The MANY Forms of SUGAR

"Sugar" (or some form of sweetener) is present in almost everything we eat these days -- from bagels to salad dressings to yogurts. Sad to say, but it's almost impossible to buy 'savory' foods without sugar (we expect sugar in baked and dessert products -- however it's disgraceful the amount of sugar placed in non-sweet products).

However "sweetness" comes in many forms - are some sugars better than others? What should we look for on the label? What are the natural sweeteners versus refined sugars versus the artificial sweeteners? Hopefully this article will help to eliminate confusion:

Refined (typically) Sugars:

* Corn Syrup
* High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCP)
* Sugar
* Cane Syrup
* Sucrose
* Glucose
* Dextrose
* Maltodextrin

Natural Sweeteners:

* Stevia
* Raw, unprocessed sugar (Sucanat(r))
* Brown Rice Syrup
* Barley Malt
* Date Sugar
* Honey
* Maple Syrup
* Molasses
* Sorghum

* Sweet grains -- sprouted grains, Manna bread

* Sweet vegetables (I use baked fresh beets for example in a chocolate cake! See Baking with Natural Sweeteners for ideas on cooking with these sweeteners)

Secondary Natural Sweetener Choices (Use With Discretion):

* Fruit Juice Concentrate (these can be natural but they often have secondary sugars mixed in)
* Juice Concentrate (same as above - it's a very concentrated source of sugar)* Turbinado(r) Sugar
* Tagatose
* Turbinado(r) Sugar

Sugar Alcohols:

* Sugar alcohols (Polyols)
* Isomalt
* Lactitol
* Malitol
* Mannitol
* Sorbitol
* Xylitol

Sugar alcohols are often used in sports drinks and gels -- and in the new 'low-carb' candy options that have flooded the market recently. They are actually made from sugar but are extracted from (lifted out of) their natural sources. Part of their structure chemically resembles sugar and part is similar to alcohol. To complicate matters more, these sweeteners are neither sugars nor alcohols - they are best described as a refined sugar byproduct. Sugar alcohols fall into a "grey area" in the sweetener arena because they are actually carbohydrates (starches) more than they are sugars. They are typically used cup-for-cup in the same amount as refined sugar, but they each vary in sweetness, ranging from half as sweet to as sweet as sugar. Sugar alcohols blend well with other sugars, so they are commonly added to products such as gums, candies and mints, toothpaste and mouthwash. Please keep in mind, these "grey area" sugar alcohols can give people gastric distress if consumed in excess (there's a reason why it says so on the label!), but are definitely recommended over using the chemical sweetener substitutes (like Splenda, aspartame, sucralose, NutraSweet).

Artificial Sweeteners:

* Aspartame
* Neotame
* Splenda
* Sucralose
* Equal
* Acesulfame K
* Acesulfame Potassium
* Sunette
* Ace K
* NutraSweet

So now that we know the different "sugars" and what to look for, what are the rules or suggestions for shopping? You have to do what works best for you -- and it's often not possible to eliminate sugar completely (there are many times I literally go through product after product after product and just can't find a sugarless version so I end up buying the one with the minimal amount) but there are my guidelines:

* Refined Sugars - I typically like to stay away from these. It's really hard though -- they are present in everything so, despite good intentions it's near impossible to avoid them

* Natural Sweeteners - good to buy!
* Secondary sweeteners -- I would use with discretion. The fruit juice concentrates are ok in moderation (recognizing that they are a very concentrated form of sugar) but I'm not crazy about the sugar alcohols and try to avoid them as much as possible.
* Artificial Sweeteners - these DEFINITELY get placed neatly back on the shelf. Again, you have to do what works for you -- it's that judgment call between how much you really want that product versus how bad you think the sweeteners are for you. My advice would be not to buy and search out some better sweet alternatives instead....but it's your call!

I'd love to hear your thoughts on sugars and sweeteners so feel free to post a message to the forums or email me directly at mel@melanieashmore.com.