Sugar 101

The world is consuming more sugar everyday. That is a fact. You consume more sugar than your body requires. At least two times more! By that I mean added/free sugar. How do I know? From the labels on the processed foods you buy.

In food processing, sugar is added to improve taste, shelf life and texture and appearance.

You know sugar so well that we can spot it miles away in the darkest clouds. You do your best to reduce eating it. But do we really know sugar? Can you identify it when disguised like a chameleon in foods you buy? Turns out sugar is polyonymous (many names) and multivarious (many forms).

The aim is not to name and shame, but to be informed and beware. To identify it and include it in total sugar consumed. After all what is a transformation without a solid knowledge base?

Interestingly, sugar has many chemical forms depending on the number of molecules in the composition, such as monosaccharides, disaccharides and polysaccharides.

Simple Sugars

Glucose is the most common form of simple sugar and the main source of energy for your body. Glucose is found in fruits, vegetables, dairy, wholegrains, legumes and seeds. Absorbed directly into circulation it is useful in managing low blood sugar emergencies. On the other hand it can cause dental problems due quick oral uptake.

Fructose is simple sugar found naturally in fruits, vegetables and honey. Unsurprisingly it is the sweetest naturally occurring sugar. Fructose gets bad press because it is metabolised by the liver. This process results in the production of triglycerides; a type of cholesterol that deposits in the blood vessels and causes atherosclerosis. Other names include fructose fruit sugar,

Sucrose (table sugar) is sugar as you ordinarily know it. Chemically it has a molecule of glucose and another of fructose joined together. Naturally found in fruits, vegetables and milk. Table sugar and sucrose in processed foods however, are from cane sugar or sugar beets.

• Unrefined/ Raw Sugars are sucrose made from raw sugar cane or sugar beets, minimally processed, with some minerals (calcium, Iron, Magnesium) and vitamins (B3, B5, B6) retained. The colour of the sugar is determined by the amount of molasses present. Their different grain sizes and textures result from processing methods. They contain the same number of calories as white sugar. Often broken down slower than white sugar and as such have a slightly lower glycaemic index.  To benefit nutritionally, you would need to consume large quantities. They are used as a white sugar substitute in desserts, drinks and confectionery often for colour effect. Other names include Damerara, Turbinado, Muscavado, Rapadura, Panela, Ponocha Sugar.
• Refined/ White Sugars are obtained from same sources as unrefined, but with extensive processing that strip nutrients (and colour) away. Castor Sugar/ Icing Sugar and Confectioner’s Sugar are white sugar crushed and mixed with cornstarch commonly used in baking and desserts.

Lactose is sugar found in milk from mammals such as cows and goat and from human breast milk. Foods made from milk such as yogurt, cheese and cream contain lactose. Chemically it is a combination of galactose and glucose. When you are lactose intolerant, you do not produce enough lactase to break down lactose.

Galactose is a simple sugar found in milk. (galactose + Glucose =lactose) . Dietary sources of lactose is milk and yogurt. Galactose can also be found in small amounts in vegetables such as peas, fruits, eggs and nuts. Chemically it is similar to glucose in structure. In food processing galactose is combined with other sugars in syrups used to sweeten desserts and confectionery. It is essential source of energy for babies and infants. As a prebiotic, galactose feeds gut bacteria and prevent bad bacteria from sticking onto the walls of the intestines.

Maltose sugar is a disaccharide of two glucose. It is found in the parts of plants such as seeds and grains when they break down their energy to sprout or germinate. Naturally enzymes in your intestines break down starchy foods into maltose. A similar process is used in beer brewing. Foods such as barley, wheat, pears, peaches, sweet potatoes contain maltose. It holds well in hot and cold condition due to its form. It is used as sweeteners in confectionery, baking, canning and frozen desserts. FYI the maltose content of foods increases significantly when processed. Maltose has no fructose molecule so it is preferable to sucrose.  Beware! Maltose can increase sugar content without overly making food taste sweet. Some derivatives of maltose are Malt Syrup, Malt sugar, Barley malt, Diastatic malt powder.

Sugar in action

Dextrose  a simple sugar made from corn and some other plants. It is commonly used to sweeten foods and preserve shelf life in baking. Some nutritional supplements contain dextrose to promote weight and muscle building. Because it is quickly absorbed, it is used in healthcare to manage low blood sugar, high blood potassium, dehydration and alcohol intoxication.

Maltodextrin is a simple glucose made from starches from corn, potatoes, wheat and rice. Commonly used in processed foods to enhance flavour, replace fat content, manage consistency and increase shelf life; eg in ice creams condiments, energy drinks and breakfast cereals. High level of processing stripe this of all nutritional value, although has low caloric content it has a high glycaemic index and can lead to insulin resistance and metabolic problems. Certain bad gut microbes feed on maltodextrin. Their growth harms the microbiome leading to dysbiosis, gut disorders and associated metabolic and immune problems. High glycaemic index makes maltodextrin great for replenishing the muscles during and post exercise, hence used in weight training supplements and energy drinks.

