Free sugars

Definition

WHO guidance defines free sugars as those added to food plus those naturally present in honey, syrups and fruit juices — as distinct from sugars within the structure of whole fruit and vegetables or in milk. Honey is counted in full. The guidance recommends reducing free sugars to below 10% of energy intake, with a conditional further recommendation below 5%.

Where the word gets used loosely

Honey is frequently marketed as a natural alternative to sugar in a way that implies it sits outside this category. It does not, and the inclusion is deliberate: the guidance groups honey with added sugar precisely because the body treats it the same way.

Guide records that discuss this

• What is the healthiest honey?The honest answer is that no honey is a health food, the differences between types are small, and the question people are actually asking usually has a better answer than the one they are looking for.

Question records that discuss this

• Is honey healthier than sugar?Only marginally, and not enough to matter. The WHO classifies honey as a free sugar alongside table sugar, and guidance to limit free sugars applies to it identically. Honey is sweeter by weight so slightly less is needed, and it contains trace compounds sugar lacks — but at any realistic intake those are nutritionally negligible. Choose honey because it tastes of something, not because it is better for you.