Sugars

Sugars are simple carbohydrates that can be either naturally occurring or added to processed foods. Added sugars supply calories but few, if any, essential nutrients.

Dietary recommendations: There is no Daily Value recommendation for sugar, but foods with added sugars should be consumed only in moderation. Try to minimize consumption of foods that include added sugars among the first few items in the ingredient list. Here are some examples of added sugars:

2000-Calorie Diet Recommendations

Shown below are the reference numbers used to compute the Daily Value percentages that appear on the Nutrition Facts labels on foods sold in the U.S. These numbers are meant to approximate the nutrients needed for the average person consuming 2000 calories per day.

Click any of the vitamin or nutrient names below to learn more about the importance of each element, and to see detailed dietary allowances for specific population groups.

***Daily Value recommendations are based on a 2000-calorie diet. Recommendations for individuals will vary depending on gender, age, weight, and other factors.