Sugar Intake Calculator

Updated: Apr 10, 2024

Excessive sugar consumption is directly linked to health risks, including weight gain and heart disease. The American Heart Association's journal, 'Circulation'*, cites a clear link between added sugars and a higher risk of cardiovascular issues.

Limiting sugar is extremely important for weight loss as it reduces calorie intake and lowers fat accumulation from nutrient-poor foods. Those maintaining weight also need to monitor sugar to avoid unintended gain from caloric surplus.

 
 
Sedentary (little or no exercise)
Lightly active (exercise 1-3 days/week)
Moderately active (exercise 3-5 days/week)
Very active (exercise 6-7 days/week)
  
Please input the missing values.

Please do the calculation above first.

Sugar only gives you calories and no other good nutrients. To make your diet healthier and not eat too many calories, it's important to not let sugary foods take the place of foods that are good for you or make you eat more calories than you need.

Why this much?

The American Heart Association's recommendation for limiting added sugars to no more than 5% calories per day for women and 7% calories per day for men is based on the concept of discretionary calories.

World Health Organization's on the other side, recommends less than 10% of total energy intake from free sugars but ideally less than 5% of total energy intake for additional health benefits.

How We Calculated Your Sugar Intake?

We've calculated your Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE) based on your personal details like gender, height, weight, and activity level. This number is essential because it tells us how many calories you need daily to maintain your current weight, whether you are super active or not so much.

Here's the easy part: once we have your TDEE, we use it to figure out your ideal daily sugar intake. We stick to recommendations from reliable sources like the American Heart Association (AHA) and the World Health Organization (WHO) for this.

So, if your TDEE is around 2000 calories, a woman should aim for no more than 100 calories from sugar (that's roughly 25 grams or 6 teaspoons). A man can go up to about 140 calories from sugar (around 35 grams or 8.75 teaspoons).

What Happens When You Quit Sugar?

When you give up sugar for a short period of time, the impact on your body is quite significant. If you manage to do it for a couple of days you can surely do it for longer. Here are some things you can expect:

  • Weight loss is almost guaranteed as you will skip on empty calories.
  • Eye, brain, artery, and kidney health could improve.
  • You might find yourself getting up less at night to use the bathroom.
  • Expect a boost in your energy levels.
  • Hunger between meals could become less frequent.
  • You may notice a decrease in joint stiffness, pain, and inflammation.
  • Your skin could clear up, looking healthier.
  • Better regulation of insulin and blood sugar levels is possible.

Try it for two weeks and let us know what you noticed. Try to replace these donuts with some fruit. Do it for yourself.

Sugar intake calculatorImage source: unsplash.com

No sugar for weight loss:

  • For Women: The average daily caloric intake for women generally ranges from 1,800 to 2,400 calories per day.
  • For Men: Similarly, for men, the average daily caloric intake ranges from 2,200 to 3,000 calories per day.

Now, imagine if you eliminated the calories from sugar. You might not believe how many calories you consume from sugars alone.

  • Average soda can: About 150 calories from sugar.
  • Typical chocolate bar: Roughly 200-300 calories, mostly from sugar.
  • Store-bought iced tea: Approximately 90 calories from sugar.
  • A serving of flavored yogurt: Around 80 calories from sugar.
  • One scoop of ice cream: Could be 100 or more calories from sugar.

Two Weeks Weight Loss: Two pounds!

If you consume these kinds of sugary items daily, you could be ingesting an extra 500 to 700 calories or more per day. By eliminating these sugary foods and drinks, you can create a substantial calorie deficit. Since one pound of fat is equivalent to about 3,500 calories, cutting out these sugars could lead to a loss of about one pound per week, provided your other eating habits and physical activity levels remain the same.

Sugars are not just in sweets; they're also hidden in many processed foods like sauces, bread, and even salad dressings. So, make sure to read food labels.

References: