see AGAVE NECTAR

Native to Mexico and the southern United States, the agave plant is involved in the production of tequila. Another commercial use is that of a concentrated sweetener that’s 1.5 times sweeter than table sugar while having a glycemic index ranging from 10-30, which is significantly lower than other sweeteners. That ability to be sweet but not cause an immediate spike in blood sugar levels has to do with the fact that agave nectar is mostly composed of fructose and not glucose. That composition presents a problem, however.

As opposed to glucose that every cell in the body can metabolize for use as fuel with the excess getting stored as glycogen first and then as fat globally, fructose is only broken down and converted into energy in the liver and what’s in excess is immediately stored as fat in the abdomen. That being the case, consumption of something significantly high in fructose, like agave nectar, can exceed the liver’s capacity to handle all of the sugar at once and result in the organ turning the fructose into fat that accumulates in the belly, which can eventually result in a host of issues, such as insulin resistance and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.

APPLICATIONS: Baked goods, yogurt, smoothies, sports drinks, breakfast cereals, energy bars, sauces, salad dressing, marinades, dairy products, confectionery, jams, jellies, etc.

see AGAVE NECTAR

see AGAVE NECTAR

The dextrose that’s commonly added to foods and beverages is dextrose monohydrate. When dextrose is mentioned in an ingredient list, it more than likely refers to that form, which contains a water molecule. Anhydrous dextrose, on the other hand, is free of water and is thus a much more concentrated form of the sugar. Consequently, anhydrous dextrose dissolves and absorbs into the bloodstream slightly faster than dextrose monohydrate.

APPLICATIONS: Bread, cakes, cookies, biscuits, ice cream, popsicles, processed meat, candy, energy drinks, sports drinks, infant formula, etc.

see CASTER SUGAR

When sugar cane is used to make sugar and the molasses isn’t removed during processing, the ensuing product is known as unrefined cane sugar. Barbados sugar is a type of unrefined cane sugar that retains 8-10 percent of its molasses content, which gives it a dark brown color, rich caramel or toffee flavor, and large and sticky crystals. It’s also because of the molasses that Barbados sugar is nutritionally rich compared to some other sugars. However, although there are greater amounts of certain minerals and antioxidants in Barbados sugar than, say, white sugar, for instance, that micronutrient content isn’t significant enough to outweigh the effect the sugar has on blood sugar and how it can contribute to weight gain and health issues if consumed in excess.

Malting is a process whereby grains are soaked in water and allowed to germinate, during which the complex starches in the grains break down into the simple sugar maltose. As the name “barley malt” implies, barley is the specific grain in the production of barley malt.

Malt can be made with any grain but barley is the preferred grain because it contains a high amount of enzymes that are necessary to convert starch into sugar, which contributes to the potential of more sugar being able to be extracted from barley than other grains. Those factors play a role in why barley malt is not only beneficial to beer and whiskey production by aiding fermentation but also why sprouted barley grains are dried and undergo further steps to create extracts, syrups, and powders containing sugar that can be used across a range of foods and beverages because of the variety of functional properties.

APPLICATIONS: Bread, crackers, breakfast cereals, nut butters, chocolate, candy, baby food, milkshakes, non-alcoholic malt beverages, etc.

see BARLEY MALT SYRUP

NOTE: Technically, extracts are concentrated flavors in solutions of alcohol whereas syrups are concentrated flavors in solutions of water and sugar. Extracts and syrups are distinct. That’s not the case, however, with barley malt extract and barley malt syrup. In most instances, barley malt extract is used interchangeably to refer to barley malt syrup.

When sprouted barley grains have undergone the malting process of breaking down their complex carbohydrates into simple sugar, they undergo another process of concentrating them into a dark brown and viscous syrup that’s used to add flavor, color, or texture to a variety of foods and beverages. But not only does barley malt syrup lend sweetness to items and contribute to making them more enticing to consume in other ways, it also provides a semblance of nutrition from the iron, potassium, calcium, B vitamins, and essential amino acids that are passed on from the barley grains. So given the nutritional benefits that barley malt syrup may have and its low glycemic index of 42, it’s not that bad of an added sugar, though steps should still be taken to ensure that it’s consumed in moderation because routinely taking in more than the body needs can negatively affect blood sugar and play a hand in weight gain and the development of several chronic conditions.

