Why The World Health Organization’s Sugar Recommendations Are Absurd

On March 4th, the WHO gave birth to a press release which made a strong recommendation that everyone (adults and children) limit their daily intake of free-sugars from 10% of their total calories to 5%, stating that it would provide “health benefits.”

For the average person, this would equal about 25 grams per day.

I got quite a few emails from readers asking for my opinion on this matter, as some were concerned that 25 g is too damn low, and would put them into ketosis.

First of all, you should know that WHO used the word free sugars for a reason. This refers to anything that’s purposefully added to the foods you consume such as: The sugar in your ketchup or coffee, the high fructose corn syrup added to your sports drink, the caramel thrown in by a chef that makes his famous gourmet vegetable stir fry, and so on.

Regardless of how you add it all up, the WHO says this “free” from of sugar should not be higher than 25 grams.

But anything that occurs naturally, such as the fructose in your fruits and vegetables, is totally fine.

So What’s My Issue? Isn’t This A Good Thing?

In theory, this may appear like sound advice since the worldwide intake of free sugars is going up; in adults it’s anywhere from 7–10% of their total calories while the number for kids is even higher, at around 12–15%. But you can’t solve statistical problems with arm-chair solutions, which is what the WHO seems to have done.

As such, I have two major issues with this “health benefit” laden recommendation of theirs. Let’s dive into each one:

Issue #1: It’s Unrealistic

There is no way in hell anyone is going to be able to take in 25 grams of free sugar or less. I won’t say it’s impossible, but you’ll go paranoid just trying to achieve this feat. I mean, just 1 tbsp of Ketchup contains 4 grams of sugar. Half cup of pasta sauce has about 10 grams. A serving of Greek Yogurt has 15 grams. And half a can of of pop? 20 grams!

I think you get my point — those 25 grams can add up real quick when you choose foods that the average individual consumes on a daily basis. But you might be thinking to yourself, “So what? I’ll just eat healthier and stick to natural options like fruits and vegetables.”

While this is a commendable idea, the execution is far harder than it sounds.

I’ve been coaching clients for a while now, and let me tell you, getting anyone (even athletes) to avoid their daily intake of “free sugars” is as close to impossible as you can get.

It’s just not realistic when people have jobs, friends, social lives and a family to worry about. Plus, what’s more important is the total amount of carbohydrates consumed by the end of the day, which brings us to the second issue…

Issue #2: They’re Ignoring The Basics Of Biology

So if you can only have 25 grams of “free” sugars, how much of the natural stuff can you have? Well if we look at the RDA (Recommended Daily Allowance) numbers, they state that the average man or woman should consume 300 grams of carbohydrates per day.

Or to put it into layman’s terms, a shit load!

Let me put that number into context for a second — I had a male client about a year ago who’s sole purpose was to gain weight. Specifically, muscle. This guy was 180lbs, did 3–4 intense workouts per week, and was looking to walk around at a solid 200 lbs to up his football game.

And 300 grams is how much I had him eating on a daily basis.

I don’t care how much “free sugar” you avoid, if you’re taking in 300 grams of carbohydrates per day, and you’re not a highly active individual, chances are you will most likely get fat (assuming your calories from other macronutrients remain at RDA levels as well.)

So what’s the reason for this?

Because your body doesn't care whether sugar comes from a “free” source (such as a donut), or from a natural source (such as an apple). Upon digestion, all forms of carbohydrates break down into glucose and enter the bloodstream, causing your body to release insulin.

And no amount of avoiding “free sugars” is going to change this fact.

By the way, insulin is known as the “storage” hormone. So when it’s released, take a wild guess as to how it’s storing all that extra glucose that’s floating around in your bloodstream, doing nothing?

If you said “in the form of fat” then you get a gold star!

Want A Real Recommendation?

If you want meaningful change to occur (such as fat loss), you need to limit your total consumption of carbohydrates (which should put you in a caloric deficit) while keeping your protein and fat levels adequate.

On top of that, if you throw in resistance training a few days per week along with additional physical activity such as hiking, yoga, sports etc., then you’ll be well on your way towards not only optimal health, but optimal looks too!

Now you might be wondering the exact amount of carbohydrates you should consume. Well when I’m working with clients, the amount and type of carbs I recommend is based on an individual’s needs, but if I were the WHO and had to put out a “shotgun approach” here’s what I’d recommend:

On days you’re active (weight lifting, playing sports etc.) aim to get 1.2 g per lbs of bodyweight.

On days you’re inactive (sitting on a chair at work), aim to get 0.8 g per lbs of bodyweight.

So for an individual that weighs 170 lbs, this would mean 204 g of carbs on active days and 136 g on inactive days. And unlike the WHO, I’d skip the whole “free sugar” vs “natural sugar” nonsense. I’d leave it up to you to select the sources of your carbs.

And here’s why: you’re not a child; instinctively I’m sure you know that if all 204 grams of carbs come from Twinkies then you won’t achieve the results you want.

But you also know that having a cookie, a slice of pizza or even a beer is part of life. So it’s your job to find that balance. Below is an example meal plan that has approximately 204 g of carbs:

1 cup mixed berries (blue, rasp, black, straw etc.)

1/3 cup Oatmeal

1 cup brown rice

1 cup chocolate milk

1 pack of original M&M’s

1 slice pepperoni pizza

1 Quest protein bar

Again, this is just to showcase the amount of carbs a person could have in a day based on the allowances I recommended, so please don’t email me saying “this meal plan lacks protein!” — I know.

Bottom Line: it’s not about free sugar or natural sugar, it’s about your total consumption based on your body’s needs. And the science on this is rock-solid.

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Coach Sahil M. is a nutritional consultant, record-holding powerlifter, certified gymnastics coach, powerlifting coach and author of Flawless Fitness and The Cheer Diet. If you’d like to work with him personally, click here to fill out an application for a FREE consultation.

You can also connect with him on Twitter.