Calories in Confectioners’ Sugar

Calories in confectioners’ sugar is definitely a worrisome issue for those of you who want to control weight for various reasons. Read the following article to learn more about its calories and other nutrition facts.

People with a sweet tooth, do need to keep a track of the nutrition facts of all the sweets and desserts that they like to relish. The biggest reason behind it is the amount of sugar, which we use in various forms, to make those foods so mouth-watering. We all know that sugar is a natural food sweetener, what we don’t know is that sugar is one of the most fattening food sources that every weight loss aspirant should keep an eye on! The granulated sugar which is use on a daily basis, is available in various forms. One of the popular types of sugar is the confectioners’ sugar. As the name suggests, confectioners’ sugar is mostly used in confectioneries and bakeries that produce desserts and sweets on a frequent basis.

This sugar is very fine in texture, and it also dissolves very quickly. It is mainly produced for industrial usage only. It is known by various other names as granulated sugar, powdered sugar, icing sugar (in UK) and frosting sugar. The confectioners’ sugar that we use at home, sometimes contains varied amount of anti-caking agents like sodium aluminosilicate or salt. We typically consume it in the form of frosting and icing of various sweets and desserts like cakes, candies and baked goods. The calories in are definitely of a higher degree and they may further increase depending on the type of foods that they are used for.

Calories

As per various nutritional surveys, the calories in 1 cup of confectioners’ sugar are on the higher side. ½ cup contains around 195 calories. While 1 tablespoon contains around 48 calories. One teaspoon of contains around 10 calories. The process of sifting, which is used for baking also creates a lot of difference in the calorie count. For example, if the sugar (1 cup) is sifted before baking, it contains around 390 calories, while unsifted confectioners’ sugar contains around 470 calories. The act of sifting actually removes extra air which might be present in the sugar molecules. Since sifted sugar is free from air, it is lower in volume, weight as well as calorie count. Hence, one should always use it in its sifted form, rather than the unsifted form. As I said previously, nutrition facts also depend on the amount and the accompaniment that they are generally consumed with.

In other words, if you are consuming confectioners’ sugar by sprinkling it on fresh fruits, then the calories in fresh fruits get added in the total calories that are present in the amount of confectioners’ sugar that you are using. For instance, if you added one tablespoon to one banana, then you are consuming around 170 calories (1 banana contains around 121 calories + 48 calories that are present in 1 tbsp. Hence, controlling your calorie consumption is in your own hands. If you want to avoid consuming this type of sugar, then you can use various good icing sugar substitutes. Especially, those of you who are overweight or are suffering with certain health conditions like diabetes and hypertension. If you are not suffering with any such health conditions, even then the over-consumption of confectioners’ sugar with a sedentary lifestyle, may invite various kinds of health problems for you. It can be consumed when it is used for decorative purposes like frosting and icing, but one should always consume such foods in a limited manner.

Nutrition Facts

In order to get a clearer idea about the calorie count, let’s get to know its other nutrition facts. Here is a chart that briefly explains the amount of nutrients that are present in 1 cup of confectioners’ sugar or icing sugar or sucre glace, as it called in France! (Keep in mind that all the nutritional values that are mentioned below are the average values.)

The above chart shows that 1 cup of confectioners’ sugar contains around 389 calories and around 100 g of carbohydrates. Hence, it is very important to consume it in moderation. Now that you know the number of calorie count, keeping a track on its consumption is in your own hands. Remember that when you eat more sugar, you may need more physical activities to burn the calories that come along with it!