The sugar beet is a plant that forms sucrose in its leaves through the process of photosynthesis and then stores the sugar in its roots. That plant’s energy supply is extracted by manufacturers in the creation of beet sugar, which is composed of 99.95 percent sucrose.

For all intents and purposes, beet sugar is essentially white sugar because the impurities and molasses in sugar beet juice are so offputting in taste that beet sugar is seldom ever made into less refined versions in the manner that sugar derived from sugar cane is. On that note, “beet sugar” in an ingredient list is a more informative way for manufacturers to say that the white sugar in their given product is specifically derived from beets, which makes it conform to vegan strictures due to the fact that bone char doesn’t have to be used to make sugar beet crystals pure white in the fashion that the animal product has to be used when processing sugar cane into its most refined form.

APPLICATIONS: Cakes, pastries, cookies, confectionery, yogurt, ice cream, ketchup, salad dressing, barbeque sauce, jams, jellies, fruit preserves, soda, fruit juice, sports drinks, etc.

Juice that’s extracted from sugar beets is what’s used to make beet sugar. That happens through a refining process that’s virtually identical to the one that’s used to produce granulated sugar from sugar cane. Through a totally separate process, juice is extracted from sugar beets and then boiled down for several hours. Once enough water from the juice has evaporated, the end product is beet syrup, which is dark like molasses and has a honey-like consistency. Also, because the sugars in beet syrup are more concentrated in the viscous liquid than they are in granulated beet sugar, the glycemic index is slightly higher at 72.

APPLICATIONS: Gingerbread cookies, pumpernickel and sourdough bread, sauces, marinades, salad dressing, yogurt, smoothies, etc.

Like maple trees, birch trees have sugary sap that can be tapped and boiled down into a concentrated sweetener. Unlike maple syrup, however, birch syrup has a flavor profile that’s closer to savory than sweet, though that depends on the season, weather, location, and species of birch. Also differing from maple syrup is that birch syrup requires almost three times more sap to make a gallon of syrup. That, in turn, makes manufacturing birch syrup a labor-intensive process. Those two factors combine to make birch syrup expensive and limit its commercial application mostly to premium foods and beverages.

APPLICATIONS: Barbeque sauce, meat glazes, marinades, salad dressing, gourmet ice cream, high-end baked goods and confectionery, specialty condiments, etc.

NOTE: Birch syrup should not be confused with having anything to do with birch sugar if you see one or the other in an ingredients list. While both are derived from birch trees, birch syrup is made from the sap and birch sugar is made from the wood fiber of the bark through the extraction of xylan. The hydrolysis process of that complex carbohydrate then yields xylitol, a sugar alcohol that lends sweetness like simple sugars do but has a different chemical structure that prevents it from being fully digested and absorbed by the body, which results in the compound having a negligible impact on blood sugar and calorie intake. As such, because birch sugar, also known as xylitol, isn’t technically a sugar and doesn’t produce the same or similar effects, it’s not counted as an added sugar, nor does it factor into the total sugars count of a product. Instead, the amount of xylitol in any given product is listed along with any other compounds like it in the “Total Carbohydrate” section of the nutrition facts panel in a separate “Sugar Alcohol” line. Other types of sugar alcohols that you may see in an ingredients list include erythritol, maltitol, sorbitol, lactitol, mannitol, and isomalt.

