How much sugar should I eat each day?

Question: How much sugar should I eat each day?

Answer: The USDA suggests that you get about half of your calories from carbohydrates. The sugar found naturally in fruit and vegetables is OK because the fruits or vegetables add a lot of good nutrition. Sugar from corn syrup or table sugar should really be used sparingly because it adds no nutritional value, just empty calories.

The USDA suggests that the amount of added sugar calories (the sugar not found naturally in the fruits or vegetables you eat) should fit into your daily discretionary calories. Your daily discretionary calories is the number of calories you can eat each day over the amount you need nutritionally and not gain weight. For most of us, that discretionary calorie budget is around 100 to 300 calories per day.