugars reference position
0%5%10%15%+

The result is exactly 10% of energy. WHO recommends less than 10%; 10% is not a quota to reach.

Main sourceSugary drink · 35 g

How to understand the sugar result

Free sugars are not total sugars

Free sugars include added sugars plus sugars in honey, syrups, fruit juices, and juice concentrates. Sugars naturally present in intact fruit, vegetables, and milk are generally outside the WHO definition.

5% and 10% are energy shares

The calculator multiplies free-sugar grams by 4 kcal/g and divides by daily energy. WHO recommends less than 10% and says below 5% may provide additional benefits.

Check the largest source first

The source list identifies the drink, dessert, or condiment contributing most. Verify its label value and actual servings before adjusting smaller sources.

How to use the sugar intake calculator

  1. Enter daily energy

    Use the kcal value from the day's plan or record; this tool does not estimate your calorie needs.

  2. Add each free-sugar source

    From labels or reliable data, enter its name, sugar type, grams per serving, and actual number of servings.

  3. Review the result and main source

    Check the energy share, added-sugar total, and largest source, then read the definitions, uncertainty, and scope.

Formula, example, and limits

Formula, units, and rounding
Source sugar (g) = sugar per serving (g) × servings; sugar energy (kcal) = free sugars (g) × 4; energy share = sugar energy ÷ daily energy × 100%
  • Added sugar totals only sources marked added; free sugars also include honey, syrup, and juice sources marked other free sugar.
  • Daily energy is 1–20,000 kcal; sugar is 0–500 g per serving; servings are 0–50; the maximum is 12 sources.
  • Full floating-point values are retained internally. Grams, kcal, and percentages are rounded only for display; thresholds use unrounded values.
  • Four kcal per gram is the usual energy conversion for dietary carbohydrate. WHO's 5% and 10% figures refer to free sugars as a share of total energy.
Example: 2,000 kcal and 50 g of free sugars

35 g from a sugary drink + 15 g from dessert = 50 g; 50 × 4 = 200 kcal; 200 ÷ 2,000 × 100% = 10%.

Limits, uncertainty, and disclaimer
  • A label may show total sugars without free sugars. Without ingredients and processing information, total sugars cannot reliably be treated entirely as added or free sugars.
  • Sugars naturally present in intact fruit, vegetables, and milk should not simply be counted as free sugars; juice, concentrates, honey, and syrups are within the definition.
  • Preset and database values change by brand, formulation, region, version, and serving size. Prefer the current label and record the data date.
  • The result is for general health management only. It does not diagnose diabetes, predict blood-glucose response, plan treatment, or replace advice from a registered dietitian or qualified clinician.
Privacy and local processing

The tool does not upload data, call a third-party runtime API, write cookies, URLs, or localStorage, or request camera, microphone, file-system, or clipboard access.

Method, data, and review date

World Health Organization: Guideline—Sugars intake for adults and children supports the free-sugars definition, the recommendation below 10% of energy, and the conditional benefit statement for reducing below 5%.

USDA FoodData Central can be used to look up food nutrient data; for a packaged product, prefer its current label and actual serving size.

Independent native JavaScript with no third-party calculation library. Presets are editable examples, not brand or database records.

Content and sources reviewed: 1 August 2026.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between added sugar and free sugars?

Added sugars are introduced during processing, cooking, or eating. WHO's free-sugars definition is broader and also includes sugars in honey, syrups, fruit juices, and concentrates. Added sugar therefore counts toward free sugars, but free sugars are not only added sugars.

Do natural sugars in fruit and milk count?

Sugars naturally present in intact fruit, vegetables, and milk are generally outside WHO's free-sugars definition. The tool does not automatically treat total sugars as free sugars; enter juice, concentrate, honey, and syrup as other free sugar.

What should I enter when a label shows only total sugars?

Do not assume all total sugars are added sugars. Look for an added-sugars line or ingredients; if the split is unknown, acknowledge the uncertainty and use more reliable brand or food-composition data with a recorded version date.

Are WHO's 5% and 10% figures a personal daily sugar limit?

They are public-health guidance for free sugars as a share of total energy, not the same prescription for every person. WHO recommends below 10% and says below 5% may provide additional benefits; individual needs require qualified advice.