Three different terms
Total sugars include the sugars present in a product. Added sugars are incorporated during manufacture or preparation. WHO’s definition of free sugars also includes sugars in honey, syrups and juice. Sugars contained within the structure of whole fruit are not treated in the same way.
Understanding the percentage
WHO recommends keeping free sugars below 10% of total energy; below 5% may offer additional benefits. As an illustration, 10% of 2,000 kcal is 200 kcal, about 50 g sugar. This is an example of a limit, not a target to reach or a personalised calorie prescription.
A supermarket example
Compare a fruit-flavoured drink with water and whole fruit as alternatives for a break. Read both the ingredients and nutrition information: “no added sugar” on juice does not cancel the sugars already there. The purpose is an informed choice, not attaching guilt to a single drink.
Start with repeated habits
If you often sweeten drinks or yogurt, try a gradual reduction you find acceptable. Reducing free sugars does not require removing fruit or all carbohydrates. Put one sustainable change on your shopping list, and after a week check whether it fits your routine rather than imposing many restrictions at once.
