How Do the Calories in Sugar and Sweeteners Compare?

A 5 ml measure of granulated sugar (about 10 grams) has roughly 39 calories, since sugar carries about 4 calories per gram. Liquid sweeteners such as honey and grape molasses are a little denser at the same volume, so a 5 ml measure of honey gives around 32-34 calories and grape molasses around 30 calories. Artificial sweeteners (sucralose, aspartame, stevia-based products) usually carry 0-4 calories per packet, because their sweetening power is hundreds of times that of sugar, so only a tiny amount is used. That is why a "zero-calorie" label often means a negligible amount rather than a literal zero. What is the difference between honey, grape molasses and sugar? Per gram, honey carries slightly fewer calories than white sugar because it contains a little water; but honey is denser, so a 5 ml measure of honey weighs more than a 5 ml measure of sugar, which narrows the practical difference. Grape molasses behaves similarly, being a thick syrup whose calories per volume sit close to sugar's. Because honey and grape molasses taste sweeter than sugar, a recipe can often use a little less of them for the same sweetness, which can lower the total calorie count somewhat. In everyday cooking the calorie gap between these three sweeteners is not dramatic; the choice usually comes down to flavor and texture. Are artificial sweeteners really calorie-free? Food labels can list a serving as "calorie-free" if it falls under 5 calories, which is why sucralose or aspartame packets carry close to zero calories without being mathematically exact zero. Stevia-based sweeteners come from a plant source, but they behave no differently from other artificial sweeteners in terms of calories. Some manufacturers blend the sweetener with bulking agents such as dextrose or maltodextrin, and these fillers can carry a small amount of calories themselves, though the overall effect stays negligible. How does swapping sweeteners change a recipe's calories? Replacing sugar with an equal amount of honey barely changes a recipe's total calories; the saving only appears if the extra sweetness of honey lets you use less of it. Swapping sugar for an artificial sweetener, on the other hand, cuts calories noticeably, though cakes and cookies can lose the moisture-holding and browning effects that sugar provides. In cookies that rely on browning and crispness, a full swap to an artificial sweetener can noticeably soften the texture, so many bakers use a partial swap instead of replacing all of it. Which sweetener works best in homemade desserts? In syrup-soaked desserts like baklava or revani, the syrup itself is already a concentrated sugar solution, so swapping sugar for honey does not noticeably lower the total calories; the real difference comes from how much syrup is used. In syrup-free bakes like cakes and cookies, the sweetener choice affects both calories and texture. Desserts made with artificial sweeteners can also have a shorter shelf life, since sugar also acts as a natural preservative; removing it entirely can make a dessert go stale faster. That is why people looking to cut calories usually replace only part of the sugar rather than all of it. In short A 5 ml measure of sugar is around 39 calories, honey and grape molasses sit close to that, and artificial sweeteners are close to zero. The real calorie difference comes from the amount used; the sweeter the sweetener, the less of it you need for the same taste, which lowers the total calories.