Guide
Juice Box Sugar: How Much Sugar Is in Kids' Drinks, Compared
The quick way to compare kids' drinks is the Total Sugars line, per serving. Below are the common ones side by side at the same 8.4 fl oz serving, in grams and in teaspoons, with the guidance pediatric and heart groups give for kids.
Sugar per serving, side by side
| Drink | Total sugar | Added sugar | Calories | Protein |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water | 0 g | 0 g | 0 | 0 g |
| 100% apple juice (FDC 173933) | about 24 g | 0 g | about 115 | less than 1 g |
| 100% grape juice (FDC 173042) | about 35 g | 0 g | about 150 | about 1 g |
| Fruit punch drink (not 100% juice) (FDC 174151) | about 28 g | usually most of it | about 115 | 0 g |
| 2% milk (FDC 171267) | about 13 g | 0 g | about 125 | about 8 g |
| Chocolate milk, reduced fat (FDC 170880) | about 24 g | usually some | about 190 | about 7 g |
| Almond milk, unsweetened (FDC 174832) | about 2 g | 0 g | about 35 | about 1 g |
| Wonderade (either flavor) | 3 g | 0 g | 70 | 8 g |
Non-Wonderade rows: USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy) generic entries, scaled from 100 g to 248 g (one 8.4 fl oz serving) and rounded; FDC IDs listed. Brands vary, so check the label on yours. Wonderade figures are from its Nutrition Facts panel. Look up any FDC ID at USDA FoodData Central.
The same numbers in teaspoons
A teaspoon of granulated sugar weighs about 4 grams. Dividing Total Sugars by 4 turns a label into something you can picture.
| Drink | Total sugar | About this many teaspoons |
|---|---|---|
| 100% grape juice | about 35 g | 9 |
| Fruit punch drink | about 28 g | 7 |
| 100% apple juice | about 24 g | 6 |
| Chocolate milk, reduced fat | about 24 g | 6 |
| 2% milk | about 13 g | 3 |
| Wonderade | 3 g | less than 1 |
| Water | 0 g | 0 |
Grams divided by 4, rounded. Milk's sugar is lactose, which is naturally present, not added.
Total sugar vs added sugar
Since the updated Nutrition Facts label, packaged foods list "Includes Added Sugars" under Total Sugars. Added sugars include sugars added during processing, syrups and honey, and sugars from concentrated fruit or vegetable juices beyond what the same volume of 100% juice would contain.
That is why a 100% juice box can say "no added sugar" and still carry 20-plus grams of sugar. Both lines are worth reading. For a deeper walk through the label, see How much sugar is actually in a juice box? and what "no added sugar" means.
What the guidance says
- Juice: The American Academy of Pediatrics advises no juice before age 1, no more than 4 oz a day for ages 1 to 3, 4 to 6 oz for ages 4 to 6, and no more than 8 oz for ages 7 to 18. It recommends whole fruit over juice.
- Added sugar: The American Heart Association recommends that children ages 2 to 18 have less than 25 grams (about 6 teaspoons) of added sugar a day, and none before age 2.
Water and plain milk are the everyday drinks. When a juice box is going in the lunchbox anyway, the label tells you how much of the day's sugar comes with it.
Questions parents ask
- How much sugar is in a typical juice box?
- A 100% apple juice serving of 8.4 fl oz has about 24 grams of sugar (USDA). Grape juice has about 35 grams. Fruit punch drinks land around 28 grams, most of it added.
- Does sugar in 100% juice count as added sugar?
- No. Sugar naturally in 100% juice is not added sugar on the label. It still counts in Total Sugars, and the AAP still limits juice by age.
- How many teaspoons of sugar are in a juice box?
- One teaspoon of sugar is about 4 grams, so 24 grams is about 6 teaspoons. Check the Total Sugars line on the box and divide by 4.
- How much sugar is in Wonderade?
- 3 grams of total sugar per 8.4 fl oz box, with 0 grams added.
Related: lunchbox drinks, compared, what is a protein juice box? and Wonderade nutrition facts. Curious why kids love sweet so much? Watch the Food Story Why do kids love sweet?
Sources
- USDA FoodData Central (drink nutrient values; FDC IDs in the table)
- HealthyChildren.org (American Academy of Pediatrics), Where We Stand: Fruit Juice
- Vos et al., Added Sugars and Cardiovascular Disease Risk in Children, Circulation 2017 (American Heart Association scientific statement)
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Added Sugars on the Nutrition Facts Label
8g protein. 3g sugar. Real fruit.
Wonderade is a kids' juice box. See the nutrition facts or meet the flavors.