There are 387 calories in 100g of sugar. It is one of the most calorie-dense foods. A tablespoon of sugar contains 50 calories, almost equal to that of a small banana. The high calories in sugar makes it an excellent source of energy. Almost every packaged product or beverage contains added sugars. Sugar is also consumed through natural and processed food items and is used to artificially enhance flavours. While consumption of sugar in limited amounts is natural and healthy, any large amount can cause some serious negative effects on the body. Find out more about the calories in common foods with sugar, and the risks of consumption of excess sugar in the article below.
Most people are unaware of the amount of sugar they consume in a day, as almost every packaged product or beverage contains added sugars. Even items like bread, sauce or even ready to make noodles and pasta have a ton of processed sugar added in to enhance the flavours. While having sugar in limited amounts is perfectly natural and healthy, the amount of sugar we consume unknowingly can cause some serious negative effects on the body.
After all, many major diseases like diabetes, heart disease, obesity, etc. have been linked to excessive consumption of sugar. In this article, weβll take a look at calories in sugar, its nutritional composition as well as benefits and risks associated with it.
Sugar is one of the most calorie-dense foods that exist. 100 grams of sugar contain approximately 387 calories, which is a higher calorie density than most other natural food sources. While sugar is an excellent source of energy, overconsumption can easily happen due to the hidden sugars in various foods available in the market. Letβs take a look at calories in sugar and its nutrient breakdown:
Sugar (100 grams) |
Nutritional Composition |
Sugar calories 100g |
387 calories |
Fat |
0 |
Carbohydrates |
100 grams |
Protein |
0 |
Vitamin A |
0 |
Vitamin C |
0 |
As you can see from the table above, the only major nutrient in sugar is starch in the form of carbohydrates. Hence, overconsumption of it can quickly give rise to illnesses such as diabetes, heart diseases, digestive problems and more. Here is a look at calories in different quantities of sugar:
Sugar Quantity |
Calories |
1 spoon sugar calories |
37 |
1 tsp sugar calories |
40 |
1 tablespoon sugar calories |
50 |
1 cup of sugar calories |
300-400 |
Sugar calories 100g |
387 |
If you want to burn the calories of consuming 100 grams of sugar each day or 387 calories, you will need to run 35-40 minutes, walk for about 90 minutes or cycle for about 1 hour. Make sure the sugar you consume in a day is limited to just a few grams, as the calories in sugar add up really fast. It is also important to understand the number of calories in foods that contain sugar so you can adjust your diet accordingly.
Sugar is added to a very large number of food items and beverages that people consume every day. From tea, coffee and cold drinks to pizza, pasta, bread to breakfast cereals and sauces, everything has some amount of sugar added in, which increases the intake of calories through these foods by a good margin. Letβs take a look at calories in common foods with sugars:
Common Foods with Sugar |
Calories |
Ketchup (1 tablespoon) |
101 calories |
Packaged Fruit Juice (200 ml) |
90-100 calories |
Energy Drinks (250 ml) |
140 calories |
Granola (100 grams) |
500-700 calories |
Coffee (with milk and sugar - 1 cup) |
60-100 calories |
Breakfast cereals ( 1 serving) |
220 calories |
Canned Fruits (100 grams) |
100 calories |
Here are some of the main benefits of sugar:
When consumed in limited quantities, sugar is an excellent source of instant energy. Most energy drinks and electrolytes contain sugar to give an instant sugar boost to people.
Foods that contain natural sugars like fruits or certain vegetables are very healthy for your body and also act as antioxidants. Natural fruits rich in sugars also have an abundance of vitamins and minerals that are needed by the body.
Glucose found in sugar is the main form of nutrient used by our body for energy. Most of the carbohydrates we eat are also broken down into glucose and used in the form of energy by our bodies for day to day activities.
Unfortunately, the risks of consuming sugar far outweigh the potential benefits. With large amounts of hidden sugars added to foods, it is very easy to go over your daily quota of the amount of sugar to be consumed. Letβs take a look at some of the main risks associated with consuming too much sugar:
Sugar causes weight gain. Many scientific studies have proven that overconsumption of sugar directly leads to weight gain. Even if you have a fast metabolism, sugar can increase your weight if consumed in excess.
Sugar increases the risk of heart disease. It has been observed by medical professionals that people who consume a lot of sugar in their daily diets are more prone to heart diseases compared to people who consume little to no sugar.
As per health sites, consuming sugar is one of the leading causes of Type II diabetes. Diabetes is a chronic disease that affects millions of people around the world. People suffering from diabetes need to make drastic diet and lifestyle changes to cope with their disease.
A large number of medical conditions like heart attacks, blockages, are a consequence of diabetes complications.
As per medical research, excessive consumption of sugar has also been linked to a higher risk of developing cancer. Sugar consumption increases inflammation and causes insulin resistance, which is directly linked to an increased risk of cancer.
Some health sites have also linked consumption of sugar to other conditions like fatty liver, depression, ageing, decreased cognitive abilities, etc.
It is a good idea to limit your sugar intake to 10-15 grams a day. Most dieticians recommend that you should not consume any more than 30-35 grams of sugar a day. For children, this number drops down to 25 grams. People suffering from any conditions related to sugar should look into starting a sugar-free diet. You can use this BMI calculator to find out your current health status and whether you need to make any lifestyle changes.
Now that you know everything about calories in sugar and theitsir positive and negative effects on the body, you should start developing a diet that is in line with your health goals. If you want to protect yourself and your family against any potential medical conditions or accidents, you should look into getting a health insurance plan. A good health insurance plan can keep you financially covered whenever a medical emergency arises so you can focus on taking care of yourself and your loved ones. Check out the best plans available on Bajaj Markets below.
Consuming sugar in limited quantities is not harmful. However, prolonged overconsumption of sugar can lead to many medical conditions like heart disease, diabetes, and more.
1 teaspoon sugar calories amount to around 40.
It is safe to consume sugar every day as long as you keep your consumption limited to just a few grams.
100 grams of sugar contains approximately 384 calories.
Most of the sugars consumed are through packaged goods. Whenever you are buying foods, check the ingredients for added sugars and avoid those that have sugar in them. You can also cut out white sugar from your diet by consuming black tea and coffee and using sugar-free sweeteners.