Malaysia charges an excise duty on sugar-sweetened drinks. From January to November 2025 it brought in RM73.81 million, according to Bernama (published November 2025).

That leaves many people asking about fruit juice. It has no added sugar, so does its sugar still count? Is fruit juice high in sugar, even the kind you press at home with a slow juicer in Malaysia? Juice does carry sugar, and health bodies count it. Making it at home lets you control how much goes into each glass.

Why fruit juice sugar still counts

The World Health Organization (WHO) splits sugar into two groups. Sugar inside whole fruit, held in the fruit's cells and fibre, is not the kind it worries about. "Free sugars" are the ones it asks people to cut.

Free sugars include sugar added to food and drinks. They also include the sugar naturally found in honey, syrups and fruit juice. The WHO guideline on sugars (published March 2015) puts fruit juice on that list by name.

So the sugar in fresh juice is the same sugar that was in the fruit. What changes is the form. Juicing breaks open the fruit and leaves much of the fibre behind in the pulp, and the sugar is now free in the glass.

How much free sugar is a lot

The WHO advises adults and children to keep free sugars below 10% of their daily energy. It adds that going below 5%, about 25 grams or 6 teaspoons a day, gives extra benefit.

That 25 grams is a small amount. A glass of juice made from several pieces of fruit can use up a good share of it. Count a glass of juice the same way you count teh tarik or a can of soft drink.

Is home-made juice different from packet juice?

Per gram, fresh juice and packet juice can hold similar natural sugar, because both come from fruit. The differences are what goes in with it and how much you pour.

When you make juice at home, you choose:

• The fruit. You can use one sweet fruit instead of three.
• The vegetables. Cucumber, celery and leafy greens add volume and taste with far less sugar than fruit.
• The glass. You decide whether it is a small cup or a large mug.
• What else goes in. Only what you add yourself, so syrup and added sugar stay out.

Packet and bottled juice may also carry added sugar, and the label tells you. If a drink lists sugar near the top of the ingredients, it has more than the fruit gave it.

Five ways to keep the sugar in check at home

Mix vegetables with fruit

Start with mostly vegetables and add one fruit for taste. Cucumber and apple, or celery, green apple and lime, taste fresh and bright. Your glass ends up with less fruit sugar than a pure fruit juice.

Use a smaller glass

A small glass is plenty with breakfast. If you want more to drink, top it up with cold water or ice.

Drink it with a meal

Have juice with breakfast or lunch, not as a drink on its own between meals. Then it takes the place of another drink on the table instead of adding one more to your day.

Keep some of the fibre

Much of the fibre ends up in the pulp, the dry part left after juicing. Stir a spoon of it back in, or use it in cooking. Our guide on where the fibre goes in a slow juicer shows you how.

Eat some fruit whole

Juice one apple and eat the other. You still get your juice, and the whole fruit brings its fibre along.

How a slow juicer in Malaysia helps you keep sugar in check

A slow juicer presses the fruit with a turning screw instead of fast blades. It works well with vegetables, leafy greens and hard fruit. That matters for sugar, because the low-sugar ingredients are exactly the ones that make a fruit-only drink lighter.

It also makes small batches easy. You can press one glass for one person, so there is no jug sitting in the fridge, tempting you to pour a second glass. If you live alone, our page on the best juicer for one person explains what to look for.

If you are cutting down on canned and bottled drinks, a home juicer can be a helpful swap. Our earlier guide shows how a slow juicer helps you cut down sugary drinks one habit at a time.

Who should ask a doctor first

People with diabetes, or anyone told to watch their blood sugar, should ask their doctor or dietitian how juice fits their plan. They may suggest vegetable juice, a smaller glass or whole fruit instead. A home juicer still helps here, because you can press green juice with no fruit at all.

Enjoying fruit juice with less sugar

Fruit juice does contain sugar, and the WHO counts it as free sugar. You can still enjoy it by deciding ahead how much you pour and when. Mix in vegetables, use a smaller glass and keep some fibre, and you stay in control of the sugar in every glass.

When you are ready to make juice your way, you can compare slow juicers in Malaysia and find one that handles vegetables and greens as easily as fruit.

Frequently asked questions

Is fresh fruit juice high in sugar?

It can be. Fresh juice keeps the fruit's natural sugar but leaves much of the fibre behind in the pulp. The WHO counts the sugar in fruit juice as free sugar.

Does fresh juice count as added sugar?

The WHO groups it with free sugars, together with added sugar, honey and syrups. It is not added sugar, but it counts toward the same daily limit.

How much fruit juice can I drink a day?

The WHO advises keeping free sugars below 10% of daily energy, and ideally below about 25 grams. Keep juice to a small glass with a meal. Ask your doctor if you have diabetes.

Is slow juicer juice lower in sugar?

The machine does not remove sugar. It lets you add vegetables and choose less fruit, so your glass can carry less sugar than a fruit-only juice.

Which vegetables lower the sugar in my juice?

Cucumber, celery and leafy greens add volume with little sugar. Mix them with one fruit, such as an apple, for taste.

Is packet juice the same as fresh juice?

Both carry natural fruit sugar. Packet juice may also have added sugar, so read the label. At home you choose the fruit, the vegetables and the size of the glass.