Molasses is available in three different levels of color, flavor, sugar content, and nutrient profile depending on the amount of processing that’s undergone. Light molasses, or first syrup, comes from the initial boiling of sugar cane juice that eventually leads to the concentration of the liquid and separation of sugar crystals from it. The liquid that’s left is the palest and sweetest molasses. If another boiling and sugar extraction takes place, second molasses is produced. Also known as dark molasses, second molasses is thicker and has a slightly bitter taste. When a third and final boiling occurs and all the remaining sugar is removed, the result is blackstrap molasses. It’s the darkest, thickest, and bitterest of the bunch because it contains none of the sucrose from the original juice. However, while blackstrap molasses has the lowest sugar content among the other kinds of molasses, it happens to be the richest in nutrients like vitamin B6, as well as antioxidants and minerals like iron, calcium, magnesium, potassium, and phosphorus.

Blackstrap molasses is the most nutritious type of molasses and in addition to that, there’s reason to believe it causes a slower rise in blood sugar than dark and light molasses on account of the minerals and other beneficial compounds though the glycemic index for all variants of molasses is generally given as the same score of 55.

APPLICATIONS: Gingerbread cookies, brown bread, bran muffins, barbeque sauce, marinades, baked beans, etc.

see AGAVE NECTAR

Somewhat similar to the making of barley malt syrup, brown rice syrup is made by cooking whole grain rice and exposing it to enzymes that break down the complex starch into simpler sugars. Afterwards, the water is strained and the remaining moisture is reduced with heat until it evaporates. What’s left is a thick, brown liquid that’s used as a sweetener, thickening agent, and humectant that helps enhance texture and moistness.

Brown rice is a highly nutritious grain. The syrup that’s derived from brown rice is not. The protein and fiber found in brown rice and many of the essential vitamins and minerals aren’t retained in the syrup. Instead, what the syrup provides is almost exclusively sugar in the form of maltotriose, maltose, and glucose. Due to the fact that maltose and maltotriose are simply sugar units with two and three glucose molecules, respectively, the syrup is essentially 100% concentrated glucose and it behaves that way by immediately spiking blood sugar levels, as demonstrated by its extremely high glycemic index of 98.

APPLICATIONS: Cakes, cookies, granola bars, breakfast cereals, confectionery, frozen desserts, icings, frostings, etc.

Molasses is a thick and dark syrup that’s the byproduct of refining sugar cane and sugar beets into white sugar. When that molasses is completely extracted from sugar beets, it’s typically used for animal feed, as a soil supplement, or to make ethanol, among various other applications that have little to do with the making of foods and beverages because the substance is too high in salt and low in sugar to be palatable. Conversely, when the removed molasses is from sugar cane, it’s added back into the processed white sugar from sugar cane or sugar beets to make brown sugar.

Brown sugar is basically sucrose with molasses. How much molasses is included determines the color, flavor, and texture. On that end, there’s brown sugar that’s 6.5% molasses and is dark, sticky, and has a more robust toffee flavor than the brown sugar that’s 3.5% molasses with a lighter hue and mild, caramel-like sweetness. Whatever the differences are between dark and light brown sugar, they both share the same glycemic index score of 65, meaning that neither is better than the other because they each cause immediate spikes in blood sugar.

APPLICATIONS: Cakes, cookies, muffins, granola bars, breakfast cereals, barbeque sauce, teriyaki sauce, ketchup, salad dressing, marinades, meat glazes, etc.

The first step of processing sugar from sugar cane involves crushing the stalks with a machine. When that happens, a liquid extract is released and more steps are taken to derive sugar crystals and molasses from the fluid. Cane juice is the term for the liquid extract when production stops before further steps are taken to process various types of sugar and sugar-related products from it.

Cane juice is typically consumed as a standalone beverage or serves as the principal ingredient for certain varieties of rum but there are a handful of culinary applications where it’s used. On that note, the juice has a low glycemic index of 43 but due to sucrose accounting for around 15 percent of its composition, it has a high sugar concentration that can cause a significant spike in blood sugar levels.

see EVAPORATED CANE JUICE

Sugar cane is a tropical grass that stores sucrose in its stalk. That energy source is extracted by manufacturers in the production of cane sugar, which refers to any refined, raw, or unrefined sweetener that’s directly or indirectly derived from it. To confuse matters, “cane sugar” also happens to be a specific type of sweetener within the cane sugar classification, as it may refer to golden sugar.

