How many teaspoons of sugar is that?
A teaspoon of sugar is 4 grams. Once you know that, every nutrition label becomes readable.
8.75 × a teaspoon of sugar
35 g ÷ 4 g = 8.75 teaspoons.
Reference figures are measurements and are rounded; the unit conversion behind them is exact.
| Reference | Size | Yours ÷ theirs | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| teaspoon of sugar | 4 g | 8.75× | |
| sugar cube | 4 g | 8.75× | |
| chocolate bar | 24 g | 1.46× | |
| daily maximum for adults | 30 g | 1.17× | WHO free-sugar guidance |
| can of cola | 35 g | 1× | |
| bottle of orange juice | 50 g | 0.7× |
Worth knowing
- A 330 ml can of cola contains 35 g of sugar — nearly nine teaspoons, and more than a whole day’s recommended free sugar.
- Fruit juice contains about as much sugar as a soft drink. The difference is what else comes with it, not the sugar itself.
Frequently asked
How much sugar should I eat a day?
The WHO recommends free sugars stay under 10% of energy — about 50 g — and suggests a further benefit below 5%, or about 25 g for an adult.
What are free sugars?
Sugars added to food plus those naturally in juice, honey and syrups. Sugar inside whole fruit and in milk does not count, because it comes bound up with fibre or protein.