Thailand’s Department of Health has introduced a new sugar standard that took effect on February 11, redefining the “normal sweet” level in beverages as 50% of the original recipe in an effort to curb sugar consumption, Thaiger reported.
The initiative is part of a nationwide partnership between the Department of Health and nine leading beverage brands, including Café Amazon, Inthanin, All Café, Black Canyon, PunThai, and Chao Doi. Under the new rule, customers who order drinks with the default “normal sweet” option will automatically receive beverages prepared with half the usual sugar content.
Officials said the measure is designed to influence consumer behaviour by lowering the default sugar level. Previously, drinks labelled “normal sweet” often exceeded recommended limits, contributing to high sugar intake, weight gain, and non-communicable diseases.
For instance, a standard 16-ounce (473 ml) iced coffee that previously contained about 7.3 teaspoons of sugar at full sweetness will now have around 3.7 teaspoons. Similarly, Thai iced tea will see sugar levels reduced from 6.6 teaspoons to 3.3 teaspoons.
In a post on its official Facebook page, the Department of Health highlighted several advantages of lowering sugar intake beyond disease prevention. These include supporting healthier skin and slowing signs of ageing by reducing damage to collagen, improving energy balance and mental focus by avoiding sharp rises and drops in blood sugar, and helping reduce abdominal fat and bloating.
The department also noted that consuming less sugar can improve sensitivity to natural flavours, making less processed foods easier to enjoy over time. In addition, reduced sugar intake can ease the workload on the liver and pancreas, lowering the risk of conditions such as fatty liver disease and type 2 diabetes while supporting overall metabolic health.
Authorities added that sweet taste receptors typically regenerate every 14 days, noting that if a drink with 50% sweetness does not taste appealing at first, it is a normal adjustment and consumers are encouraged to persist with the change.