Cane juice is the thin, sugary liquid that’s extracted from sugar cane stalks as part of the initial process in the making of refined sugar. When that juice is boiled for hours, it concentrates by evaporation and results in cane syrup but only upon the termination of cooking before any sugar is crystallized, as that’s a step that’s involved in the making of a separate derivative of cane juice that’s sometimes known as sucanat.

APPLICATIONS: Cakes, cookies, pecan pie, confectionery, meat glazes, marinades, etc.

Widely used as a flavoring or coloring in food and beverage manufacturing, caramel is the product of a series of chemical reactions that occur when sugar is exposed to high temperatures. Specifically, as sugar is heated to melting point, the sugar molecules break down and transform into hundreds of new compounds that combine to result in the distinct appearance, taste, and smell of caramel. Typically, caramel is made from white sugar but other types of sugar can be used as well, such as brown sugar, inverted sugar syrup, and golden syrup, for example. The type of sugar, temperature, cooking time, technique, and other ingredients that are used can influence the flavor, color, viscosity, and how smooth or gritty the texture is, all of which impacts what application the caramel is used for. Whatever the case, caramel is primarily composed of simple sugars that are quickly digested and absorbed into the bloodstream.

APPLICATIONS: Confectionery, bakery fillings and toppings, dessert sauces, ice cream, flavored milk, soda, malted dairy beverages, barbeque sauce, soy sauce, fish sauce, Worcestershire sauce, brown gravy, seasoning mixes, meat rubs, etc.

NOTE: The manufacturing of industrial caramel shouldn’t be confused with the manufacturing of caramel candy, which is a different process that typically involves heating sugar, corn syrup, milk, and butter.

see CAROB SYRUP

see CAROB POWDER

see CAROB SYRUP

The carob tree is native to the Mediterranean, North Africa, and parts of Asia. As a large shrub in the pea family, the tree produces leathery seed pods. Those pods and their contents have a number of culinary uses and one involves drying, roasting, and grinding the sweet pulp from within the pods in creation of a powder that’s often used as a substitute for cacao. The reason for that swap lies in the fact that carob powder is stimulant-free with its lack of caffeine and theobromine, which are both present in cocoa powder. Additionally, carob powder is slightly sweeter in taste and rich in fiber and polyphenols that slow down the digestion and absorption of sugar into the bloodstream.

APPLICATIONS: Cookies, muffins, energy bars, cereal bars, breakfast cereals, caffeine-free chocolate, functional drink powders, chocolate flavored plant milks, etc.

Carob bean gum, or locust bean gum, is a common thickening agent in food processing that’s derived from the seeds of the carob tree. Sourced from the same tree is carob syrup. As it turns out, the pods containing the necessary seeds for the production of carob bean gum are rich in sugar that can be extracted by crushing them and allowing the smaller pieces to soak and boil. After the natural sugars are drawn out and the mixture is filtered to separate the solids from the juice, the remaining water is evaporated over low heat for several hours until a thick, dark concentrate is left.

Carob syrup is described as having the consistency of maple syrup or honey and boasting a flavor profile that’s a blend of molasses, dates, and chocolate. Nutritionally, carob syrup is also regarded for its beneficial compounds in the form of calcium, iron, potassium, magnesium, antioxidants, and B vitamins like riboflavin and niacin. Those sensory features and high concentration of key nutrients, along with a low glycemic index, have led to carob syrup’s use as a healthier alternative to other sweeteners to retain moisture, improve color and texture, enhance flavor, and extend shelf life.

APPLICATIONS: Bread, cakes, cookies, muffins, confectionery, chocolate alternatives, cereal bars, smoothies, flavored plant milks, etc.

