Added Sugar

Written By Henry Barnard

There is a simple way to understand just how much added sugar can find its way into our diets: 4 grams of sugar is approximately 1 teaspoon.

That may not sound like much. But once you start converting the sugar listed on nutrition labels into teaspoons, the picture changes dramatically.

A food containing 20 grams of added sugar isn't just "20 grams." It is 5 teaspoons of sugar. A 40-gram serving contains 10 teaspoons. Suddenly, the sweetness hidden in processed foods becomes much easier to visualize.

Why Added Sugar Is a Problem

Our bodies need glucose for energy, but that does not mean we need large quantities of added sugar. The problem is that added sugar is remarkably easy to consume in processed foods because it can be incorporated into foods and beverages that don't seem particularly sweet.

Regularly consuming large amounts of added sugar can contribute to weight gain, elevated triglycerides, fatty liver disease, insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. It can also promote dental decay.

One of the biggest problems is that added sugar delivers calories without providing much nutritional value. A sugary breakfast cereal, soft drink, dessert, or packaged snack can contain a substantial amount of energy while providing relatively little fiber, protein, vitamins, or minerals.

And liquid sugar is particularly easy to overconsume. Drinking a soft drink doesn't produce the same feeling of fullness as eating a meal containing protein and fiber. You can therefore consume a remarkable amount of sugar without feeling as though you've eaten very much.

The Worst Offenders

Here are some common processed foods and beverages where added sugar can become especially significant. The exact amount varies considerably by brand and serving size, so always check the nutrition label.

Food or beverageExample sugar amountEquivalent teaspoonsRegular soft drink39 g~10 tspSweetened iced tea30–40 g~8–10 tspEnergy drink25–50 g~6–13 tspSweetened coffee drink30–60 g~8–15 tspCandy bar20–30 g~5–8 tspFrosted breakfast cereal10–20 g~2.5–5 tspSweetened yogurt15–25 g~4–6 tspDoughnut10–20 g~2.5–5 tspCookies10–20 g~2.5–5 tspIce cream15–25 g~4–6 tspSweetened ketchup4–5 g per tablespoon~1–1.25 tspBarbecue sauce10–15 g per 2 tbsp~2.5–4 tsp

The point isn't that eating one cookie or having an occasional dessert is going to destroy your health. The problem is the cumulative effect of consuming added sugar throughout the day, every day.

Consider a hypothetical breakfast of sweetened cereal with sweetened yogurt and a glass of juice. Depending on the products, that breakfast alone could contain the equivalent of 10 or more teaspoons of sugar.

That's a lot of sugar before the day has barely begun.

Sugar Has Many Names

Another reason added sugar can be difficult to recognize is that it doesn't always appear on a food label simply as "sugar."

Look for ingredients such as:

  • High-fructose corn syrup

  • Corn syrup

  • Cane sugar

  • Brown sugar

  • Invert sugar

  • Maltose

  • Dextrose

  • Glucose

  • Fructose

  • Sucrose

  • Rice syrup

  • Maple syrup

  • Honey

  • Agave nectar

  • Molasses

Although some of these ingredients may sound more natural than table sugar, your body still receives sugar from them. Calling it honey, syrup, or cane sugar doesn't make a heavily sweetened processed food a health food.

The 4-Gram Rule

Here's a simple habit that can change how you look at processed food:

Divide the grams of sugar by 4.

That's approximately how many teaspoons of sugar you're looking at.

8 grams = 2 teaspoons

12 grams = 3 teaspoons

20 grams = 5 teaspoons

32 grams = 8 teaspoons

40 grams = 10 teaspoons

60 grams = 15 teaspoons

The next time you pick up a packaged food containing 32 grams of sugar, don't just read "32 grams" and move on.

Imagine eight teaspoons of sugar.

That makes the number much more meaningful.

Don't Confuse Added Sugar With Naturally Occurring Sugar

There is an important distinction between added sugar and the naturally occurring sugars found in whole foods.

An apple contains sugar, but it also comes packaged with fiber, water, vitamins, minerals, and numerous beneficial plant compounds. A whole apple is very different nutritionally from a sugary beverage containing a similar amount of sugar.

Likewise, plain milk contains naturally occurring lactose. That doesn't make milk equivalent to a sugar-sweetened beverage.

The bigger target is added sugar in highly processed foods, particularly foods and drinks that provide substantial amounts of sugar while offering little nutritional value.

Read the Label

The nutrition label now makes it easier to distinguish total sugars from added sugars.

When evaluating a processed food, look at the "Added Sugars" line rather than simply looking at total carbohydrate.

Then apply the 4-gram rule.

If the package says 24 grams of added sugar, you're looking at approximately 6 teaspoons of added sugar.

That is a much more powerful way of understanding what you're putting into your body.

The goal doesn't have to be perfection. It is simply to become aware of where added sugar is hiding and gradually replace heavily sweetened processed foods with whole foods that provide fiber, protein, healthy fats, vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients.

Once you start thinking in teaspoons instead of grams, the food label tells a very different story.

Four grams is one teaspoon. Start doing the math.

Henry Barnard

I’m a certified nutrition coach through Precision Nutrition, but my education began long before my certification.

In the mid-1990s, I was significantly overweight. During my lunch breaks, I would visit a local bookstore and spend my time browsing nutrition and diet books, searching for an approach that would finally help me lose the weight. That search became a lifelong passion. More than 30 years later, I still study nutrition every day, and my interest has only grown stronger over the last decade.

My coaching philosophy is built on a few simple principles.

No diet pills. I believe lasting weight loss comes from changing habits, not relying on quick fixes.

Gradually increase dietary fiber. Fiber is one of the most powerful tools for managing hunger because it promotes fullness while supporting gut health. As people naturally feel more satisfied, eating well becomes easier.

Eat more whole foods and fewer processed foods. Whole foods retain the fiber and nutrients that help support health and satiety. Building meals around minimally processed foods makes it easier to create eating habits that last.

Use intermittent fasting when appropriate. For many people, intermittent fasting can be an effective strategy to help reduce body fat, improve appetite control, and simplify eating patterns. It isn't the right approach for everyone, but when it fits a person's lifestyle, it can be a valuable tool.

Evaluate level of exercise and quality of sleep.  Simply because these factors have a major impact on any concerted effort to lose weight.  

Focus on 1% improvements. I don't ask clients to transform their lives overnight. Instead, we identify small, realistic changes they can consistently maintain. Those small improvements compound over time.

I tell clients not to judge success after a week or two. Real, sustainable change takes time. As healthy habits accumulate, the results begin to build on one another. Three months of consistent effort can produce remarkable progress—not just on the scale, but in energy, confidence, and overall health.

My goal isn't to put clients on another diet. It's to help them build a way of eating they can enjoy and maintain for the rest of their lives.

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