SUGAR BY ANY NAME…
“A rose by any other name smells as sweet as a rose.” Well, the same is true of sugar — no matter what form it takes, it is still sugar! We make a point to educate our patients about reading labels so that they can identify items that should be avoided. Patients frequently ask about the various forms of sugar. For example, what’s the difference between raw sugar and sucrose? The following “glossary” should help clarify the sugar nomenclature: Remember, ingredients are listed on the label in order of descending predominance, so if any sugar appears near the beginning of the list you know there is a lot of sugar present. Just as important, often many forms of sugar are listed on the label and that the total of the combined forms of sugar could add up to even more than the first ingredient listed
Brown sugar is nutritionally equivalent to white sugar. Adding a little molasses to white sugar makes brown sugar.
Cane crystals are made from evaporated cane juice and therefore contains all the nutrients in the original juice. This sugar is still 99.99% glucose.
Corn syrup is nutritionally equivalent to white sugar; corn syrup is made when corn starch is broken down by acids, resulting in a clear, sweet liquid.
Dextrose or Glucose is a component of table sugar. Linked end-to-end, hundreds of dextrose molecules make up the starch molecules, or complex carbohydrates, found in vegetables, beans and grains.
Fructose or fruit sugar is the other component of table sugar. Because of its different chemical structure, fructose does not raise blood sugar levels as much as glucose and sucrose.
High-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) may contain 42-90% fructose; the remainder is dextrose. Because it is inexpensive to make, HFCS is now used in virtually all soft drinks in place of sucrose.
Honey is nutritionally equivalent to table sugar. Honey is sweeter and more expensive. It raises blood sugar levels more than sucrose.
Lactose is less sweet than sucrose, lactose is the sugar found naturally in milk and other dairy products. It is also one of the main factors responsible for milk intolerance.
Malt sweetener is a thick syrup made from roasted, sprouted barley. It is not as sweet as most sweeteners and is one of the least objectionable, healthwise.
Maple syrup One gallon of maple syrup is made by boiling down 40 gallons of sap from the sugar maple tree. It does contain a small amount of minerals that are found in the sap.
Molasses is a thick, dark syrup made as a by-product of table sugar production. Blackstrap molasses is the only form of sugar that contains substantial amounts of nutrients: 1-tbs. has 14% of the RDA for calcium and 28% for iron. Lighter molasses have about one-third as much of the same nutrients.
Raw or Turbinado sugar is nutritionally equivalent to table sugar, raw sugar is less refined, but of no greater value.
Sucrose or white sugar is made from sugar cane or sugar beets. Sucrose is composed of one fructose and one glucose molecule.
Grape or other fruit juice concentrates appear to be healthier sweeteners, but are also highly processed and nutritionally empty.
Sorbitol is an alcoholic sugar. Although less refined it causes gas in many people.
The bottom line is that while the names change, the nutritional value of most sugars used in processed foods is nearly identical. Sugar by any name is still devoid of nutrients, can be detrimental to your health and should be avoided. The sugar habit can be broken, but like alcohol or heroin, cold turkey is often the best method. Malt barley, fruit juice or dried fruit can substitute for sugar in any baking recipe. Remember, honey is just another form of sugar. Once you begin to avoid the refined sugars, you will begin to appreciate the natural sweetness of fresh fruits and the subtle flavors of whole grains.
It’s a beautiful start to the new week. I want to discuss something that is probably plaguing everyone in their journey to become more healthy. It’s called the secondary gain.