Granulated sugar is made up of sugar particles with an average crystal size of 300 to 550 microns. Caster sugar is derived from sugar beets or sugar cane and undergoes the same refining process as granulated sugar but it’s milled to have smaller crystals of sugar so it’s texture isn’t as coarse and similar to salt while also not being as fine and powdery as confectioner’s sugar, which has crystals that are less than 150 microns. Caster sugar can be used any way that granulated sugar can be used but because the surface area increases the smaller that sugar crystals get, caster sugar dissolves faster and incorporates into certain foods and beverages better.

see PALM SYRUP

see PALM SYRUP

see PALM SUGAR

see PALM SUGAR

see FRUIT JUICE CONCENTRATE

Granulated sugar is made up of sugar particles with an average crystal size of 300 to 550 microns. Confectioners’ sugar is derived from sugar beets or sugar cane and undergoes the same refining process as granulated sugar but it’s ground into a fine powder with crystals that are less than 150 microns, which makes it more functional for a number of baking applications.

see CORN SYRUP

see DEXTROSE

There are a group of sweeteners that are only or can also be derived from corn starch, such as high-fructose corn syrup, corn syrup, dextrose, and maltodextrin, for instance. Corn sweetener is the general category by which those products are classified. Basically, corn sweeteners are a type of starch sweetener.

Corn is a staple crop that’s prized for how much starch it yields compared to other sources. On that end, starch is a complex carbohydrate that consists of hundreds, if not thousands, of glucose molecules bonded to one another. Where plants store that reserve energy source varies but in cereal grains like corn, the endosperm, or innermost layer, of a grain is the primary storage site. So to extract starch from corn, the kernels are stripped of the nutrient-rich bran and germ that surround the endosperm. Upon getting milled, the refined grains can be effectively used to make products from their starch. In the case of corn syrup, the starch is placed in water and enzymes are added to break down the bonds that link the myriad glucose molecules. Following hydrolysis, the mixture is heated and concentrated into a syrup that’s mostly used for sweetness and as a thickening agent but also has moisture retaining and texture softening properties.

The bran and germ of a grain are where the fiber, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants are housed. So on account of corn kernels losing those parts, corn syrup is essentially devoid of any essential nutrients. That lack of nutritional value keeps in line with many refined sugars but where corn syrup distinguishes itself is in its high glycemic index thanks to the concentration of fast-acting glucose that’s quickly absorbed by the body and has a rapid effect on blood sugar.

APPLICATIONS: Cakes, cookies, confectionery, frozen desserts, jams, jellies, table syrups, barbeque sauce, ketchup, soda, etc.

Corn syrup is a liquid that’s produced through an involved process that culminates in a mixture of water and broken down corn starch getting heated and concentrated into a syrup. If another production step is taken by dehydrating the syrup to remove the remaining moisture, a dry powder is left behind, which is otherwise known as corn syrup solids. Corn syrup solids improve moisture retention, extend shelf life, enhance browning, prevent crystallization, maintain texture, contribute to mouthfeel, and add sweetness. Essentially, corn syrup solids provide much of the same functional benefits as corn syrup but are a more practical ingredient for dry products.

APPLICATIONS: Coffee creamers, powdered drink mixes, baby formula, baked goods, jams, jellies, fruit-based sauces, confectionery, ice cream, etc.

The term “dextrose” represents the starch-derived sugar in its granulated form. Crystalline dextrose is the powdered form of the sugar, which is often but not always anhydrous.

APPLICATIONS: Pastries, breakfast cereals, dairy products, processed meat, confectionery, jams, jellies, instant puddings, custard mixes, etc.

Deriving from corn starch and undergoing the same manner of production as high-fructose corn syrup, crystalline fructose distinguishes itself from that popular sweetener in that it’s nearly 98 percent fructose, which lends to it being 20 percent sweeter than sucrose and more soluble. Also, on account of the heightened fructose content, crystalline fructose has little effect on blood sugar levels because there’s little direct glucose available to immediately enter the bloodstream, as fructose must first get metabolized in the liver before its glucose constituents are ready for absorption. Nevertheless, while the energy release from crystalline fructose is more gradual than table sugar, for example, it’s not exactly better because of the increased potential to overload the liver with more fructose than it can manage at a time, which can lead to the excess getting stored as belly fat and elevating the risk of harm to your overall health.

