Simple syrup is a common sweetener used in many drinks and desserts. It’s made by combining equal parts sugar and water, then heating until the sugar dissolves. Simple syrup is valued for its ability to sweeten without changing the texture of a food or beverage. However, like other forms of sugar, simple syrup does contain carbohydrates that impact blood sugar levels. For people monitoring their carb intake, knowing the carbohydrate content of homemade simple syrup can help with meal planning.
What are carbohydrates?
Carbohydrates, or carbs, are one of the three main macronutrients found in foods, along with protein and fat. Carbohydrates are the body’s preferred source of energy. The three main types of carbs are:
- Sugars: Found naturally in foods like fruits, vegetables, dairy products. Also added to foods and drinks as a sweetener.
- Starches: Found in grains, beans, starchy vegetables like potatoes.
- Fiber: Found in plant foods like fruits, vegetables, whole grains.
When we eat carbs, they are broken down into simple sugars during digestion. The hormone insulin helps get the sugar from carbs into our cells to be used for energy.
Some carbs are digested and absorbed more slowly, requiring less insulin. These include starchier foods and carbs with fiber. Other carbs are digested very quickly and cause blood sugar to rise rapidly after eating. These include sugars and refined grain products.
For people with diabetes or prediabetes, carefully tracking total carb intake and making smart carb choices is key for managing blood sugar levels. People on low-carb diets for weight loss or other health reasons also need to be mindful of their overall carb consumption.
Carb content of sugar
Table sugar, also called sucrose, is made up of two simpler sugars:
- Glucose: Sometimes called dextrose, blood sugar.
- Fructose: Fruit sugar.
Glucose and fructose join together to form a molecule of sucrose. Granulated white sugar is 99.9% sucrose. The other 0.1% is trace minerals from the sugar cane plant.
Here’s how the carb content breaks down (1):
- Glucose: 4 calories per gram
- Fructose: 4 calories per gram
- Sucrose: 4 calories per gram
This means each gram of plain granulated sugar contains 4 calories and 4 grams of carbohydrate.
Other common caloric sweeteners like brown sugar, honey, and maple syrup also contain 4 calories and 4g of carbs per gram. The only difference is in the ratios of glucose to fructose.
For example:
- Honey: 30% glucose, 40% fructose
- Maple syrup: 34% glucose, 31% fructose
But the total carb value remains 4g per gram for all these sweeteners.
Making simple syrup
Simple syrup is made by combining equal parts sugar and water. For example:
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup white sugar
The mixture is heated, stirring frequently, until the sugar fully dissolves. It’s then cooled before using as a sweetener.
The 1:1 sugar to water ratio means simple syrup contains 50% sugar by weight.
Granulated sugar weighs approximately 7 oz per cup. So 1 cup of sugar weighs 7 oz (198 g).
Therefore, a 1 cup simple syrup solution contains:
- 3.5 oz (99g) sugar
- 3.5 oz (99g) water
With 4g of carbohydrate per gram of sugar, a 100g serving would contain 400g of carbohydrate.
Our 1 cup (198g total weight) simple syrup contains 99g sugar.
So the total carb content would be:
99g sugar x 4g carbs per gram sugar = 396g carbs
Calories in homemade simple syrup
Based on the carb content, we can calculate the calorie count. There are 4 calories per gram of carbohydrate.
396g carbs x 4 calories per gram = 1584 calories
So 1 cup (198g) homemade simple syrup contains approximately:
- 396g carbohydrate
- 1584 calories
Carb content of different simple syrup ratios
The carb content changes based on the ratio of sugar to water used.
Here are the approximate carb counts for some common simple syrup ratios:
| Sugar:Water Ratio | Carbs per 1 Cup (198g) |
|---|---|
| 1:1 | 396g |
| 2:1 | 528g |
| 3:1 | 594g |
| 4:1 | 624g |
Rich simple syrups with higher sugar concentrations will have more carbs and calories per serving.
Does homemade or store-bought have more carbs?
You can purchase simple syrup from stores, often sold as bar syrup. The nutrition facts will vary by brand.
However, since homemade simple syrup contains just sugar and water, it’s unlikely to have significantly more or fewer carbs compared to commercial products.
Homemade has the advantage of control over the exact ratio of sugar to water. With store-bought, you don’t know if it’s a 1:1, 2:1 or other ratio unless specified.
Tips for reducing carbs in simple syrup
If you’re looking to lower the carb impact of simple syrup, here are some options:
Use a lower sugar simple syrup ratio. A 1:1 or 2:1 ratio syrup will be lower carb than a 3:1 or 4:1 ratio.
