Sugar is a well-known component of any meal. Basically, this substance is a pure sucrose, which is needed for our body to have some energy. So, what amount of calories does sugar contain? Let us find out!
How Many Calories in a Cup of Sugar
Common sugar, called sucrose, refers to carbohydrates, which are considered as valuable nutrients that provide your organism with an energy it needs to work properly. There are some different kinds of carbs, but sucrose splits very fast, meaning you get energy from it almost instantly.
There are some different kinds of this sweet product which we usually use, such as white and brown. In addition, this product goes in granulated, powdered or natural states. The interesting thing here is that there is almost no difference between them, when talking about calories. Therefore, as a cup of white sugar worth 796 kcal, the same is true about brown one.
Coconut sugar is somewhat different. It is made from nectar of coconut palm flowers and contains not only carbohydrates, but also some proteins and vegetable fats. So, the caloric value there is a bit less.
Calories in a Tablespoon of Sugar
While brown sugar is almost the same, many people like it more. The thing is its slightly vanilla taste. Brown sugar may be a little more beneficial for your health, as it contains some vitamins, as well as fewer carbohydrates. There is actually something different in the content of this brown sweetness. However, as we have mentioned before, the calorie content is the same, and one tablespoon of sugar (that equals around 12,5 g of the product) contains 99.5 kcal.
How Many Calories in a Teaspoon of Sugar
It is better to count sugar with teaspoons, as we all use it likes this. Almost all people prefer their tea or coffee to be sweetened. Therefore, one teaspoon of sugar (that equals to the amount of 5 g) contains around 39.8 kcal. Remember that before drinking some tea, if you are on a diet.
Powdered type of this product is not different from a regular one. However, the amount of calories in there may be slightly less (It depends on the fineness of grind). There are even three various sorts of powder. Two of them are used in the confectionery industry, whereas the last is what you can buy in a mart. Remember to count sweet calories in powdered sugar if you sprinkle it on some bakery.
Calories in a Gram of Sugar
It is very important to know the exact amount of sugar, for example, in wine, to calculate how much calories we can get from it. The good thing is that some manufacturers of different products put a content of this sweetness on packages.
Remember that one gram of sugar equals 3.98 kcal. This is actually a lot, as we are talking here about just a pinch.
Caloric Value of White, Brown and Coconut Sugar
| Name of a product | Calories in a cup (200 g) | Calories in a tablespoon (12,5 g) | Calories in a teaspoon (4 g) | Calories per gram | Percent of daily calorie intake (for 100 g) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White sugar* | 797.2 | 99.6 | 39.9 | 4.0 | 11% |
| Brown sugar* | 795.8 | 99.4 | 39.7 | 3.9 | 10% |
| Coconut sugar* | 764.1 | 95.5 | 38.2 | 3.8 | 10% |
| Powdered sugar | 748.3 | 93.5 | 37.4 | 3.7 | 9% |
*granulated
Notice that all the sweet product you can buy in a market goes granulated. However, there is also a natural one – a sugar you get right from beets or reeds (depending on a method of producing). It is not widely used in cookery, because it might be more harmful for health. The amount of calories there is not much different: ±0.2 per gram.
So, as you can see, one teaspoon of sugar is a huge dose of energy, and if you do not use this energy (e.g. on physical exercises), it will transform into fat. That is why it is recommended to control the amount of sweet calories you get, especially when you are on a diet. Anyway, it is hard to imagine our life without all these sweets. Just be reasonable with amounts.
I believe you are mistaken, I have always been taught there are 4 calories per gram of carbohydrates or protein and 9 calories per gram of fat