Sugar, salt, fats, carbohydrates and fibre: daily guidelines

A guideline is not an individual rule

How many fats, carbohydrates, sugars or fibre per day? Several organisations publish figures, and they do not always align: they are not based on the same criteria or the same definitions. This article brings together the official guidelines from ANSES, EFSA and WHO, shows how to convert them into grams for a 2,000 kcal diet and explains what the percentages displayed on a label mean.

These are guidelines calculated for populations of healthy adults. They do not constitute medical advice and do not replace the opinion of a health professional.

The ANSES guidelines (2016)

In itsopinion of December 2016 on updating the PNNS guidelines, ANSES sets reference values for healthy adults aged 18 to 64 (men) and 18 to 54 (women). The percentages refer to thetotal energy intake excluding alcohol. The table in the opinion states:

• Fats: 35 to 40% of energy;
• Saturated fatty acids: maximum 12% of energy, of which a maximum of 8% for the combined total of lauric, myristic and palmitic acids;
• Carbohydrates: 40 to 55% of energy;
• Sugars: maximum 100 g per day of total sugars excluding lactose and galactose, an upper limit and not a recommended intake;
• Fibre: 30 g per day (adequate intake);
• Proteins: 10 to 20% of energy.

The values for fats and saturated fatty acids are based on therecommended nutrient intakes of 2010. For fibre, ANSES indicates that a reduction in the risk of cardiovascular diseases, type 2 diabetes and certain cancers is sometimes observed from 25 g per day and more consistently at 30 g. Details on sugar and salt are provided in our article onhidden sugar and salt.

The EFSA guidelines (2010 to 2017)

The European Food Safety Authority has published its nutrient reference values in a series of opinions, summarised in itssummary report approved on 4 December 2017. For adults:

• Total carbohydrates: 45 to 60% of energy;
• Total fats: 20 to 35% of energy;
• Fibre: 25 g per day, considered adequate for normal bowel function;
• Saturated fatty acids: as low as possible, with no numerical value specified.

EFSA also states that beyond 25 g of fibre per day, health benefits are associated with a diet rich in high-fibre foods. For sugars, it considers that the data do not allow an upper limit for sugar intake, particularly added sugars, to be set, while noting that several authorities have adopted a limit of 10% of energy.

WHO guidelines

TheWHO fact sheet on healthy eatingprovides the following for adults:

• total fats: 30% or less of daily energy;
• saturated fatty acids: no more than 10% of energy, and trans fatty acids: no more than 1%;
• free sugars: less than 10% of energy, with less than 5% as a possible additional target;
• salt: less than 5 g per day, equivalent to 2 g of sodium;
• fibre: at least 25 g of fibre naturally present in foods.

WHO figures aim to set limits, whereas those of ANSES and EFSA aim to define a range. This is why the thresholds do not coincide: ANSES places fats between 35 and 40%, WHO does not exceed 30%, and EFSA allows 20 to 35%.

Converting these percentages to grams for a 2,000 kcal diet

The calculations below are simple conversions carried out by us, not values published by these organisations. They use the usual energy factors of 4 kcal per gram of carbohydrates and 9 kcal per gram of fats, for a 2,000 kcal diet without alcohol:

• ANSES fats (35 to 40%): 700 to 800 kcal, equivalent to approximately 78 to 89 g;
• EFSA fats (20 to 35%): 400 to 700 kcal, equivalent to approximately 44 to 78 g;
• WHO fats (30% or less): 600 kcal or less, equivalent to 67 g or less;
• ANSES saturated fats (maximum 12%): 240 kcal, equivalent to a maximum of approximately 27 g;
• WHO saturated fats (maximum 10%): a maximum of 200 kcal, equivalent to a maximum of 22 g;
• ANSES carbohydrates (40 to 55%): 800 to 1,100 kcal, equivalent to 200 to 275 g;
• EFSA carbohydrates (45 to 60%): 900 to 1,200 kcal, equivalent to 225 to 300 g;
• WHO free sugars (less than 10%): less than 200 kcal, equivalent to less than 50 g.

Fibre (25 g according to EFSA and WHO, 30 g according to ANSES), salt (less than 5 g according to WHO) and ANSES's sugar limit (100 g) are already expressed in grams. For the conversion of energy requirements, seeHow many calories per day?, and for protein,How much protein per day?.

The "reference intakes" on labels

On the packaging, the percentages shown next to the nutrition table are based on reference values set by the European regulation on consumer information. ThePart B of Annex XIII to Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011indicates, for a typical adult:

• energy: 2 000 kcal (8 400 kJ);
• fat: 70 g, of which saturated fatty acids: 20 g;
• carbohydrates: 260 g, of which sugars: 90 g;
• protein: 50 g;
• salt: 6 g.

This table does not include a row for fibre. These values are common calculation bases for expressing "% of reference intakes": they are not identical to the guidelines of ANSES, EFSA or WHO and are not personal recommendations. The sugar value on the label (90 g) also includes naturally occurring sugars, which differs from WHO's definition of free sugars.

Reading the label using these guidelines

• Per 100 g or 100 ml: the mandatory declaration is used to compare two products of the same type.
• Per portion: this is optional and depends on the portion size chosen by the manufacturer; it should be compared with what you actually eat.
• Percentage of reference intakes: it positions a portion relative to the 2 000 kcal table above, not relative to your personal needs.
• The total for the daymatters more than each individual product: a single product may seem modest but can cause you to exceed the guideline once added to others.

Our guideHow to read a label correctlyexplains how to read the nutrition table and the ingredient list, and the guide onsaturated fatsspecifies where to find them.

The limitations of these guidelines

• They apply tohealthy adults; children, pregnant women, the elderly and athletes have different guidelines.
• They arepopulation guidelines, established to guide public health policies, not individual recommendations.
• They differ between organisations because the criteria and methods vary (prevention, meeting nutritional needs, dietary feasibility).
• Energy percentages depend on total intake: the 2 000 kcal basis is anexample, not a universal requirement.
• A number says nothing about the quality of the food: in equal quantities, a yoghurt, a cake and a fruit do not provide the same thing.

In Yumiq, the product sheet indicates the number of additives detected (harmless, to be monitored, at risk). The Yumiq-Score penalises additives flagged by EFSA (risk of overexposure) or ANSES in the Open Food Facts taxonomy, and the Yumiq star requires the absence of any additives at risk. Nutrient levels can be read in the nutritional table on the product sheet.

Key points to remember

• Fats: 35 to 40% of energy according to ANSES, 20 to 35% according to EFSA, 30% or less according to WHO.
• Saturated fats: a maximum of 12% for ANSES, a maximum of 10% for WHO.
• Carbohydrates: 40 to 55% of energy according to ANSES, 45 to 60% according to EFSA.
• Sugars: less than 10% of energy from free sugars (WHO), a maximum of 100 g excluding lactose and galactose (ANSES).
• Fibre: 30 g per day for ANSES, 25 g for EFSA and WHO.
• The "reference intakes" on labels are based on 2,000 kcal: a common framework, not personal advice.

Sources

• ANSES - Update of the PNNS guidelines: revision of food consumption guidelines (December 2016)
• ANSES - Intake of fatty acids in the population living in France and comparison with ANC 2010
• EFSA - Dietary Reference Values for nutrients, Summary report (2017)
• WHO - Healthy diet (information sheet)
• Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011, Annex XIII (reference intakes)