The World Health Organization recently released new draft guidelines that reduce the recommended free sugar intake from less than 10 percent to half of that, five percent of total energy intake consumed. The update comes after WHO analyzed all published scientific studies on sugar consumption, weight gain and tooth decay.
“The suggested limits on intake of sugars in the draft guideline apply to all monosaccharides (such as glucose, fructose) and disaccharides (such as sucrose or table sugar) that are added to food by the manufacturer, the cook or the consumer, as well as sugars that are naturally present in honey, syrups, fruit juices and fruit concentrates,” the new proposal states.
The currently recommended by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s Daily Values for adults and children age 4 and older is 300 grams of total carbohydrates. At 5 grams per teaspoon, that’s 60 teaspoons a day. That’s the sugar you spoon, sprinkle, eat, taste and don’t taste; see and don’t see.
Public comments will be taken through by WHO through the end of the month before making its final recommendations. For more information, visit http://www.who.int/nutrition/sugars_public_consultation/en/.