Oils & Sweeteners
White Sugar
Overview
Why use white sugar?
White sugar is close to pure sucrose: 99.8 g of sugars per 100 g and essentially no vitamins or minerals. It sweetens, browns and tenderises food beautifully, but it belongs in the small-amounts column rather than the nourishing-foods column of your diet.
Good to know: All of its calories come from added sugar with no nutrients attached, so health guidelines suggest keeping added sugars under about 10 percent of daily calories.
Fast, usable energy
Sugar is almost entirely carbohydrate, which the body breaks down to glucose, the main fuel for the brain and working muscles.
Small cost per spoon
One teaspoon is 4.2 g and about 16 kcal, so a single spoon in coffee or on berries is a modest addition to a day's intake.
No fat or sodium
Per 100 g it contributes only 1 mg sodium and no fat, so it does not add to salt or saturated fat intake.
Overview drafted with AI from USDA FoodData Central figures. For education, not medical advice.
Nutrition facts
What’s in white sugar?
Calories
387kcal
Protein
0g
Carbs
100g
Fat
0g
Fiber
0g
Sugars
100g
Minerals
- Calcium1 mg0%
- Iron0.05 mg0%
- Potassium2 mg0%
- Sodium1 mg0%
- Zinc0.01 mg0%
- Copper<0.01 mg1%
- Selenium0.6 µg1%
Vitamins
- Riboflavin (B2)0.02 mg1%
% Daily Value is based on FDA reference amounts for adults. Bars cap at 100%.
Side by side, per 100 g
White Sugar vs Honey
| Nutrient | White Sugar | Honey |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 387 kcal | 304 kcal |
| Protein | 0 g | 0.3 g |
| Sugars | 100 g | 82 g |
| Fiber | 0 g | 0.2 g |
| Calcium | 1 mg | 6 mg |
| Iron | 0.05 mg | 0.42 mg |
| Magnesium | 0 mg | 2 mg |
| Potassium | 2 mg | 52 mg |
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Source: USDA FoodData Central, “Sugars, granulated” (SR Legacy, FDC ID 169655).View the USDA record ↗ (opens in a new tab).