Nutritional Granulated Sugar Measured By Cups

Granulated sugar is sucrose, a specific type of sugar generally obtained from either sugar cane or beets. The sugar cane or beet is pressed to extract juice from the plant. The juice is then boiled to allow the sugar to crystallize, spun in a centrifuge to separate the syrup and produce raw sugar and transported to refineries which then filter the sugar and pass it through a granulator that dries and breaks down the sugar into fine grains. The sugar is then packaged and ready to sell. Granulated sugar isn't particularly nutritious, but it does contain trace amounts of some nutrients.

Calories

One cup of granulated sugar contains 774 calories. Most adults require about 1,800 to 2,200 calories each day to support their energy needs, so one cup of sugar accounts for about 39 percent of a typical adult's caloric needs. The Institute of Medicine advises consuming less than 25 percent sugar of your total calories, or about 500 calories for a typical adult. The American Heart Association further recommends that men and women consume less than 150 and 100 calories from added sugars each day, respectively.

Carbohydrates

Granulated sugar is a carbohydrate. All of its calories exist in the form of carbohydrates. One cup of granulated sugar contains nearly 200 grams of carbohydrates. According to the IOM, carbohydrates should represent about 45 to 65 percent of your total caloric intake, equaling about 225 to 325 g for the typical adult on a 2,000-calorie diet. While a cup of granulated sugar provides almost all the carbohydrates you need for the day, it is a simple carbohydrate and can have a harmful effect on blood glucose levels. You need to balance out your carbohydrate intake with complex carbohydrates, such as whole grains, and fiber.

Minerals

Granulated sugar isn't a sufficient source of any one mineral, but does provide trace amounts of calcium, iron, potassium, sodium, zinc, copper, manganese and selenium. Minerals are inorganic substances that the body cannot produce on its own. Minerals play a central role in all of your body's cellular functions, such as muscular contraction, energy metabolism and tissue growth, and you must consume them through a variety of dietary sources.

Riboflavin

Granulated sugar contains 0.038 mg of riboflavin per 1-cup serving. Riboflavin, or vitamin B2, is part of the B-vitamin complex and works with other B vitamins to help produce red blood cells and convert carbohydrates into usable energy. According to the IOM, adult men and women over the age of 18 require 1.3 mg and 1.1 mg of riboflavin each day, respectively. One cup of granulated sugar provides about 3 percent the typical adult's daily riboflavin needs.