Data Source & Methodology
- WHO Guideline (2015): “Guideline: Sugars intake for adults and children.” Recommends free sugars <10% of energy; conditional <5% (~25 g/day at 2000 kcal). Official WHO publication. Tutti i calcoli si basano rigorosamente sulle formule e sui dati forniti da questa fonte.
- FDA % Daily Value for Added Sugars: Nutrition Facts uses 50 g/day reference on a 2,000 kcal diet. See FDA Food Labeling regulations and guidance. FDA Added Sugars.
- Glucose Conversion: Standard factor 18.0182 between mg/dL and mmol/L for glucose (molecular weight basis). Commonly used by ADA and clinical references.
The Formula Explained
Daily added sugar total:
\\[ G_{\\text{total}} = \\sum_i s_i \\cdot g_i \\]
\\(s_i\\): servings of item \\(i\\); \\(g_i\\): grams of sugar per serving.
Teaspoons (4 g per tsp default): \\[ \\text{tsp} = \\frac{G_{\\text{total}}}{g_{\\text{tsp}}} \\]
Calories (4 kcal per gram): \\[ \\text{kcal} = 4 \\cdot G_{\\text{total}} \\]
WHO energy thresholds for a baseline \\(E\\) kcal/day:
10% limit (grams): \\[ G_{10\\%} = \\frac{0.10\\,E}{4} \\quad ; \\quad 5\\% \\text{ (grams)}: \\; G_{5\\%} = \\frac{0.05\\,E}{4} \\]
FDA %DV (50 g/day): \\[ \\%\\text{DV} = 100\\times \\frac{G_{\\text{total}}}{50} \\]
Glucose unit conversion:
\\[ \\mathrm{mmol/L} = \\frac{\\mathrm{mg/dL}}{18.0182} \\quad ; \\quad \\mathrm{mg/dL} = 18.0182\\times \\mathrm{mmol/L} \\]
Glossary of Variables
| Symbol / Field | Meaning |
|---|---|
si | Servings of item i consumed today |
gi | Grams of sugar per serving for item i |
G_total | Total added sugar (g) for the day |
g_tsp | Grams per teaspoon (default 4 g) |
E | Daily energy baseline (kcal) |
G_10%, G_5% | WHO thresholds at 10% and 5% of energy |
Come Funziona: Un Esempio Passo-Passo
Scenario: 1 can of soda (330 mL, 10.6 g/100 mL) and 1 yogurt (1 serving × 12 g).
- Soda sugar: \\( 330\\,\\text{mL} \\times 10.6/100 = 34.98\\,\\text{g} \\approx 35.0\\,\\text{g} \\)
- Yogurt sugar: \\( 1\\times 12 = 12\\,\\text{g} \\)
- Total: \\( G_{\\text{total}} = 35.0 + 12 = 47.0\\,\\text{g} \\)
- Teaspoons (4 g/tsp): \\( 47/4 = 11.75\\,\\text{tsp} \\)
- Calories: \\( 4\\times 47 = 188\\,\\text{kcal} \\)
- Against limits for 2000 kcal: \\( G_{10\\%}=50\\,\\text{g},\\; G_{5\\%}=25\\,\\text{g} \\Rightarrow 94\\% \\text{ of FDA DV},\\; 188\\% \\text{ of WHO 5%}. \\)
Frequently Asked Questions
Is “free sugar” the same as “added sugar”?
Free sugars include added sugars plus sugars naturally present in honey, syrups, and fruit juices. Many labels report “added sugars,” which largely overlap but are not identical to “free sugars.”
Does this calculator cover intrinsic sugars from whole fruit?
We focus on added/free sugars for limit comparisons. Whole fruit intrinsic sugars are generally not counted toward WHO “free sugar” thresholds.
Is 4 g per teaspoon always correct?
Nutrition references commonly use 4 g; some culinary sources use ≈4.2 g. You can switch between both.
Are the results medical advice?
No. This tool provides educational estimates. For diagnostics or treatment decisions, consult a qualified health professional.
What about A1C?
This tool only converts glucose units. A1C/eAG relationships (e.g., Nathan et al.) are approximate and should be interpreted by clinicians in context.
Why compare to both WHO and FDA?
WHO gives intake recommendations (10% and conditional 5% of energy). FDA’s 50 g/day is a labeling reference used for %DV in the U.S. market.
Formula (LaTeX) + variables + units
G_{\\text{total}} = \\sum_i s_i \\cdot g_i \
\\text{tsp} = \\frac{G_{\\text{total}}}{g_{\\text{tsp}}} \
\\text{kcal} = 4 \\cdot G_{\\text{total}} \
G_{10\\%} = \\frac{0.10\\,E}{4} \\quad ; \\quad 5\\% \\text{ (grams)}: \\; G_{5\\%} = \\frac{0.05\\,E}{4} \
\\%\\text{DV} = 100\\times \\frac{G_{\\text{total}}}{50} \
\\mathrm{mmol/L} = \\frac{\\mathrm{mg/dL}}{18.0182} \\quad ; \\quad \\mathrm{mg/dL} = 18.0182\\times \\mathrm{mmol/L} \
Daily added sugar total: \\[ G_{\\text{total}} = \\sum_i s_i \\cdot g_i \\] \\(s_i\\): servings of item \\(i\\); \\(g_i\\): grams of sugar per serving. Teaspoons (4 g per tsp default): \\[ \\text{tsp} = \\frac{G_{\\text{total}}}{g_{\\text{tsp}}} \\] Calories (4 kcal per gram): \\[ \\text{kcal} = 4 \\cdot G_{\\text{total}} \\] WHO energy thresholds for a baseline \\(E\\) kcal/day: 10% limit (grams): \\[ G_{10\\%} = \\frac{0.10\\,E}{4} \\quad ; \\quad 5\\% \\text{ (grams)}: \\; G_{5\\%} = \\frac{0.05\\,E}{4} \\] FDA %DV (50 g/day): \\[ \\%\\text{DV} = 100\\times \\frac{G_{\\text{total}}}{50} \\] Glucose unit conversion: \\[ \\mathrm{mmol/L} = \\frac{\\mathrm{mg/dL}}{18.0182} \\quad ; \\quad \\mathrm{mg/dL} = 18.0182\\times \\mathrm{mmol/L} \\]
- No variables provided in audit spec.
- Official WHO publication — who.int · Accessed 2026-01-19
https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789241549028 - Home — calcdomain.com · Accessed 2026-01-19
https://calcdomain.com/ - Health & Fitness — calcdomain.com · Accessed 2026-01-19
https://calcdomain.com/health-fitness - Diet & Nutrition — calcdomain.com · Accessed 2026-01-19
https://calcdomain.com/subcategories/diet-nutrition - FDA Added Sugars — fda.gov · Accessed 2026-01-19
https://www.fda.gov/food/nutrition-facts-label/added-sugars-nutrition-facts-label
Last code update: 2026-01-19
- Initial audit spec draft generated from HTML extraction (review required).
- Verify formulas match the calculator engine and convert any text-only formulas to LaTeX.
- Confirm sources are authoritative and relevant to the calculator methodology.