Simple syrup: sugar in water, and the calories count

Simple syrup is table sugar dissolved in water, and we found no study of the syrup by name, so everything here comes from research on sucrose, added sugars and sweetened drinks. The strongest finding is about weight. By a meta-analysis of randomized trials in adults eating freely, cutting sugars lowered body weight by 1.8 lb (95% CI 0.86 to 2.7; metric: 0.80 kg, 0.39 to 1.21) and adding sugars raised it by 1.7 lb (0.66 to 2.6; metric: 0.75 kg, 0.30 to 1.19). When sugar was swapped for other carbohydrate with the same calories, weight did not change (0.09 lb (-0.09 to 0.29; metric: 0.04 kg, -0.04 to 0.13)), so the effect ran through the extra energy, and most of those trials were short. In US survey data a tablespoon of simple syrup weighs 20 g and carries about 37 calories and 9 g of carbohydrate, while home recipes run from one to two parts sugar per part water. In one very small trial the calories of a sugar drink were not made up for at the next meal. Fifteen boys aged 9 to 14 drank 200 calories of sucrose an hour before eating, did not eat significantly less than after a no-calorie drink, and so took in more energy overall.

As people eat it, per 3.5 oz (100 g)

How much is actually in it

• In US survey data a tablespoon of simple syrup weighs 20 g and carries about 37 calories and 9 g of carbohydrate, and a cup weighs 11 oz (320 g). — USDA FNDDS record Simple syrup (91301100), category Jams, syrups, toppings Evidence E source
  1 tablespoon 20 g, 36.8 calories, 9.1 g carbohydrate; unspecified serving 1.4 oz (40 g), 73.6 calories; 1 cup 320 g

What your body absorbs

• Adding 7.5 g of L-arabinose to a drink of 50 g sucrose cut the early appearance of sugar-derived glucose in blood by 67% at 15 minutes in a randomized crossover trial. — 12 young healthy adults, 6.8 fl oz (200 ml) drink with 50 g sucrose with or without 7.5 g L-arabinose (n = 12) Evidence B source
  Exogenous glucose appearance 67% lower at 15 min and 57% lower at 30 min, 214% higher at 150 min
• In a randomized trial, 10 g of sucrose dissolved in 6.8 fl oz (200 mL) of water gave a reaction time of 354 ms, close to placebo at 368 ms and slower than glucose at 295 ms. — 75 healthy young adults, 15 per group, single dose of glucose, fructose, sucrose, saccharin or placebo in 6.8 fl oz (200 mL) water (n = 75) Evidence B source
  Reaction time sucrose 354 ms, glucose 295 ms, placebo 368 ms

What it does to your health

• By a meta-analysis of randomized trials in adults eating freely, cutting sugars lowered body weight by 1.8 lb (0.80 kg) and adding sugars raised it by 1.7 lb (0.75 kg). — Adults on ad libitum diets in randomized trials of at least two weeks (n = 30 trials) Evidence A source
  Reduced sugars -1.8 lb (95% CI 0.86 to 2.7; metric: -0.80 kg, 0.39 to 1.21), increased sugars +1.7 lb (0.66 to 2.6; metric: 0.75 kg, 0.30 to 1.19), isoenergetic swap 0.09 lb (-0.09 to 0.29; metric: 0.04 kg, -0.04 to 0.13)
• An umbrella review links each extra 8.5 fl oz (250 mL) a day of sugar-sweetened drink with a 17% higher risk of coronary heart disease, from low quality evidence. — 73 meta-analyses covering 83 health outcomes (n = 73 meta-analyses) Evidence C source
  +17% coronary heart disease and +4% all-cause mortality per 250 mL/day of sugar-sweetened beverage

Safety, limits and interactions

• Observational data link sugars with tooth decay in 42 of 50 studies in children, and the WHO review rated evidence as moderate that caries is lower below 10% of energy from free sugars. — 55 studies in children and adults, mostly population and cross-sectional (n = 55 studies) Evidence C source
  42 of 50 child studies and 5 of 5 adult studies found at least one positive sugar-caries association
• US food law states, in the FDA health claim text on noncariogenic sweeteners and dental caries, that sugar alcohols are significantly less cariogenic than dietary sugars such as sucrose. — US food labeling, 21 CFR 101.80 Evidence E source
  Qualitative