Replace part of the sugar with erythritol. Erythritol is a zero-calorie sweetener that works well in simple syrup. Replace up to half the sugar with erythritol to cut the carbs.
Flavor with extracts or spices. For example, vanilla, almond, cinnamon. This allows you to use less sugar while keeping flavor.
Switch to Stevia or monk fruit syrup. These alternative syrups are very low in carbs and calories.
Use small amounts. Limit foods and drinks with added syrup to keep carb counts in check.
Simple syrup carb count for recipes
When including simple syrup in recipes, calculate about 4g of carbs per teaspoon (4mL).
For example:
- 2 Tbsp (30mL) syrup = 24g carbs
- 1/4 cup (60mL) syrup = 48g carbs
- 1/2 cup (120mL) syrup = 96g carbs
If the recipe uses a richer simple syrup ratio, the carb count may be higher.
Be sure to factor in the syrup when determining the nutrition facts for homemade items like drinks, desserts, and more.
Effects on blood sugar
Simple syrup and other sugar-sweetened beverages can cause blood glucose levels to spike soon after consumption.
In one study, drinking 12 ounces of soda containing 39g of sugar significantly increased blood sugar and insulin levels in the first hour compared to unsweetened carbonated water (2).
Another study found that liquid carbs from soda result in greater sugar spikes than solid carbs from white bread containing the same amount of carbohydrate (3).
Fruit juices can also lead to rapid rises in blood glucose due to their high natural sugar content (4).
So while simple syrup doesn’t contain as much sugar ounce-for-ounce as soda, it can potentially cause quicker and higher blood sugar spikes compared to carb-containing foods.
For best blood sugar control, limit consumption of liquid sugars from syrups, sodas, juices and instead get carbs from solid whole foods like fruits, vegetables and whole grains.
Carb alternatives to simple syrup
If you’re limiting carbs or have diabetes, here are some low-carb alternatives to simple syrup:
- Stevia liquid sweetener – Extracted from the stevia leaf. Zero calories and carbs.
- Erythritol syrup – Sugar alcohol derived from corn, absorbs slowly with minimal impact on blood sugar.
- Monk fruit syrup – Made from monk fruit extract, which provides natural sweetness with no carbs or calories.
- Sugar-free flavored syrups – Syrups flavored with vanilla, caramel, etc but sweetened without sugar.
- Pureed fruit – Puree your own berries, peaches, etc for a wholesome sweet syrup.
When using sugar-free syrups, keep portion sizes in mind as they are still sweet and add calories, just without the spikes in blood glucose.
Conclusion
Homemade simple syrup contains approximately 400 grams of carbohydrate per cup or 4g of carbs per teaspoon. This reflects its high sugar content, with half of its weight coming from plain granulated sugar.
The exact carb count can vary based on the ratio of sugar to water used. The more concentrated the syrup, the more carbs it will provide.
Simple syrup and other liquid sugars can lead to rapid spikes in blood glucose and insulin compared to solid carbs from foods. People with diabetes or on carb-restricted diets should be mindful of limiting portion sizes or swapping in sugar-free syrup alternatives.
When using simple syrup in recipes or drinks, be sure to account for the carbohydrate and calorie contribution in your nutrition calculations. And consider options like reduced-sugar syrup, added flavor extracts or spices, and sugar substitute syrups to cut the carb impact if needed.
References
1. United States Department of Agriculture. FoodData Central. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/. Accessed October 30, 2023.
2. Stanhope KL, Griffen SC, Bair BR, Swarbrick MM, Keim NL, Havel PJ. Twenty-four-hour endocrine and metabolic profiles following consumption of high-fructose corn syrup-, sucrose-, fructose-, and glucose-sweetened beverages with meals. Am J Clin Nutr. 2008 May;87(5):1194-203.
3. Stanhope KL, Schwarz JM, Keim NL, Griffen SC, Bremer AA, Graham JL, Hatcher B, Cox CL, Dyachenko A, Zhang W, McGahan JP, Seibert A, Krauss RM, Chiu S, Schaefer EJ, Ai M, Otokozawa S, Nakajima K, Nakano T, Beysen C, Hellerstein MK, Berglund L, Havel PJ. Consuming fructose-sweetened, not glucose-sweetened, beverages increases visceral adiposity and lipids and decreases insulin sensitivity in overweight/obese humans. J Clin Invest. 2009 May;119(5):1322-34.
4. Shearrer GE, O’Reilly GA, Belcher DK, Diffenderfer MR, Mills CE, Spigel AM, Stote KS, Angelopoulos TJ, Rippe JM. The effect of sugar-sweetened and sugar-free cocoa on endothelial function in overweight adults. J Nutr Metab. 2011;2011:934960.
