Sugars, granulated
FDC 169655serving packet (3 g)
Source: USDA FoodData Central · Public domain
Original analysis by NutriVerdict
Density 3 · -6 vs Sweets medianPlain granulated table sugar scores 3 of 100 (Low band), ranking 55th of 60 in Sweets, below the category's median of 9. There is nothing here in the way of vitamins, minerals, protein, or fat; the 387 calories per 100 grams are carbohydrate from start to finish, with essentially no fiber.
It's stirred into coffee and baked into everything from bread to cookies, sold in single-serving packets weighing about 3 grams each for exactly this purpose. The number worth knowing is that it's high in sugars at 99.8 grams per 100 grams, close to the practical maximum for a food, so it contributes calories without other nutrients. Powdered sugar scores slightly higher in the same lineup, for what that's worth in a sugar-to-sugar comparison.
See how this score is calculated, build a plate around sugars, granulated, or compare it with another food.
Source: USDA FoodData Central · Public domain
Percent of calories derived by NutriVerdict from USDA grams
Nutrition facts
| Nutrient | Amount | % DV |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 387 kcal | 19% |
| Total fat | 0 g | 0% |
| Saturated fat | 0 g | 0% |
| Cholesterol | 0 mg | 0% |
| Sodium | 1 mg | 0% |
| Carbohydrate | 100 g | 36% |
| Dietary fiber | 0 g | 0% |
| Sugars | 100 g | |
| Protein | 0 g | 0% |
| Potassium | 2 mg | 0% |
| Calcium | 1 mg | 0% |
| Iron | 0.05 mg | 0% |
| Magnesium | 0 mg | 0% |
| Vitamin C | 0 mg | 0% |
| Vitamin A | 0 µg | 0% |
| Vitamin E | 0 mg | 0% |
| Nutrient | Amount | % DV |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 12 kcal | 1% |
| Total fat | 0 g | 0% |
| Saturated fat | 0 g | 0% |
| Cholesterol | 0 mg | 0% |
| Sodium | 0.03 mg | 0% |
| Carbohydrate | 3 g | 1% |
| Dietary fiber | 0 g | 0% |
| Sugars | 3 g | |
| Protein | 0 g | 0% |
| Potassium | 0.06 mg | 0% |
| Calcium | 0.03 mg | 0% |
| Iron | 0 mg | 0% |
| Magnesium | 0 mg | 0% |
| Vitamin C | 0 mg | 0% |
| Vitamin A | 0 µg | 0% |
| Vitamin E | 0 mg | 0% |
Source: USDA FoodData Central · Public domain
FDC 169655Original analysis by NutriVerdict
Versus the sweets median
Original analysis by NutriVerdict
More nutrient-dense swaps
Foods in the same category that score higher on nutrient density.
Sugars, powderedDensity 3 vs 3HoneyDensity 3 vs 3Sugar, turbinadoDensity 4 vs 3Original analysis by NutriVerdict
In the kitchen and how to use it
Granulated sugar is the everyday white sugar refined from sugarcane or sugar beets into uniform crystals. It is the workhorse sweetener for baking, where it does more than add sweetness, helping cookies spread and brown, giving cakes structure and moisture, and creaming with butter to trap air for a light crumb. Outside of baking, it stirs into coffee and tea, sprinkles over cereal or fresh berries, and forms the base for caramel, simple syrup, and candy making, where its exact melting behavior matters a great deal.
Stored in a sealed container away from moisture, granulated sugar keeps indefinitely without spoiling, since bacteria and mold cannot grow in an environment with so little available water. Nutritionally it is close to pure carbohydrate, with 387 calories and 100 grams of carbohydrate (99.8 grams of it sugar) per 100 grams and essentially no protein, fiber, or fat, which is why it is used as a functional baking and sweetening ingredient in small measured amounts, such as the 3 gram packet size used to sweeten a single cup of coffee.
Frequently asked questions about sugars, granulated
How many calories are in granulated sugar?
Granulated sugar has 387 calories per 100 grams; a single 3 gram sugar packet has about 12 calories.
What does granulated sugar do in baking besides sweeten?
It helps cookies spread and brown, gives cakes structure and moisture, and traps air when creamed with butter for a lighter crumb.
How do you store granulated sugar?
Keep it sealed and dry in the pantry; with so little available moisture, it keeps indefinitely without spoiling.