What people believe that the data does not support

• By a meta-analysis of 25 isoenergetic trials, swapping sucrose for fructose or high-fructose corn syrup changed most cardiometabolic markers by nothing measurable. — 1744 volunteers in 25 controlled dietary intervention trials (n = 1744) Evidence B source
  No significant effect on lipids, blood pressure, fasting glucose or body weight, except a small rise in apolipoprotein B when HFCS replaced sucrose
• The only authorized EU claim that mentions sucrose is about replacing it: foods with fructose raise blood glucose less than foods with sucrose. — European Union food labeling, claim on fructose Evidence E source
  One authorized claim naming sucrose as the comparator
• The European Union refused the claim that swapping sugar for aspartame helps weight control. — European Union food labeling, claim on aspartame as a sucrose substitute Evidence E source
  Non-authorized

Who this works differently for

• In boys aged 9 to 14, a 200 calories sucrose drink did not reduce how much pizza they ate an hour later, so total energy intake rose compared with a no-calorie drink. — 15 normal-weight boys aged 9 to 14, 200 calories in 8.5 fl oz (250 ml) solutions given in random order 60 min before a meal (n = 15) Evidence B source
  Food intake not reduced after sucrose, cumulative energy intake higher than sucralose control (P=0.009)

What is still unknown

• A 2026 re-analysis of the 30 randomized trials behind the EFSA sugar opinion found the trials rarely tested sugar at the levels people actually eat. — 30 randomized trials on free and added sugars from the EFSA tolerable upper intake report (n = 30 trials) Evidence A source
  Free sugars linearly related to higher fasting glucose, HDL-C and LDL-C, with no interaction by food source

The bottom line

Table sugar is no cleaner than high-fructose corn syrup. By a meta-analysis of 25 trials in 1,744 volunteers where calories were held equal, swapping sucrose for fructose or high-fructose corn syrup showed no significant effect on lipids, blood pressure, fasting glucose or body weight. The one exception was a small rise in apolipoprotein B with corn syrup, which the authors call of uncertain clinical significance, and some of the trials carried a high risk of bias. The European Union refused the claim that swapping sugar for aspartame helps weight control. Its only authorized claim naming sucrose says foods with fructose raise blood glucose less than foods with sucrose. Dissolved sugar arrives fast. In 12 young healthy adults drinking 50 g of sucrose in 6.8 fl oz (200 ml), adding 7.5 g of L-arabinose cut the early appearance of sugar-derived glucose in the blood by 67 percent at 15 minutes, in a single-dose trial. The idea of a spoon of sugar as a quick mental boost did not hold in a randomized trial of 75 young adults, 15 per group. After 10 g of sucrose in 6.8 fl oz (200 mL) of water, reaction time was 354 ms, near placebo at 368 ms, while glucose gave 295 ms, in single doses with lab tests only. For sweetened drinks, an umbrella review links each extra 8.5 fl oz (250 mL) a day with a 17 percent higher risk of coronary heart disease and a 4 percent higher risk of death from any cause, from low quality evidence that is mostly observational. A syrup-sweetened drink is the same exposure, though no study named the syrup. Why the numbers stay loose is partly a design problem. A 2026 re-analysis of the 30 randomized trials behind the EFSA sugar opinion found the data rarely reflected sugar at the levels people actually eat, and its authors call the results by food source hypothesis-generating. The safety evidence we have is about teeth. In a review of 55 mostly observational studies, 42 of 50 in children and 5 of 5 in adults found at least one link between sugars and tooth decay, with only three intervention studies behind it. The same review rated as moderate the evidence that decay is lower when free sugars stay under 10 percent of energy. US food law states that sugar alcohols are significantly less cariogenic than dietary sugars such as sucrose. We have no card on pregnancy, medicines or allergy for simple syrup, and no study of what heating the syrup changes.

