What it does in the body
- Quick energy source (glucose component)
- Hepatic glycogen replenishment (fructose component)
- Palatability and food preservation
- Osmotic properties in food science
How much you need (Daily Value)
| Group | Recommended | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Adult male | No RDA; limit to <50g/day added sugars (WHO), ideally <25g/day | WHO/AHA |
| Adult female | No RDA; limit to <25g/day added sugars (AHA) | WHO/AHA |
| Pregnancy | Limit added sugars; monitor gestational diabetes risk | WHO/ACOG |
| Children | <25g/day total added sugars; no added sugars for children <2 years | AHA |
| Older adults | Same as adults; stricter limits if diabetic or metabolically compromised | ADA |
Richest food sources
| Food | Amount | Where |
|---|---|---|
| White granulated sugar | 100g sucrose per 100g | global |
| Sugarcane juice | 15g per 100mL | south-asia |
| Jaggery (gur) | 85g per 100g | south-asia |
| Maple syrup | 60g per 100g | north-america |
| Soda/soft drinks | 11g per 100mL | global |
| Peach | 5g per 100g (natural) | global |
| Beet sugar | 100g per 100g | europe |
| Palm sugar | 90g per 100g | southeast-asia |
If you don't get enough
Mild: No clinical deficiency — sucrose is not essential
Moderate: Not applicable
Severe: Not applicable
Time to onset: Not applicable — no deficiency state exists
Too much
Upper limit: WHO strongly recommends <10% of total energy from free sugars (~50g/day); conditional recommendation to reduce to <5% (25g/day) for additional health benefits
Dental caries, obesity, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, NAFLD, metabolic syndrome, hyperuricemia
How well you absorb it
Near 100% after sucrase cleavage; glucose absorbed via SGLT1/GLUT2, fructose via GLUT5
Helped by: Liquid form (beverages) causes rapid absorption, Low fiber context accelerates absorption
Hindered by: Fiber (slows gastric emptying and absorption), Fat and protein (delay gastric emptying), Sucrase-isomaltase deficiency
Cooking & storage
Caramelization begins at 160°C, creating flavor compounds. Inversion (acid hydrolysis to glucose + fructose) occurs during cooking, changing sweetness profile. Maillard reaction with proteins creates browning.
Nutrisize Health totals every nutrient from what you actually eat, against targets set for your age and sex, and flags what's short — across 4,995 foods, on your device.