APPLICATIONS: Dry mix beverages, low-calorie products, flavored water, still and carbonated beverages, sports and energy drinks, chocolate milk, breakfast cereals, baked goods, yogurt, fruit packs, confectionery, etc.

see DEXTROSE

see MUSCOVADO

see MUSCOVADO

see DATE SYRUP

see PALM SUGAR

Sometimes used interchangeably with each other, there are slight differences between date powder and date sugar. On that note, date powder is formed by dehydrated dates being ground into a fine, flour-like consistency. Due to that small particle size, date powder is more soluble in liquids and can be used for beverages, though its fibrous content may prevent it from dissolving completely.

APPLICATIONS: Protein powder, meal replacements, infant formula, pureed baby food, energy gels, snack bars, smoothies, yogurt, ice cream, etc.

Dates are a fruit derived from date palm trees and they’re exceptionally sweet and have a rich, caramel-like taste because they contain a high amount of natural sugar. The sugar content of dates almost doubles and they become even sweeter and acquire a toffee-like flavor when they lose a significant portion of their water content. Additionally, not only is the sugar increased by the removal of water concentrating it into a smaller package but so too are all of the other nutrients.

Basically, dried dates contain more protein, fiber, and important micronutrients than an equal serving of fresh fruit, as well as more sugar. With that information at hand, raw dates can be crushed into a paste, dried, and then ground into coarse granules and because the whole concentrated fruit is used, the resulting date sugar is not just as sweet as some other sugars but it’s more nutritious. It’s on that basis that date sugar is used as a healthy alternative primarily in the manufacturing of food and not beverages because it doesn’t dissolve well in fluids.

APPLICATIONS: Cookies, muffins, yogurt, granola mixes, snack bars, ice cream, jams, marmalades, baby food, etc.

The argument can be made that date sugar and date powder are healthy sweeteners because they’re minimally processed and provide some of the nutritional benefits of the whole fruit they’re derived from. The same can’t be said to as large of an extent with date syrup.

For one, date syrup isn’t made from dried dates, of which the lack of moisture positively affects the nutrient profile. Second, after boiling the dates in water to draw out their nectar and then blending them, the pits and insoluble parts are strained out of the mixture before it’s boiled and reduced into syrup. It’s by virtue of the filtering step that date syrup loses much of its nutrition value because by not using the whole fruit, the syrup doesn’t retain as much of the fruit’s natural fiber, nor its vitamins and minerals. However, despite date syrup not having as much fiber as date sugar and date powder nor the fruit those products derive from, the glycemic index of 47 is quite reasonable.

APPLICATIONS: Bread, cakes, cookies, chocolate, candy, dairy products, jams, smoothies, functional beverages, etc.

see EVAPORATED CANE JUICE

Made from evaporated cane juice and minimally processed, demerara sugar is a variety of raw sugar. That being the case that demerara sugar is less refined than white sugar, it retains more of its natural molasses content, about 1-2 percent of it. That contributes to the sugar having a golden-brown color and caramel taste, as well as a little bit more of the vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that are found in the sugar cane plant compared to white sugar, which has none of them transferred down. Another characteristic of demerara sugar is its large crystals, which are also dry because while the sugar contains molasses, it’s not so much that there’s enough moisture to make them soft like in the case of muscovado and Barbados sugar.

The hydrolysis of starch with water and a catalyst, such as an enzyme or acid, breaks down the complex carbohydrate into smaller glucose molecules. Partial hydrolysis is when hydrolysis is stopped before its completion, which can yield long chains of linked glucose units that are known as dextrins. White dextrin, yellow dextrin, resistant dextrin, and British gum are examples of the handful of types of dextrins that can be formed from corn, wheat, tapioca, rice, potatoes, and other starch sources depending on how the partial hydrolysis is handled. Of those four types, only white dextrin and resistant dextrin have a role in the manufacturing of food and beverages while the others have applications in such industries as textiles, mining, metal casting, and leatherworking.

