Honey vs White Sugar: Calories and Nutrition Compared (2026)

Honey contains 304 calories and 0.3 g of protein, while white sugar has 387 calories and 0 g of protein. Honey is lower in calories and higher in protein.

Honey and white sugar are both popular sweeteners with distinct nutritional profiles. This comparison will highlight their differences in calories, carbohydrates, and sugar content.

What Is the Difference Between Honey and White Sugar?

Honey is a natural sweet substance produced by bees from the nectar of flowers. It contains various sugars, primarily fructose and glucose. White sugar, also known as sucrose, is a refined sweetener derived from sugar cane or sugar beets. It is composed almost entirely of carbohydrates.

Honey vs White Sugar: Nutrition Side by Side

The following table provides a side-by-side comparison of honey and white sugar based on their nutritional content.

Nutrient (per 100 g)	Honey	Granulated sugar
Calories	304 kcal	387 kcal
Protein	0.3 g	0 g
Carbs	82.4 g	100.0 g
Sugar	82.1 g	99.8 g
Fat	0 g	0 g
Fiber	0.2 g	0 g
Sodium	4 mg	1 mg

Which Is Better, Honey or White Sugar?

For weight loss: Honey has 304 calories, while white sugar has 387 calories, making honey the lower-calorie option.

For muscle and protein: Honey contains 0.3 g of protein, whereas white sugar has 0 g of protein, giving honey a slight advantage.

For low-carb or low-sugar: Honey has 82.4 g of carbohydrates and 82.1 g of sugar, while white sugar has 100.0 g of carbohydrates and 99.8 g of sugar.

How to Track Honey and White sugar Accurately

It's easy to misjudge portion sizes and macros when using sweeteners, as they can quickly add up in recipes. Nutrola is an AI nutrition tracking app that identifies foods from a photo and returns calories and macros from a database of more than 1.8 million foods. It also supports barcode scanning and voice logging. Nutrola is available from EUR 2.50 per month and shows no ads on any tier.

How We Compiled These Numbers

The numbers provided are rounded reference values for educational use and should not be considered medical advice. Always consult a professional for dietary guidance. Values are per 100 g from USDA FoodData Central.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Which has more protein?

Honey contains 0.3 g of protein, while white sugar has 0 g of protein.

Which has fewer calories?

Honey has 304 calories, whereas white sugar has 387 calories.

What is the sugar content in honey?

Honey contains 82.1 g of sugar per 100 g.

What is the sugar content in white sugar?

White sugar contains 99.8 g of sugar per 100 g.

How many carbohydrates are in honey?

Honey has 82.4 g of carbohydrates per 100 g.

How many carbohydrates are in white sugar?

White sugar has 100.0 g of carbohydrates per 100 g.

Key Takeaways

• Honey has 304 calories per 100 g.
• White sugar has 387 calories per 100 g.
• Honey contains 0.3 g of protein.
• White sugar contains 0 g of protein.
• Honey has 82.4 g of carbohydrates.
• White sugar has 100.0 g of carbohydrates.