D- ribose a type of simple sugar that is naturally a component of your DNA. It is made by the body to supply energy to cells. In food it is added to nutritional supplements that are made for enhancing exercise performance.

High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS) is made from corn starch. Similar to sucrose, it contains fructose and glucose. However enzymes are added to increase the fructose content. HFCS receives bad press because of the high fructose content. Fructose is metabolised by the liver to produce triglycerides-a bad cholesterol.

Invert sugar/ Invert sugar syrup is made when table sugar is mixed with water and heated until the glucose separates from the fructose. This results in a liquid of 50% glucose and 50% fructose. it is used to sweeten drinks and foods such as ice cream and ice drinks.

Ethyl maltol a synthetic ingredient used to mimic fruit flavours in confectionery, fruity beverages, ice cream and sauces such as ketch up.

Names of sugar on food labels

Grains/ Granulated/ Powdered

• Brown sugar
• Castor sugar
• Coconut sugar
• Confectioner’s sugar
• Diastatic malt
• Florida crystals
• Grape sugar
• Icing sugar
• Muscovado
• Maltodextrin
• Panela sugar
• Golden sugar
• Crystalline fructose
• Demerara sugar
• Cane sugar
• Date sugar
• Ethyl maltol
• Grape sugar
• Corn syrup solids
• Beet sugar
• Sucanat
• Yellow sugar
• Cane juice crystals
• Turbinado
• Barbados Sugar
• Rapadura
• Panocha Sugar

Syrups/ Liquid

• Agave nectar
• Brown rice syrup
• Molasses
• Caramel
• Corn syrup
• Evaporated corn syrup
• Fruit juice
• Fruit juice concentrate
• High fructose corn syrup
• Sorghum syrup
• Treacle
• Malt syrup
• Honey
• Invert sugar
• Maple syrup
• Carob syrup
• Rice syrup
• Refiner’s syrup
• Barley malt
• Golden syrup
• Blackstrapp molasses
• Grape sugar

Emerging alternatives to Sugar

Natural sweeteners

This refers to sweeteners that are derived from and contain only natural sources. Most products labelled as natural sweetners have undergone some processing.

• Stevia
• Monk Fruit Extract
• Agave Nectar
• Dates and Date syrup
• Molasses
• Raw Honey
• Coconut Sugar
• Maple Syrup

Artificial sweeteners

These are chemicals that work by mimicking the taste of sugar in your taste bud receptors. They are hundreds of times sweeter than sucrose or fructose as such very little amount is needed for effect. Because they have a different structure from sugar, they are not broken down and absorbed like calories. Some artificial sweeteners are:

• Aspartame (Canderel)
• Sucralose (Splenda)
• Acesulfame-K
• Saccharin
• Neotame
• Tagatose

Sugar alcohols (Polyols)

These are sweet-tasting carbohydrates produced from other sugars. They provide fewer calories than sugar because they are not fully digested and absorbed like sugar. As such they have lower glycaemic effect on your body.

• Sorbitol is naturally found in fruits and plants. It is made from dextrose and contains 60% of the sweetness of sucrose.
• Xylitol is made from leftover sugar stalks and birch wood, it is as sweet as sugar but with 40% fewer calories
• Mannitol is made from cornstarch fructose and contains 60% sweetness of table sugar. Apart from food, it is used as a medication to promote the removal of fluid from part of the body.
• Maltitol is made from maltose and has 75% the sweetness of sugar
• Erythritol is made from cornstarch through a process of yeast fermentation. It is about 70% the sweetness of sugar, providing only 6% of the calories of sugar
• Lactitol is made from whey (lactose). Commonly used in medicine to manage constipation (known as lactulose).
• Glycerol is made via various processes by the breakdown of oils. Uses include in baking, in medications and for skin care.

Some foods that contain sugar alcohol include

• Chewing gum
• Toothpaste
• Mouth washed
• Candies
• Cough syrups
• Ice cream
• Beverages

Interesting facts about Sugar

• The first recording of sugarcane cultivation is in Papua New Guinea in 8000 BCE
• In 10,000 BCE merchants carried it by ship to India and the Philippines
• Initial processing of sugar from sugarcane occurred in India, spreading to the western world later
• Sugar was considered a spice, medicine and a commodity consumed by royalty and the affluent
• Eating sugar activates the brain reward system- i.e. huge dopamine release. This reinforces that behaviour causing cravings and addiction.
• Glycaemic Index is a measure of how quickly food releases its sugar into your bloodstream.
• Foods are ranked GI of 0 to 100. The smaller the number the slower the release. Pure glucose has a glycaemic index of 100
• Glycaemic Load measures how much glucose per serving food can deliver.