Sources

1. ssyr-r7-12 · USDA FNDDS, dataset
   Simple syrup (FNDDS 91301100, fdc_id 2710278, Jams, syrups, toppings): 1 tablespoon 20 g = 36.8 kcal, carbohydrate 9.1 g; Quantity not specified 40 g = 73.6 kcal; 1 cup 320 g
   USDA FNDDS, FDC 2710278 · checked 2026-09-28
2. ssyr-r7-04 · randomized crossover trial
   The rate of exogenous glucose appearance for L-ARA was 67 and 57 % lower compared with CONT at t = 15 min and 30 min, respectively, whereas it was 214 % higher at t = 150 min, indicating a more stable absorption of exogenous glucose for L-ARA compared with CONT.
   Br J Nutr, 2022 · checked 2026-09-28
3. ssyr-r7-05 · randomized controlled trial
   General score of cognitive performance (0.93 ± 0.1), reaction (295 ± 20 ms), and response (204 ms) were highest in glucose and lowest in placebo (0.63 ± 0.1; 368 ± 22 ms; 251 ms, respectively) (p < .001). Saccharin groups had a higher reaction (312 ± 22 ms) and response (216 ms) time score compared to consumed fructose (316 ± 39; 227 ms), sucrose (354 ± 26; 246 ms), and placebo (368 ± 22; 251 ms) groups, respectively (p < .001).
   Appl Neuropsychol Adult, 2025 · checked 2026-09-28
4. ssyr-r7-01 · meta-analysis of RCTs
   In trials of adults with ad libitum diets (that is, with no strict control of food intake), reduced intake of dietary sugars was associated with a decrease in body weight (0.80 kg, 95% confidence interval 0.39 to 1.21; P<0.001); increased sugars intake was associated with a comparable weight increase (0.75 kg, 0.30 to 1.19; P=0.001). Isoenergetic exchange of dietary sugars with other carbohydrates showed no change in body weight (0.04 kg, -0.04 to 0.13).
   BMJ, 2012 · checked 2026-09-28
5. ssyr-r7-08 · umbrella review
   Low quality evidence indicated that each serving/week increment of sugar sweetened beverage consumption was associated with a 4% higher risk of gout (class III evidence) and each 250 mL/day increment of sugar sweetened beverage consumption was associated with a 17% and 4% higher risk of coronary heart disease (class II evidence) and all cause mortality (class III evidence), respectively.
   BMJ, 2023 · checked 2026-09-28
6. ssyr-r7-07 · systematic review
   Of the studies, 42 out of 50 of those in children and 5 out of 5 in adults reported at least one positive association between sugars and caries. There is evidence of moderate quality showing that caries is lower when free-sugars intake is < 10% E.
   J Dent Res, 2014 · checked 2026-09-28
7. ssyr-r7-09 · federal regulation
   (4) Noncariogenic carbohydrate sweeteners, such as sugar alcohols, can be used to replace dietary sugars, such as sucrose and corn sweeteners, in foods such as chewing gums and certain confectioneries. Noncariogenic carbohydrate sweeteners are significantly less cariogenic than dietary sugars and other fermentable carbohydrates.
   21 CFR 101.80, Health claims: dietary noncariogenic carbohydrate sweeteners and dental caries · checked 2026-09-28
8. ssyr-r7-03 · meta-analysis of controlled trials
   Similarly, no effects were found when fructose or HFCS was substituted for sucrose, except for a small increase, of uncertain clinical significance, of apolipoprotein B when HFCS was substituted for sucrose.
   Nutr Rev, 2021 · checked 2026-09-28
9. ssyr-r7-10 · regulatory register entry
   POL-HC-8295 Fructose Consumption of foods containing fructose leads to a lower blood glucose rise compared to foods containing sucrose or glucose Authorised
   EU Register on nutrition and health claims, claim POL-HC-8295, snapshot 2026-09-21 · checked 2026-09-28
10. ssyr-r7-11 · regulatory register entry
    POL-HC-6653 Aspartame sucrose substitute Weight control /management is helped by using foods and beverages sweetened with Aspartame in place of foods and beverages sweetened with sugar. Non-authorised
    EU Register on nutrition and health claims, claim POL-HC-6653, snapshot 2026-09-21 · checked 2026-09-28
11. ssyr-r7-06 · randomized crossover trial
    Only glucose (P=0.003), but neither sucrose nor HFCS, reduced FI compared with the sucralose control. This led to a higher cumulative energy intake, compared with sucralose, after sucrose (P=0.009) and HFCS (P=0.01), but not after glucose.
    Eur J Clin Nutr, 2014 · checked 2026-09-28
12. ssyr-r7-02 · meta-analysis of RCTs
    However, the data were limited in their representation of FS intake at typical population levels, and there were insufficient data to investigate the effect of FS from foods on most anthropometric outcomes.
    Nutrients, 2026 · checked 2026-09-28