It’s hard to picture a diet without sugar , whether in sweets or hidden in everyday foods. But how much is too much sugar? According to the German Nutrition Society (DGE), no more than 10% of our daily energy intake should come from sugar. For someone with a 2,000-calorie diet, that translates to about 50 grams of sugar a day.
Fifty grams might not sound like much, but consider this: half a litre of cola or 100 grams of gummy bears already hit that limit. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends keeping sugar intake to 50 grams or less, ideally under 25 grams daily. That's roughly equivalent to a single fruit yoghurt or a small chocolate bar.
Yet many of us exceed that amount—on average, adults consume around 90 grams of sugar per day, almost double or quadruple the recommended levels. A significant portion of this comes from hidden sources. Sugar is not just in sweets, cakes, and soda; it’s in many processed foods , often disguised under different names, making it harder to spot in ingredient lists.
Hidden sugar Sugar is often labelled under a variety of names, which makes it challenging to recognise. Common terms include: In summary, anything ending in "-ose," as well as syrups and sweeteners, are clear indicators of sugar. 5 signs that you are eating too much sugar How do you know if your sugar intake is getting out of hand? We asked Dr Lela Ahlemann, a specialist in dermatology and nutritional medicine, to break down the key warning signs that signal it’s ti.