Resistant dextrin is difficult for the body to process in the small intestine, so it doesn’t completely break down into metabolic energy like digestible carbohydrates. Instead, it’s fermented in the colon and only provides about 2 calories per gram. For that reason, resistant dextrin is basically a fiber and it’s commonly used in the industrial manufacturing of foods as such to boost the content of that nutrient, in addition to its use in edible and drinkable products to modify texture or improve mouthfeel without contributing to the sugar content. On the nutrition facts panel, resistant dextrin contributes to the amount of fiber listed on the “Dietary Fiber” line in the “Total Carbohydrate” section. White dextrin, on the other hand, counts as an added sugar because it rapidly increases blood glucose. White dextrin is commonly used as a thickening agent and to make food crispier. Additionally, white dextrin has fat memetic properties that make for its use in replacing dietary fat in low-calorie products so a given item has a mouthfeel, texture, and viscosity that’s similar to the full-fat version. White dextrin isn’t particularly sweet so it’s seldom used in foods and beverages for that purpose.

APPLICATIONS: Baked goods, processed meat, sauces, dairy products, batters, coating, glazes, snack bars, chips, chocolate, candy, fruit juice, etc.

Monosaccharides are single units of sugar and glucose is a naturally-occurring one in many plant sources. Dextrose is chemically identical to that sugar and it’s the name given to glucose derived from starch, which, in the United States, usually consists of refining corn but may also involve wheat or rice.

As an ingredient in food production, dextrose is extremely versatile and due to this, it’s used for an assortment of applications, some of which include improving texture, acting as a browning agent and moisture stabilizer, and extending shelf life. Also on that list is the enhancement of flavor by serving as a sweetener. To that effect, dextrose is about 20-30 percent less sweet than table sugar but despite that lower sweetness value, it has a much higher glycemic index of 100 because it doesn’t require digestion and is instead absorbed directly into the bloodstream. As such, dextrose raises blood sugar rapidly and overconsuming it can contribute to obesity and poor health.

APPLICATIONS: Bread, pastries, cookies, confectionery, chewing gum, yogurt, ice cream, frozen foods, sports drinks, sauces, marinades, salad dressing, jams, crackers, chips, processed meat, energy drinks, carbonated beverages, dehydrated soups, seasoning mixes, etc.

Barley malt comes in two varieties. One is nondiastatic malt, which is made by exposing the sprouted barley grains to high temperatures to kill the active enzymes that are produced during the malting process. Diastatic malt is the other variety, which contains the active enzymes that convert starch into sugar. This type of malt is commonly used in brewing and breadmaking for fermentation purposes while its nondiastatic counterpart has a greater array of culinary uses.

see CORN SYRUP SOLIDS

see EVAPORATED CANE JUICE

see CORN SYRUP SOLIDS

NOTE: Wheat, barley, rye, tapioca, potatoes, and rice are examples of starch sources that glucose syrup solids can be made from. In the United States, however, the product is commonly made from corn starch so the two terms, dried glucose syrup and corn syrup solids, are often used interchangeably. Nonetheless, except for a few minor differences, much of the production process is the same between the sources and they yield powders with similar qualities.

When fruit is dried, the removal of water concentrates the nutrients into a smaller package. This is why dried fruit contains more fiber and micronutrients than fresh fruit of an equal serving and is also sweeter, as it contains more natural sugar. The same applies for dried grapes, or raisins, which can be blended with water into a smooth paste or macerated and reduced into a syrup for use as a healthier sugar alternative to sweeten, add moisture, balance flavor, contribute to texture, and act as a binder in certain foods and beverages. Nevertheless, while raisin paste and raisin syrup may have more fiber and other beneficial compounds than some common sweeteners, the amounts aren’t substantial enough to outweigh the potential negative effects to your health and wellbeing from the high glucose and fructose content if a product containing one or both is routinely consumed in excess.

see LACTOSE

NOTE: Cheese whey is the byproduct of cheese production and whey permeate is the byproduct of manufacturing whey protein concentrate. Both cheese whey and whey permeate contain the disaccharide lactose and they can be concentrated to increase the sugar content even further after protein and fat are initially removed from either solution. Next, when the water is evaporated and the concentrated solution is allowed to cool, lactose crystals begin to form. Those crystals are then separated from the liquid with a centrifuge and dried. What remains is a white powder that’s referred to as edible lactose, which can then be used more so as a functional component by the food industry than as a sweetening ingredient because lactose is among the least sweet of the common sugar molecules.

