💡 Quick Answer
One level teaspoon of white sugar (4.2 g) has about 16 kcal, one tablespoon (12.6 g) about 49 kcal, and 100 g has 387 kcal (USDA). All of it is carbohydrate, about 4.2 g per teaspoon. A teaspoon of honey (7 g) has about 21 kcal, and a teaspoon of grated jaggery (about 5 g) about 18 kcal.
- 2 teaspoons (a typical chai): 33 kcal.
- 1 sachet (2.8 g): 11 kcal.
- 1 cup (200 g): 774 kcal.
Portion calculator
4.2 g of white sugar, granulated (USDA) ≈ 0 g protein · 16 kcal
Scaled from the figures on this page. Brands and recipes vary.
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Sugar is the calorie that hides in the spoon: in chai, curd, lassi, kheer, nimbu pani. The questions are always small ("1 teaspoon sugar calories", "calories in one spoon sugar") and the answers are small too, until you multiply by how many spoons a day. This page gives the numbers for every spoon size, compares sugar with honey, jaggery and brown sugar, and shows how fast chai sugar adds up.
Sugar, Brown Sugar, Jaggery and Honey per 100 g
| Sweetener (100 g) | Weight | Calories | Protein | Carbs | Fat | Fibre |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White sugar, granulated (USDA) | 100 g | 387 kcal | 0.0 g | 100.0 g | 0.0 g | 0.0 g |
| Brown sugar (USDA) | 100 g | 380 kcal | 0.1 g | 98.1 g | 0.0 g | 0.0 g |
| Powdered sugar (USDA) | 100 g | 389 kcal | 0.0 g | 99.8 g | 0.0 g | 0.0 g |
| Jaggery, cane (IFCT 2017) | 100 g | 354 kcal | 1.9 g | 84.9 g | 0.2 g | 0.0 g |
| Honey (USDA) | 100 g | 304 kcal | 0.3 g | 82.4 g | 0.0 g | 0.2 g |
Source: USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy), IDs 169655, 168833, 169656 and 169640; IFCT 2017 (ICMR-NIN), Jaggery, cane (I001; energy converted from kJ, carbohydrate is available carbohydrate plus fibre).
White sugar has 387 kcal per 100 g and is 100 percent carbohydrate. Brown sugar (380 kcal) and powdered sugar (389 kcal) are essentially the same, since brown sugar is just white sugar with a little molasses. Jaggery has 354 kcal per 100 g in IFCT 2017, slightly fewer, because it contains some moisture and minerals. Honey has 304 kcal per 100 g, about 21 percent fewer calories than sugar by weight, since it is partly water. Per gram of weight, all of these sweeteners are within about 20 percent of each other, so swapping one for another saves few calories. Our page on jaggery vs sugar covers the glycaemic and mineral differences.
Calories in 1 Teaspoon, 1 Tablespoon, a Sachet and a Cup of Sugar
| Quantity | Weight | Calories | Protein | Carbs | Fat | Fibre |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sugar, 1 sachet | 1 sachet, 2.8 g | 11 kcal | 0.0 g | 2.8 g | 0.0 g | 0.0 g |
| Sugar, 1 cube | 1 cube, 2.3 g | 9 kcal | 0.0 g | 2.3 g | 0.0 g | 0.0 g |
| Sugar, 1 teaspoon | 1 level tsp, 4.2 g | 16 kcal | 0.0 g | 4.2 g | 0.0 g | 0.0 g |
| Sugar, 2 teaspoons | 2 tsp, 8.4 g | 33 kcal | 0.0 g | 8.4 g | 0.0 g | 0.0 g |
| Sugar, 1 tablespoon | 1 tbsp, 12.6 g | 49 kcal | 0.0 g | 12.6 g | 0.0 g | 0.0 g |
| Sugar, 1 cup | 1 cup, 200 g | 774 kcal | 0.0 g | 200.0 g | 0.0 g | 0.0 g |
| Sugar, 100 g | 100 g | 387 kcal | 0.0 g | 100.0 g | 0.0 g | 0.0 g |
| Honey, 1 teaspoon | 1 tsp, 7 g | 21 kcal | 0.0 g | 5.8 g | 0.0 g | 0.0 g |
| Honey, 1 tablespoon | 1 tbsp, 21 g | 64 kcal | 0.1 g | 17.3 g | 0.0 g | 0.0 g |
| Jaggery, 1 teaspoon (grated) | 1 tsp grated, about 5 g | 18 kcal | 0.1 g | 4.2 g | 0.0 g | 0.0 g |
| Jaggery, 1 small piece | 1 small piece, about 20 g | 71 kcal | 0.4 g | 17.0 g | 0.0 g | 0.0 g |
Source: USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy) (sugar: 2.8 g per packet, 4.2 g per teaspoon, 2.3 g per cube, 200 g per cup; honey: 21 g per tablespoon) and IFCT 2017 (ICMR-NIN) (jaggery). The 12.6 g sugar tablespoon (3 teaspoons), the honey teaspoon (a third of a tablespoon) and both jaggery weights are our assumptions; grated jaggery is lighter than crystal sugar.
