Which Sugars and Sweeteners Have the Most Carbs?

Sweeteners contain sugar (unless they are non-nutritive or artificial sweeteners), which means they are a source of carbohydrates (carbs). Have you ever wondered which sweeteners contain the most carbs? You might be surprised to know that regular table sugar isn’t on the list! So which ones ARE on the list?

We’ll review 12 sweeteners with the most carbs per serving, which include:

• Agave nectar
• Barley malt syrup
• Brown rice syrup
• Corn syrup
• Date syrup
• Honey
• Lucuma powder
• Maple syrup
• Molasses
• Okinawa black sugar
• Sorghum syrup

We’ll review each of these sweeteners in detail, as well as compare them all nutrition-wise – so keep reading!

Carbs in sweeteners

Unless it’s an artificial sweetener or non-caloric sweetener, sugars and sweeteners generally are sources of carbohydrates (sugars are a type of carb, like starch and fiber). 

Natural and unrefined sweeteners still have sugars – don’t let the term “natural” make you think it’s low in sugar! For instance, honey and maple syrup are natural and unrefined, but they are still high in sugar/carbs.

11 sweeteners with the most carbs per serving

1. Agave nectar – 16 grams per tablespoon

Agave nectar is made from the agave plant, including the type that tequila is made from (blue agave).

Agave nectar can be raw or processed; the raw version is thought to contain more antioxidants and nutrients than the processed kinds.

2. Barley malt syrup – 15 grams per tablespoon

This sweetener isn’t gluten-free since it’s made from barley. Barley malt syrup has a toasted, caramel-like flavor and is popular for making cakes and dark breads, such as pumpernickel.

3. Brown rice syrup – 37 grams per 2 tablespoons

Brown rice syrup is a popular vegan alternative to honey. It’s also popular on a low FODMAP diet (a diet geared towards people with digestive issues) since brown rice syrup isn’t a source of fructose, a type of sugar known to cause digestive upset in some people.

4. Corn syrup – 30 grams per 2 tablespoons

Corn syrup is a cheap sweetener because it’s made from corn, a subsidized crop in the United States – which is why many manufacturers use it in processed foods.

You can choose light corn syrup or dark corn syrup – the latter contains molasses to give it a darker color.

5. Date syrup – 29 grams per 2 tablespoons

Although it’s considered more natural than table sugar, date syrup is very high in sugar. To make date syrup, dates are chopped and boiled and then the liquid is removed.

6. Honey – 17 grams per tablespoon

Honey is the only type of sweetener that isn’t vegan-friendly since it’s made as a result of bees collecting flower nectar. 

7. Lucuma powder – 13 grams per tablespoon

Lucuma powder is made from dried lucuma fruit, a plant harvested in South America. Lucuma powder is a natural sweetener with fewer grams of sugar per serving compared to table sugar (even though it’s higher in carbs, it’s low in sugar with 2 grams per tablespoon).

8. Maple syrup – 26 grams per 2 tablespoons

Maple syrup is made by boiling the syrup from maple trees to remove the water, leaving behind the sweet sugar. Maple syrup is a good vegan alternative to honey and is one of the few paleo-friendly sweeteners.

9. Molasses – 16 grams per tablespoon

This dark syrup is the byproduct left over after making table sugar from sugar cane. Blackstrap molasses is a more bitter version of molasses that results from cooking the sugarcane juice longer than regular molasses.

10. Okinawa black sugar – 29 grams per 2 tablespoons

This sweetener is a less-processed version of brown sugar varieties that simply add molasses to regular table sugar to make it dark. Instead, Okinawa black sugar is made by cooking down sugar cane juice.

11. Sorghum syrup – 31 grams per 2 tablespoons

This sweetener is made from a grain, but it’s gluten-free (unlike barley malt syrup). It has a lower glycemic index compared to more processed sweeteners like table sugar and corn syrup.

Nutritional comparison of high-carbohydrate sweeteners

The serving size is 2 tablespoons unless otherwise specified.

Sweetener	Calories	Total carbs	Sugars
Agave nectar (1 tbsp.)	60	16 g	16 g
Barley malt syrup (1 tbsp.)	60	15 g	8 g
Brown rice syrup	150	37 g	17 g
Corn syrup	120	30 g	10 g
Date syrup	120	29 g	26 g
Honey (1 tbsp.)	60	17 g	17 g
Lucuma powder (1 tbsp.)	60	13 g	2 g
Maple syrup	110	26 g	26 g
Molasses (1 tbsp.)	60	16 g	14 g
Okinawa black sugar	115	29 g	28 g
Sorghum syrup	120	31 g	31 g

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