Nutrition Diet: How many kcal in glucose syrup?

November 1, 2025 •

4 min read

On average, glucose syrup contains roughly 300 to 330 kcal per 100 grams, translating to approximately 4 kcal per gram. The question of how many kcal in glucose syrup is crucial for anyone monitoring their sugar and calorie intake, especially since this ingredient is a concentrated source of pure carbohydrates with virtually no nutritional value beyond energy.

Quick Summary

This article explains the calorie content and nutritional profile of glucose syrup, examines its health effects, compares it to other sweeteners, and discusses its role in diet and processed foods.

Key Points

High Caloric Content: Glucose syrup provides approximately 4 kcal per gram, making it a calorie-dense ingredient.
Nutritionally Empty: It is a source of 'empty calories' with no significant vitamins, minerals, fiber, or protein.
High Glycemic Index: Due to its high glucose content, it causes rapid spikes in blood sugar levels.
Associated Health Risks: Excessive intake can contribute to weight gain, obesity, dental problems, and metabolic issues.
Functional Food Additive: Widely used in processed foods for moisture retention, anti-crystallization, and texture enhancement.
Prioritize Moderation: A healthy diet focuses on total added sugar intake from all sources, not just glucose syrup.
Found in Many Foods: Commonly found in candies, baked goods, ice cream, and sweetened beverages.

Understanding the Calorie Density of Glucose Syrup

Glucose syrup, a common food additive and sweetener, is a concentrated source of calories derived from starches like corn, wheat, or tapioca. Unlike whole foods, it offers little to no nutritional benefits in terms of vitamins, minerals, fiber, or protein. From a dietary perspective, it represents a source of 'empty calories' that can quickly increase the energy content of a food product without adding nutritional value.

How Many kcal are in Glucose Syrup?

Based on several nutritional databases and food specifications, the caloric content of glucose syrup is consistently high, given its pure carbohydrate makeup. A general figure indicates that it provides around 300 to 330 kcal per 100 grams. This is consistent with the standard calculation that carbohydrates provide 4 kcal per gram. For a more practical measurement, a single tablespoon (around 20 grams) of glucose syrup contains approximately 62 kcal. This concentration means that small additions of the syrup can significantly increase a food's total calorie count.

Nutritional Profile: More Than Just Calories

While knowing the caloric value is important, understanding the complete nutritional profile offers a more comprehensive view of its health impact. A typical analysis per 100 grams of glucose syrup reveals:

Total Carbohydrates: High, often exceeding 70 grams.
Total Sugars: Significant, as it is a liquid sweetener.
Total Fat: 0g
Protein: Minimal, often listed as 0g.
Vitamins and Minerals: No significant content.

This composition explains its widespread use in the food industry for properties like moisture retention, crystallization prevention, and texture improvement rather than for its nutritional merits.

Common Foods Containing Glucose Syrup

Glucose syrup is a versatile ingredient that appears in a wide range of commercial food products. Awareness of these can help with dietary monitoring:

Candies and Confectionery: Hard candies, fudges, and gummies often rely on glucose syrup to prevent crystallization and add chewiness.
Baked Goods: Cakes, cookies, and other bakery items use it to retain moisture and extend shelf life.
Frozen Desserts: In ice cream, glucose syrup helps create a smooth texture by lowering the freezing point and preventing large ice crystals from forming.
Sauces and Dressings: It's used as a thickener and sweetener in many commercial sauces and salad dressings.
Energy Drinks and Sports Nutrition: Provides a quick, concentrated source of energy, often found in sports drinks and energy bars.

Health Implications and Dietary Considerations

Regular consumption of high-calorie, sugary ingredients like glucose syrup is associated with several health concerns. Its high glycemic index means it causes a rapid spike in blood sugar levels, which is particularly problematic for those with diabetes or metabolic issues. Over time, excessive intake of added sugars can contribute to weight gain, obesity, high blood pressure, and poor dental health.

However, some expert opinions suggest that it's the total amount of added sugar consumed, rather than the specific type (like glucose syrup vs. regular sugar), that primarily determines the health risks. The key takeaway for any healthy diet is moderation, regardless of the sugar source.

