Sugar, salt and what you drink

Sugar and salt hide in places you might not expect, and drinks are often the biggest source of both sugar and caffeine for teenagers. Knowing the numbers helps you enjoy treats on your own terms rather than by accident.

What 'free sugars' are

• Free sugars are sugars added to food and drinks (biscuits, cereals, flavoured yoghurts, fizzy drinks) plus the sugars in honey, syrups, nectars and fruit juices and smoothies.
• Sugars naturally inside whole fruit, vegetables and milk do not count as free sugars, so a whole orange is different from a glass of orange juice.
• WHO recommends keeping free sugars below 10% of daily energy, and says going to 5% or less may give extra health benefits.
• The NHS sets the adult maximum at 30g of free sugars a day, about 7 sugar cubes. nidirect guidance applies the same 30g figure from age 11.
• Free sugars on labels may appear as honey, glucose, maltose, syrups or nectars, not only 'sugar'.

Salt: the hidden one

• Anyone aged 11 and over should have no more than 6g of salt a day, about 1 level teaspoon. WHO advises adults to stay below 5g a day.
• Much of our salt is already in food: bread, cheese, olives, pickles, cured meats, stock cubes, sauces and crisps.
• Season with lemon, garlic, sumac, za'atar, cumin, chilli and herbs rather than extra salt, and taste before you add any.
• Choose canned pulses and fish in water rather than brine, and have salty foods like pickles and processed cheese in smaller amounts.
• Ketchup, soy sauce and similar sauces are high in salt, so use them in small amounts.

Sugary drinks and juice

• Water, lower-fat milk and sugar-free drinks are the NHS's suggested everyday choices. Tea and coffee also count towards fluids.
• Fruit juice and smoothies are high in free sugars, so keep them to one small glass (150ml) a day, with a meal.
• Keeping sweet foods and drinks to mealtimes is kinder to your teeth than sipping them through the day.
• Easy swaps: sparkling water with lemon or mint, plain laban, or diluted no-added-sugar squash.
• In the UAE, sweetened drinks and energy drinks carry an excise tax. From 1 January 2026 the tax on sweetened drinks moved to a tiered model based on sugar per 100ml (8g or more counts as high sugar), while energy drinks remain taxed at 100%.

Energy drinks and caffeine

• The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) proposes a safe habitual level of 3mg of caffeine per kg of body weight per day for children and adolescents, lower than the adult limit of 400mg a day.
• EFSA notes that even 100mg of caffeine can affect sleep in some adults when taken close to bedtime.
• Northern Ireland government guidance says energy drinks are not recommended for under-16s and should be limited for older teens and adults.
• In July 2026 the UK government confirmed that sales of high-caffeine energy drinks (more than 150mg of caffeine per litre, excluding tea and coffee) to under-16s will be banned in England, planned from April 2027.
• The UK government links these drinks in young people to anxiety, poorer sleep and concentration, and tooth decay.
• Caffeine is also in coffee, tea, cola and some 'pre-workout' products, so it adds up across the day. If you feel jittery, anxious or cannot sleep, cut back.

Enjoying treats without stress

• No single food is 'good' or 'bad'. Sweets, cake and crisps are 'sometimes' foods that can be part of celebrations, Eid gatherings and time with friends.
• Choosing a smaller size, sharing, or having a treat after a meal rather than instead of one are simple ways to enjoy it.
• Be curious, not anxious: knowing what is in your drink is about making an informed choice.