Let’s Learn Fancy Sugar Names Used In Foods

Sugar is sugar, whether sugar is white, brown, or unrefined sugar. Sugar is a sweet-tasting soluble carbohydrate, which is used in food products. Sugar is highly refined, addictive, and can harm your health if you are careful with its proper intake. But do you know about the sugar names used in foods? You never thought about this everyday ingredient in this way?

Many of us like to eat cakes, pastries, sweets, doughnuts, and many other products each and every day. But you know all these food items contain too much sugar content, and they have specific sugar names.

So, don’t let sugar trick you! Read this guide to know fancy sugar names used in foods .

Different Types Of Sugars

• Glucose – Also known as dextrose
• Fructose – Found in fruit sugar
• Sucrose (Glucose + Fructose) – Sugar and granulated sugar
• Maltose (Glucose + Glucose) – Malt sugar
• Lactose (Glucose + Galactose) – Milk sugar

Recommended Allowances – As per ADA Guideline, it is recommended to consume 10% of calories per day. 1 tsp of sugar = 4 gm of sugar

Different Forms Of Sugar

Natural sugar include  –

• Honey
• Molasses
• Jaggery
• Agave nectar

Besides this, there are numerous food items where sugar is hidden. Many food companies often use sugar with unusual names and can be difficult to spot on the labels. People, not knowing these sugar names used in foods, consume the sugar with the food, and later, face health difficulties.

List Of Fancy Sugar Names Used In Foods

1. Sugar Names Ending With ‘ose’ Include

• Sucrose
• Fructose
• Glucose
• Maltose
• Lactose

2. Fancier Names For Added Sugar Include

• Coconut palm sugar
• Beet sugar
• Date sugar
• Brown sugar
• Demerara sugar

3. Liquid Sugar Names Include

• Corn syrup
• High-fructose corn syrup
• Maple syrup
• Rice syrup
• Malt syrup
• Date syrup
• Caramel syrup
• Golden syrup

4. Sugar Alcohols Include

• Xylitol
• Sorbitol
• Mannitol
• Isomalt
• Lactitol
• Maltitol
• Hydrogenated Starch Hydrolysates (HSH)

5. Zero Carb Sugar Substitutes Include

• Stevia
• Sucralose
• Aspartame
• Saccharin

Where Is It Found?

• Confectionery food items – Kids and teenagers mostly like them.
• Jams and jellies contain high-fructose corn syrup.
• Protein bars are highly nutritious, but be careful when you eat them. They contain sugar known as corn syrup.
• Mouth fresheners like chew gum contain sorbitol.
• Ready-to-eat food items are delicious and convenient options to eat also contain sugar. 
• Kellogg’s K, Cornflake’s, or muesli contain sugar, i.e., malt extract.
• Instant dhoklas batter and ready-made soups contain glucose syrup.
• Maida products are part of a daily diet that is readily available everywhere.
• Loaves of bread contain hidden sugar in the form of liquid glucose.
• Biscuits or sugar-free cookies contain liquid glucose.
• Savory food items for your taste buds also contain hidden sugar.
• Sauces, kinds of ketchup, marinades, and chutneys contain sugary substances such as molasses, caramel color, and corn syrup.
• Flavored drinks – For quenching our thirst, many times, we look for these drinks, but they have added sugars in them.
• Coca cola’s, tetra packed fruit juices, or diet cokes contain sugar too as sucrose, high fructose corn syrup, and aspartame.
• Sugar-free products do not have additive sugars as claimed but might contain natural sugars in it.

Health Risks Associated With Excessive Sugar Intake 

• Overeating sugar is terrible for your teeth.
• A diet high in refined carbohydrates and refined sugar may cause premature wrinkling of the skin.
• The excessive sugar content can put you at risk of diabetes.
• Be careful before eating too much sugar as it will cause weight gain.

Importance Of Reading Food Labels

The nutrition labels on the food products provide key information such as serving size, calories, proteins, fats, carbs, vitamins, sodium, and sugar too.

Ready-made foods come with a nutrition label that describes what you are consuming. So, understanding each of those ingredients before eating them helps you to make healthier choices that will prove beneficial to your lifestyle in the long run.

For example – Whenever you see ‘high fructose corn syrup’ on the packaging, understand that it is just another way of saying sugar!

Now that you know about different sugar names used in foods, be careful the next time you come across its derivatives. Also, don’t intake it excessively. So, ‘Aj Se Thoda Kam’ because you are already sweet….!