NutriBasesNutrition Intelligence

Nutrients

Total Sugars

Simple carbohydrates, natural and added. Added sugar is best limited (~50 g).

Richest source in our database: Sugars, Granulated (99.8 g per 100 g).

Daily Value (DV) 50 g
Unit g per 100 g
Guidance Intake of this component is usually best kept moderate.

Understanding total sugars

What it does

Total sugars include both the natural sugars in foods like fruit and milk and the added sugars mixed into processed foods and drinks. Sugar is a quick source of energy, but added sugars supply calories with few other nutrients. Nutrition labels now list added sugars separately so they are easier to spot.

When intake runs high

There is no dietary requirement for added sugar, and most Americans consume too much, averaging about 17 teaspoons, roughly 270 calories, a day. High added-sugar intake, especially from sugary drinks, is linked to weight gain, type 2 diabetes and dental cavities. Sugar-sweetened beverages are the single largest source in the U.S. diet.

Absorption & pairing

Naturally occurring sugars in whole fruit and milk arrive packaged with fiber, protein and other nutrients that slow their absorption, whereas the sugar in soda reaches the bloodstream quickly. Pairing sweet foods with protein or fat blunts the blood-sugar spike.

Food-first strategy

Keep added sugars under the roughly 50-gram Daily Value by cutting back on sugary drinks, desserts and sweetened snacks, and let whole fruit satisfy a sweet tooth. The American Heart Association suggests tighter limits of about 25 grams for women and 36 grams for men. Reading the added-sugars line on labels makes products easy to compare.

Sugar-sweetened beverages are the top source of added sugars in the American diet. Since 2020, U.S. Nutrition Facts labels list added sugars on their own separate line. The sugar in whole fruit comes bundled with fiber, water and vitamins, unlike the sugar in soda.

Foods highest in total sugars

Full ranking

Values per 100 g of edible portion, sorted high to low. The bar shows the share of the Daily Value.

  1. Sugars, Granulated99.8 g200%
  2. Sugars, Granulated99.8 g200%
  3. Sugars, Granulated99.8 g200%
  4. Sugar, Turbinado99.2 g198%
  5. Sugars, Powdered97.8 g196%
  6. Beverages, Whiskey Sour Mix97.3 g195%
  7. Beverages, Lemonade-Flavor Drink97.2 g194%
  8. Sugars, Brown97 g194%
  9. Strawberry-Flavor Beverage Mix, Powder95.5 g191%
  10. Beverages, Tea95.3 g191%
  11. Beverages, Tea95.3 g191%
  12. Beverages, Lemonade94.7 g189%

See also

Foods highest in total sugars Foods lowest in total sugars Meat & Poultry Lowest in Total Sugars Fish & Seafood Lowest in Total Sugars Eggs & Dairy Lowest in Total Sugars All nutrients

Note. This information is provided for general reference only and is not medical advice or a diet prescription. If you have a medical condition or special dietary needs, consult a physician or a registered dietitian.