Just like other carbohydrates, such as starch, sugar provides 4 kilocalories (kcal) or 17 kilojoule (kJ) of energy per gram. This is the same as proteins, but it is lower than fat and alcohol:
| Carbohydrates (sugar, starch, etc.) | 4 kcal/g | 17 kJ/g |
| Protein | 4 kcal/g | 17 kJ/g |
| Alcohol | 7 kcal/g | 29 kJ/g |
| Fat | 9 kcal/g | 37 kJ/g |