HealthInfo Piki Te Ora Southern
How to cut down on sugar
Me pēhea e whakawhāiti i te kai huka
This page has links to information in te reo Māori.
A little sugar is okay but many of us are having way more than we need.
On average, Kiwi adults have 10½ to 14 teaspoons of sugar a day. This is double the recommended amount.
Most of this sugar comes from packaged everyday foods and drinks.
There are two types of sugar in food – intrinsic sugars and free sugars.
Intrinsic sugars are found naturally in whole fruit, vegetables and milk.
Free sugars are:
- added to food and drinks
- naturally present in honey, syrups (golden syrup and maple syrup), unsweetened fruit juices and fruit concentrates.
Sugar and health
Eating or drinking too many free sugars can lead to health problems. For example, high blood pressure, inflammation, weight gain, diabetes and fatty liver disease. These problems can increase your risk of having a heart attack and stroke. Too much sugar can also cause tooth decay.
Foods high in free sugars provide lots of calories (energy) but little nutritional value.
Some foods high in free sugars such as biscuits, cakes and ice cream can also contain unhealthy fats such as butter, cream, coconut and palm oil. Sugar in a liquid form is not as filling as sugar in food. So, if you drink a sugary drink, you do not compensate by eating less food.
You do not need to cut down on sugar found in whole fruit, vegetables and milk. These foods contain lots of nutrients such as vitamins and minerals that are good for you.
How much sugar to have
Experts recommend you limit free sugars to:
- adults – no more than 6 teaspoons a day
- children – no more than 3 teaspoons a day.
This applies to sugars you add, those added in packaged foods and sugar present in honey, syrups, fruit juices and fruit concentrates.
It does not apply to intrinsic sugars found naturally in whole fruit, vegetables and milk.
Foods and drinks that are high in sugar
Drinks
Many drinks are high in sugar. The following can contain 5 to 7 teaspoons of sugar in a 250 ml glass:
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For more information, see the Health Promotion Agency's posters.
- How much sugar is in your children's drink? English version, Māori version.
- How much sugar are adults drinking? English version, Māori version.
Food
High sugar foods include many:
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Some savoury foods such as sauces, dressings, chutneys and takeaway foods can also contain a lot of sugar.
Checking if a packaged food or drink is high in sugar
To check if a packaged food or drink is high in sugar, look at the nutrition information panel.
- High-sugar foods contain more than 15 g of sugar per 100 g. Low-sugar foods contain less than 5 g per 100 g.
- If sugar is near the top of the ingredients list, the food or drink will be high in sugar.
- Look out for other common names for sugar added to foods:
- corn syrup
- dextrose
- fructose
- glucose
- sucrose
- maltose
- honey
- invert sugar
- golden syrup
- maple syrup
- treacle.
Ways to cut back on sugar
- Drink water (tap water, soda or mineral water) or low-fat milk instead of fruit juice and sugary drinks.
- Avoid sugary breakfast cereals. Have a plain cereal such as porridge or Weet-Bix. Add fresh or frozen fruit for sweetness.
- Choose snacks low in added sugar. For example, fresh fruit, low-fat cheese and wholegrain crackers, vegetable sticks and hummus or unsalted nuts.
- Swap flavoured and fruit yoghurts for plain, unsweetened yoghurt. Add fresh or frozen fruit for flavour.
- Keep cakes, biscuits, sweet pastries, chocolate, lollies, ice cream and puddings for occasional treats.
- Reduce sugar in recipes. Start by cutting back to three-quarters the amount the recipe suggests. Many recipes work and taste fine with half the amount of sugar.
HealthInfo recommends the following pages
- Healthy Food Guide – The truth about artificial sweeteners
A helpful guide that explains the facts about artificial sweeteners. It also lists the common types of artificial sweeteners available in New Zealand.
Written by HealthInfo clinical advisers. Last reviewed March 2025.
Sources
See also:
Review key: HIHEI-34305
