Tips for Reducing Sugar Intake
Too much sugar can lead to weight gain and tooth decay. Aim to have no more than 7 teaspoons of added sugar each day.
Where do we find sugar?
Natural sugars found in foods and drinks
Fruit and milk products
These foods also contain nutrients like protein, calcium, fibre, vitamins and minerals. We should eat these foods every day.
Sugar added to foods and drinks
Ultra-processed foods and drinks
These foods are high in energy (kilojoules) and don't have the nutrients our body needs. We should minimise the amount of these foods and drinks that we eat.
How to choose healthier packet foods
1. Read the nutrition information panel
To find out the amount of sugar in a food or drink, check the ‘per 100g’ column of the nutrition information panel and compare this against our guide.
| Best | Okay | Too high |
|---|---|---|
| Less than 5g | 5 - 15g | More than 15g |
Remember that food labels in Australia don’t list the amount of naturally occurring sugar and added sugar separately.
2. Check the ingredients list
Some healthy foods like breakfast cereals and yoghurt contain natural sugars AND are sweetened with added sugar. Read the ingredients list and choose products with no added sugar. The natural sugar from fruit and milk is okay. Sugar may be hidden on the ingredients list under a different name. Watch out for these sneaky names for sugar.
Other names for sugar on the ingredients list
Barley malt extract |
Dextrose |
High fructose corn syrup |
Raw sugar |
Brown rice syrup |
Fructose |
Honey |
Rice malt syrup |
Brown sugar |
Fruit juice/puree concentrate |
Invert sugar |
Rice syrup |
Cane sugar |
Glucose |
Malt |
Sucrose |
Corn syrup |
Golden syrup |
Molasses |