A level teaspoon of sugar weighs 4.2 g and gives about 16 kcal. A tablespoon, at three teaspoons, gives about 49 kcal. A sachet has 11 kcal and a cube 9 kcal. A cup (200 g) is 774 kcal. Heaped spoons weigh more: a heaped teaspoon is often 6 to 8 g, or up to 30 kcal, so the spoon you use at home may be double the level-spoon figure. Honey is a heavy spoon (7 g per teaspoon, 21 g per tablespoon), so a teaspoon of honey (21 kcal) actually has more calories than a teaspoon of sugar (16 kcal). Grated jaggery by the teaspoon (about 5 g) comes to 18 kcal, in between.
How Sugar Adds Up in a Day of Chai and Sweets
Three cups of chai with two teaspoons each is six teaspoons, or about 99 kcal and 25 g of sugar before the milk. Add a sweet or a soft drink and you can pass the World Health Organization's recommendation of keeping free sugars under 10 percent of daily energy (about 50 g on 2,000 kcal), and ideally under 5 percent. Sugar in tea does not make you feel full, so those calories are on top of meals. Cutting from two teaspoons to one per cup saves about 16 kcal a cup, or around 48 kcal across three cups. For the full cup, see chai calories per cup.
Is Honey or Jaggery Better Than Sugar?
- Calories: similar per spoon, and honey is higher per teaspoon, so neither is a licence to use more.
- Minerals: jaggery has iron and potassium: IFCT lists 4.6 mg of iron per 100 g, but a teaspoon gives only a trace.
- Blood sugar: all of them raise blood sugar. People with diabetes should limit all sweeteners and ask their doctor.
- Infants: honey is not safe for babies under one year.
Practical Ways to Cut Sugar
- Measure with a level spoon for a week to see your real intake.
- Reduce chai sugar by half a teaspoon every few days; taste adapts within weeks.
- Use fruit, spices (cardamom, cinnamon) or a little dates to sweeten curd and oats.
- Check labels: sweetened drinks list sugar per 100 ml, and 4 g is about a teaspoon.
For the drink that most Indians add sugar to, see sugarcane juice calories for the extreme end, and use the protein calculator to set the target that sweets should not crowd out. All our food numbers are in the nutrition hub.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many calories are in 1 teaspoon of sugar?
About 16 kcal for a level teaspoon (4.2 g) of white sugar, all from carbohydrate. A heaped teaspoon can be up to double.
How many calories are in 1 tablespoon of sugar?
About 49 kcal for 12.6 g, which is three level teaspoons.
How many calories are in 100 g of sugar?
387 kcal and 100 g of carbohydrate (USDA).
How many calories are in 2 teaspoons of sugar in chai?
About 33 kcal from the sugar alone, before milk.
Does honey have fewer calories than sugar?
Per 100 g, yes: 304 kcal against 387 kcal. Per teaspoon honey is higher, because a teaspoon of honey weighs more (21 kcal against 16 kcal).
How many calories are in jaggery?
IFCT 2017 lists 354 kcal per 100 g, so a teaspoon of grated jaggery (about 5 g) has about 18 kcal.
Sources: USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy): granulated sugar (169655), brown sugar (168833), powdered sugar (169656) and honey (169640), with portion weights for sugar and honey; IFCT 2017 (ICMR-National Institute of Nutrition): jaggery, cane (I001). The WHO free-sugar guideline is from its 2015 guideline on sugars intake. Spoon weights marked as assumptions are ours. Values are typical, not lab results.
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