WHO: Five Percent of Overall Calorie Intake Must be from Sugar

New draft guidelines published by the World Health Organization have seen the health agency cut down the maximum recommended daily sugar intake by half to just five percent of the total calorie intake. An expert panel with the agency reviewed data from more than 9,000 studies before arriving at the target limit, though the members admitted that the target was ‘aspirational’ and requires western countries cutting down their sugar intake by two thirds in order to achieve the limit.

The members said that the sugar intake included added sugars along with honey, syrups and fruit juices though sugars naturally present in fruits were not taken into account. They added that achieving the target can cut down the obesity rates and cavities.

The new recommendations have been backed by a number of doctors, with Dr Robert Lustig, a professor of pediatrics at the University of California, saying, “The less sugar you're eating, the better. If the sugar threshold is lowered, I think breakfast cereal is going to have a really hard time justifying its existence”.

Source-Medindia