Sugars
Simple carbohydrates — natural and added.
What is Sugars?
Sugars are the simplest carbohydrates, including glucose, fructose, sucrose and lactose. They occur naturally in fruit (fructose) and dairy (lactose), and are also added to many processed foods and drinks. All sugars provide 4 calories per gram.
Health benefits of Sugars
- Provide quick, readily available energy
- Naturally occurring sugars come packaged with fiber, water and nutrients in whole foods
Top food sources of Sugars
See full rankingNaturally in fruit and milk; added to soft drinks, sweets, baked goods, sauces and many processed foods. Values shown per 100 g.
Sugars, granulated
99.8 g
Sugar, turbinado
99.2 g
Sugars, powdered
97.8 g
Whiskey sour mix, powder
97.3 g
Lemonade-flavor drink, powder
97.2 g
Sugars, brown
97.0 g
Strawberry-flavor beverage mix, powder
95.5 g
Tea, instant, sweetened with sugar, lemon-flavored, without added ascorbic acid, powder, decaffeinated
95.3 g
Tea, instant, sweetened with sugar, lemon-flavored, without added ascorbic acid, powder
95.3 g
Lemonade, powder
94.7 g
Candies, hard, dietetic or low calorie (sorbitol)
93.0 g
Puddings, vanilla, dry mix, instant
92.9 g
How much Sugars do you need?
There is no Daily Value for total sugars; the added-sugar Daily Value is 50 g. Favor the naturally occurring sugars in whole fruit and dairy over added sugars.
Sugars deficiency
There is no dietary requirement for added sugar. The concern is the opposite — getting too much.
Can you have too much Sugars?
Diets high in added sugar are linked to weight gain, tooth decay, and increased risk of type 2 diabetes and heart disease. Health authorities suggest keeping added sugars under about 10% of daily calories (roughly 50 g, the FDA Daily Value for added sugar).
Nutrition data per 100 g from the USDA & FooDB databases. Daily Values follow the FDA 2016+ labeling standard for a 2,000-calorie diet. This guide is for general information and is not medical advice.
Related nutrients
Frequently asked questions
What does Sugars do?
Sugars are the simplest carbohydrates, including glucose, fructose, sucrose and lactose. They occur naturally in fruit (fructose) and dairy (lactose), and are also added to many processed foods and drinks. All sugars provide 4 calories per gram.
How much Sugars do I need per day?
There is no Daily Value for total sugars; the added-sugar Daily Value is 50 g. Favor the naturally occurring sugars in whole fruit and dairy over added sugars.
Which foods are highest in Sugars?
Per 100 g, some of the richest sources are Sugars, granulated, Sugar, turbinado, Sugars, powdered, Whiskey sour mix, powder, Lemonade-flavor drink, powder.
What happens if I don't get enough Sugars?
There is no dietary requirement for added sugar. The concern is the opposite — getting too much.
Can you have too much Sugars?
Diets high in added sugar are linked to weight gain, tooth decay, and increased risk of type 2 diabetes and heart disease. Health authorities suggest keeping added sugars under about 10% of daily calories (roughly 50 g, the FDA Daily Value for added sugar).