Sugar is one of the most commonly used ingredients in cooking and baking. It adds sweetness and is an important component in recipes ranging from cookies to cakes to candy. There are many different types of sugar available, including regular granulated white sugar, brown sugar, raw sugar, and powdered sugar. Two of the most popular varieties are regular granulated white sugar and powdered sugar. But is one healthier than the other? Does powdered sugar contain more calories per gram than regular sugar? Let’s take a closer look.
What is Powdered Sugar?
Powdered sugar, also known as confectioners’ sugar or icing sugar, is a finely ground sugar produced by milling granulated sugar into a powdered form. It contains a small amount of cornstarch, typically 3% by weight, which is added as an anti-caking agent to prevent clumping. The particle size of powdered sugar is much smaller than granulated sugar, allowing it to blend more smoothly into recipes.
Powdered sugar is most commonly used in:
- Frostings and icings
- Dusting desserts and baked goods
- Whipped cream
- Candy making
It dissolves more easily than granulated sugar and adds smoothness, lightness, and a fine texture to recipes and decorations. Powdered sugar should be sifted before use to break up any lumps for an ultra-fine consistency.
What is Granulated Sugar?
Granulated sugar, also known as table sugar or white sugar, consists of refined sugarcane or sugar beets in a crystallized form. The large, single crystals provide the recognizable granular texture.
Common types of granulated sugar include:
- White sugar – made from sugarcane
- Beet sugar – made from sugar beets
- Cane sugar – made from sugarcane
Due to its crystal structure, granulated sugar does not dissolve as easily as powdered sugar. However, it provides sweetness, structure, crunchy texture, caramelization, and volume to all types of recipes including:
- Baked goods like cakes, cookies, pies
- Candy and confections
- Sauces, syrups, and glazes
- Fruit desserts
- Beverages
Granulated sugar is the most common form of sugar used in home kitchens and food manufacturing.
Calorie and Nutrition Comparison
Let’s examine the calorie and nutrition profiles of powdered versus granulated sugar:
Powdered Sugar Nutrition Facts
1 tablespoon (8 grams) of powdered sugar contains:
- 29 calories
- 0 grams fat
- 0 grams protein
- 7 grams carbohydrate
- 7 grams sugar
As a pure sucrose sugar, powdered sugar does not contain any vitamins, minerals, protein, or fat. The calories come entirely from carbohydrates.
Granulated Sugar Nutrition Facts
1 tablespoon (12 grams) of granulated sugar contains:
- 45 calories
- 0 grams fat
- 0 grams protein
- 12 grams carbohydrate
- 12 grams sugar
Like powdered sugar, granulated sugar has no nutritional value other than carbohydrate-based calories. There are no vitamins, minerals, fiber, protein, or fat.
Calories per Gram Comparison
If we examine the calories per gram of each type of sugar:
- Powdered sugar: 3.6 calories per gram
- Granulated sugar: 3.8 calories per gram
This shows that granulated sugar contains slightly more calories per gram than powdered sugar. However, the difference is very small.
In practical cooking terms, you can count powdered sugar and granulated sugar as equal in calories. The minor calorie differences per gram get negated when using typical serving sizes in recipes.
Reasons for Slight Calorie Differences
So why does powdered sugar contain slightly fewer calories per gram? There are two primary reasons:
1. Density
Powdered sugar has a lower density than granulated sugar because of its fine, powdery texture. With more air incorporated into the powder, it has a lighter density.
Since a tablespoon of powdered sugar weighs less than a tablespoon of granulated sugar, it naturally contains fewer calories even though the sugar itself provides the same 4 calories per gram.
2. Cornstarch
Powdered sugar contains approximately 3% cornstarch as an anti-caking agent. Cornstarch only provides around 1.3 calories per gram, compared to 4 calories per gram of sucrose sugar.
So the small amount of cornstarch slightly reduces the calories in powdered sugar. However, it’s only around a 3% difference, so the impact is negligible.
Uses in Baking and Cooking
While powdered and granulated sugar are relatively equal in calories, they are not always interchangeable in recipes. Here are some tips on using each type of sugar:
Powdered Sugar
- Best used in frostings, icings, dusting desserts
- Adds smooth, fine texture
- Dissolves and incorporates easily
- Often sifted over finished baked goods
- 1 cup powdered sugar = 1 cup granulated sugar, but may require additional liquid
Granulated Sugar
- Provides structure and crunchy texture in baked goods
- Essential for creaming with butter/fat to aerate batters
- Caramelizes and browns when heated
- Dissolves slower so maintains grain
- Can be swapped 1:1 for powdered sugar in most recipes
While you can often substitute powdered and granulated sugar equally by volume, keep in mind that powdered sugar incorporates more air so packs down lighter. You may need to adjust other liquids in the recipe.
For example, if a recipe calls for 1 cup powdered sugar, you can replace it with 1 cup granulated sugar, but the mixture will form a thicker, stiffer consistency. You may need to add an extra tablespoon of milk or other liquid to account for the difference.
Which is Healthier?
When comparing powdered versus granulated sugar, neither variety is considered truly healthy, as they both provide empty calories and spike blood sugar.
However, powdered sugar is slightly less processed than granulated white sugar since it is milled down rather than repeatedly crystallized and refined. So some may perceive it as a marginally better option.
Ultimately, both should be used sparingly as part of an overall balanced diet:
- Limit added sugar to no more than 10% of total daily calories
- Aim for less than 6 teaspoons (25 grams) per day for women and 9 teaspoons (38 grams) for men
- Consume sugar along with fiber, fat, and protein to blunt blood sugar spikes
- Use sugar in moderation in healthy recipes like oatmeal cookies over junk food
Checking the ingredients list of packaged foods and being aware of hidden sugars like corn syrup can also help reduce intake of empty calories.
Conclusion
Powdered sugar and granulated sugar are very close in calories and nutrition. Powdered sugar contains slightly fewer calories per gram, approximately 3.6 calories versus 3.8 calories for granulated sugar. This minor difference is due to the lower density of powdered sugar and the small amount of cornstarch it contains.
When substituting equal volumes of powdered and granulated sugar in recipes, the calorie count will be nearly identical. Granulated sugar may affect texture and moisture levels more than powdered sugar, potentially requiring adjustment of other ingredients.
Overall, powdered sugar and granulated sugar should be consumed in moderation as part of a healthy diet. Neither offers much nutritional benefit beyond calories and carbohydrates. But used appropriately in the right recipes, both can still be included as occasional sweet treats.