How Glucose Syrup Compares to Other Sweeteners

To put glucose syrup into perspective, it's helpful to compare it to other common sweeteners. While the caloric value per gram is generally consistent for sugars, their compositions and effects on the body can differ.


Feature	Glucose Syrup	Table Sugar (Sucrose)	High-Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS)
Primary Components	Mostly glucose, with some maltose.	50% glucose, 50% fructose.	Contains both glucose and fructose, with fructose being higher than 50% in common varieties.
Calories per 100g	~314 kcal	~387 kcal (varies)	~281 kcal (varies by type)
Glycemic Impact	High glycemic index, causing rapid blood sugar spikes.	Moderate glycemic index, digested more slowly than pure glucose.	Complex impact, with fructose metabolized by the liver, potentially contributing to fatty liver disease in excess.
Common Uses	Candies, jams, ice cream, baked goods.	Home baking, coffee, general sweetening.	Soft drinks, processed snacks, condiments.
Nutritional Value	No significant nutritional benefits.	No significant nutritional benefits.	No significant nutritional benefits.

Managing Your Sugar and Calorie Intake

For those on a nutrition diet focused on managing sugar and calorie intake, the following strategies can help mitigate the effects of concentrated sweeteners like glucose syrup. These are adapted from general dietary advice, such as that provided for diabetics.

Read the labels. Check ingredient lists for 'glucose syrup,' 'corn syrup,' or other forms of added sugar.
Choose whole foods. Prioritize fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, which provide fiber and nutrients, over processed foods that are often high in added sugars.
Opt for natural sweetness. Consider natural alternatives like whole fruit or a small amount of honey or maple syrup, although these should also be consumed in moderation.
Practice portion control. Be mindful of the serving sizes of foods that contain added sugars and limit your intake.
Cook at home. Preparing your own meals allows for complete control over the ingredients, including the amount of sweeteners used.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the answer to how many kcal in glucose syrup? is approximately 300 to 330 kcal per 100 grams, or about 4 kcal per gram, making it a high-calorie sweetener. As a concentrated source of carbohydrates with little to no other nutritional value, its regular and excessive consumption is linked to various health risks associated with a high-sugar diet. While it serves a functional purpose in food manufacturing, a conscious and moderate approach to intake is essential for maintaining a healthy and balanced diet. The focus should be on overall sugar consumption from all sources, rather than fixating on a single type, and prioritizing nutrient-dense whole foods over processed items. For more detailed information on sweeteners, see Healthline's resource on glucose syrup.

Frequently Asked Questions

Glucose syrup is a sweet, thick, and viscous liquid sweetener made from the hydrolysis of starch, typically from corn, wheat, or potatoes. It is used in the food industry to add sweetness, control sugar crystallization, and improve texture and shelf life.

In terms of health impact, many experts argue that it's the total quantity of added sugar consumed that matters most, not the specific type. Both glucose syrup and table sugar (sucrose) are concentrated calorie sources that should be consumed in moderation as part of a balanced diet.

Glucose syrup has a high glycemic index, meaning it is quickly absorbed by the body and causes a rapid increase in blood sugar levels. This can be a concern for people with diabetes or those monitoring their blood sugar.

While both are derived from corn starch, the main difference lies in their sugar composition. Glucose syrup is primarily glucose, while HFCS has undergone additional processing to convert some of the glucose into fructose. Their metabolism and potential health effects can differ.

Yes, like any concentrated source of calories, excessive intake of glucose syrup without balancing energy expenditure can lead to weight gain. Since it offers calories without nutritional benefits, it is easy to consume a large amount without feeling full.

To reduce intake, focus on eating whole, unprocessed foods like fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Read food labels to identify added sugars like 'glucose syrup' in processed products and limit your consumption of candies, soft drinks, and commercial baked goods.

Glucose syrup offers no significant health benefits beyond providing a quick source of energy from carbohydrates. It lacks the fiber, vitamins, and minerals found in more nutrient-dense food sources.