Added sugar: how much the WHO recommends and where it hides

Sugar is not poison. Our body uses glucose as a source of energy, and fruit, milk or honey have always been part of human food. The problem arises when the amount of sugar added to our foods rises sharply, often without our realising it.

What the WHO recommends

In 2015 the World Health Organization published a guideline on "free sugars". These are sugars added to foods and drinks by the manufacturer, cook or consumer, as well as sugars naturally present in honey, syrups and fruit juices. Sugar within whole fruit and in milk is not included.

• The WHO recommends that free sugars make up less than 10 per cent of daily energy. For an adult eating about 2,000 calories a day, that is about 50 grams, or about 12 teaspoons.
• A further reduction to below 5 per cent, about 25 grams or 6 teaspoons, is suggested as an additional benefit.

The recommendation was based mainly on evidence for the link between free sugars and body weight in adults and children, and on tooth decay.

Where sugar hides

• Drinks: fizzy drinks, packaged juices, iced teas and energy drinks are among the main sources.
• "Healthy" products: fruit yoghurt, breakfast cereals and granola bars can contain a lot of sugar.
• Sauces: ketchup, salad dressings, some ready-made sauces.
• Industrial bread and biscuits, even when they do not seem sweet.

There is no need to forbid Sunday's dessert. There is a need to notice the sugar that comes in every day uninvited.

How to cut down without feeling it as a sacrifice

1. Start with drinks. Replace sweet drinks with water, water with lemon or unsweetened tea. This is the change with the biggest effect.
2. Read the labels. In the nutrition table, look for "of which sugars". 4 grams is about one teaspoon.
3. Reduce gradually the sugar in coffee or tea. Taste adapts within a few weeks.
4. Choose plain yoghurt and add fresh fruit yourself.
5. Eat whole fruit instead of juice. Fibre slows the absorption of sugar and fills you up more.

The aim is not to ban sweets completely. A piece of cake at a family celebration or baklava for Eid does not ruin your health. The problem is the hidden sugar consumed every day without noticing, in drinks, sauces and packaged foods. When you cut that down, your taste changes and the occasional treat is enjoyed even more.