Track daily added sugar intake.
Sugar-sweetened drinks dominate added sugar intake because they are consumed by volume rather than by portion — a single 500 ml bottle at typical cola strength carries about 53 g, already double the WHO's stricter daily guideline. Converting grams to teaspoons at 4.2 g per level teaspoon makes the figure intuitive, and the calorie line shows what the same sugar contributes to energy intake.
Added sugar load
Drink sugar g = ml / 100 x g per 100 ml; total added = drink sugar + snack sugar; teaspoons = total / 4.2
These figures are population-average estimates for general planning only and are not medical or dietetic advice. Individual energy and nutrient needs vary widely with body composition, activity, medication and health status. Consult a qualified health professional or registered dietitian before making significant changes to what you eat, and especially if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, are under 18, or have a medical condition or a history of disordered eating.
The WHO recommends added sugar below 10 percent of energy with a conditional further recommendation of 5 percent — about 50 g and 25 g respectively on a 2000 kcal diet. US guidelines use 10 percent of calories.
Not as added sugar. Sugar intrinsic to whole fruit, vegetables and milk is excluded from added-sugar targets. Fruit juice and smoothies are counted, because removing the fiber matrix makes their sugar behave like added sugar.
Roughly 10.6 g per 100 ml for classic cola, 9-11 g for most fizzy drinks and energy drinks, 8-10 g for fruit juice and 4-6 g for a flavoured milk or sweetened iced tea.