There's no single official 'sugar limit,' but several trusted bodies give numbers that mostly agree: keep added sugars low. Here's what the main guidelines say and how quickly a drink can blow past them.
The FDA's 50-gram Daily Value
The FDA sets the Daily Value for added sugars at 50 grams per day on a 2,000-calorie diet — roughly 12 teaspoons or 12–13 sugar cubes. This is the reference behind the % Daily Value on every label, so a food with 25g of added sugar uses 50% of the day's budget.
The American Heart Association goes lower
The American Heart Association (AHA) recommends tighter limits: no more than about 25 grams (6 teaspoons) per day for women and 36 grams (9 teaspoons) for men. For children, the AHA suggests under 25 grams a day and no added sugar at all before age two.
The WHO's recommendation
The World Health Organization advises that 'free sugars' stay under 10% of daily calories — about 50 grams — and says dropping below 5% (around 25 grams) offers additional health benefits. So the major authorities cluster around 25–50 grams as the ceiling.
How fast drinks get there
The reason these numbers matter so much for beverages: a single drink can meet or exceed them alone.
- A 12-oz can of soda: ~39g added sugar — most of a day in one can.
- A large blended coffee drink: 50–70g — a full day or more.
- A full-sweet boba tea: 45–65g.
- A 20-oz sweet tea: ~50g.
These are added sugars, not the natural sugar in whole fruit or plain milk, which you don't need to count the same way. See added vs. natural sugars.