In 2015, the World Health Organisation (WHO) released a report stating that the recommended daily intake of sugars be halved.

Yep, halved. That means that for adults and children, sugars should make up only 5% of the total energy intake. That’s about 6 teaspoons of sugar a day for adults, and 3 for kids.

To put that into perspective, the average Australian adult consumes an average of 27 teaspoons of sugar a day.

That’s a lot of sugar. Where does it all come from? The WHO highlights the sneaky added sugars that are present in processed foods – and not just the ones we think are sweets! Even if you’re careful not to add sugar to your food and drink, it can be lurking in everything from fruit juices to yoghurt to tomato sauce.

The guidelines also include natural sugars in honey, syrups and fruit juice, as well as sugar added to food and drinks, either by the manufacturers or by you. Not included are naturally occurring sugars in milk and whole fruits and vegetables.

Cutting the sweet stuff has heaps of benefits, and while it might sound like a challenge, it’s easy to get started! The best ways to reduce your sugar intake are to limit processed foods, stick to fresh fruit for a sugar fix, and to switch to a natural sweetener like Natvia in cooking.