If a can of coke has 39 grams of sugar and that amount of sugar equals 151 calories, how come the coke has 139 calories? What happens to the missing equivalent of kcal?

Question

If a can of coke has 39 grams of sugar and that amount of sugar equals 151 calories, how come the coke has 139 calories? What happens to the missing equivalent of kcal?

In: 7307

Answer 1

Different carbohydrates have different calories per gram. Not all carbs are 4 calories per gram. 3.7 kcal/g is the number used to calculate calories from high-fructose corn syrup:

3.7 kcal/g x 39g = ~144.3 kcal = 140 kcal.

Source: I do this for a living as a small part of my job.

Answer 2

They are legally allowed to lie about it as long as they only lie within in a certain range of calories/content.

At least in the US.