Sugars Used in Foods
Different sugars perform different functions in foods, but they are used in the same way by the body. The following sugars often appear on food label ingredient lists.
Fructose – A monosaccharide or single sugar. In nature, it combines with glucose to form sucrose. About 1 1/2 times sweeter than sucrose.
Glucose – A monosaccharide or single sugar. In nature, it combines with fructose to form sucrose. It can also combine with glucose to form maltose, and with galactose to form lactose. Slightly less sweet than sucrose.
High fructose corn syrup (HFCS) – A liquid mixture of about equal parts of glucose and fructose from cornstarch. Same sweetness as sucrose.
Sucrose – A disaccharide or double sugar made of equal parts of glucose and fructose. Known as table or white sugar, sucrose is found naturally in sugar cane and sugar beets. It comes from these foods for commercial use.
Other sugars often used in foods include:
- Corn Syrup
- Lactose
- Dextrose
- Maltose
- Invert Sugar
See also:
Hidden Sugars includes chart on the Sugar Content of Popular Foods
Sugar and Sugar Substitutes
The Sugar Factor
High Fructose Corn Syrup Myth
Facts about high fructose corn syrup and fructose