Cane juice is the liquid that’s released by crushing sugar cane stalks. Evaporated cane juice is exactly as its name suggests, as cane juice is heated until most of its water content is gone. Following evaporation, the concentrated cane juice syrup undergoes a crystallization process before the mixture is inserted into a centrifuge to separate some of the molasses from the crystallized sucrose. Basically, evaporated cane juice is cane juice that’s converted into sugar granules that retain a bit of their natural molasses and trace nutrients.

Malt syrup has several uses but in some applications that call for malt to provide any of its functional benefits, a nonliquid alternative is needed. Flo-Malt is that product and it’s created by converting malt syrup into a sweet, free-flowing powder that can be used in food formulations that are better suited for dry ingredients.

APPLICATIONS: Bread, cakes, candy, breakfast cereals, chips, cookies, dairy products, donuts, dry seasoning blends, extruded snacks, fillings, icings, glazes, frozen foods, mixes, pies, pizza, popcorn, pretzels, sauces, dressings, marinades, tortillas, etc.

Unlike regular brown sugar that clumps and hardens because of its high moisture content, free-flowing brown sugar undergoes a special heating and drying process that makes the granules light and loose and gives the sugar a texture similar to white sugar. That difference in processing changes the applications the sugar can be used for but everything else between both kinds of brown sugar remains relatively identical in terms of the sweetness level, calories, nutrients, and impact to health and wellbeing when consumed beyond moderation.

Glucose is the primary fuel for the body and when it’s consumed, it bypasses digestion and instead gets absorbed straight into the bloodstream. From there, glucose travels throughout the body and insulin is released to signal the cells to absorb the sugar and burn it to create energy. The process is different with disaccharides, as well as with the other monosaccharides. In that instance, sugar that’s not already in the form of glucose gets chemically broken down in the small intestine first and the constituent units are then absorbed into the bloodstream. Next, the isolated glucose gets transported to the cells for immediate energy and sugars like fructose and galactose are transported to the liver for conversion into glucose.

The way that sugar is metabolized has an effect on blood glucose and insulin levels, whether that be immediate or gradual as sugar is converted to glucose that the body can utilize for its needs. Fructooligosaccharides should be expected to have the same impact because they’re carbohydrates consisting of short chains of fructose molecules that may sometimes be combined with one glucose molecule. That, however, isn’t the case. As it turns out, fructooligosaccharides provide the sweetness of sugar but behave like fiber, as they pass through the small intestine without getting catalyzed into absorbable molecules. Instead, they arrive relatively intact in the colon and are fermented by gut bacteria.

The indigestibility that’s displayed by fructooligosaccharides translates to them having certain advantages over other sugars. The first is that fructooligosaccharides supply fewer calories because the body can’t extract all of the stored energy from them. Second, the fermentation of fructooligosaccharides in the gut helps feed “good” bacteria and promote their growth, which has its own systemic benefits for health and wellbeing. Third, the separate metabolic pathway that fructooligosaccharides are broken down with has no impact on blood glucose and insulin levels. As such, they have a glycemic index that’s virtually zero. Given these considerations, fructooligosaccharides are generally treated like fiber and contribute to the total fiber count that’s listed on a nutrition panel rather than being treated as and included in the amount of added sugar.

APPLICATIONS: Cakes, cookies, crackers, breakfast cereals, yogurt, kefir, granola bars, fruit snacks, meal replacements, infant formula, baby food, protein bars, probiotic drinks, juice blends, etc.

A naturally-occurring sugar commonly found in items like fruits, vegetables, and honey, fructose poses no problem in those sources because it’s in small quantities. That’s not the case when it’s commercially extracted and added to foods and beverages. In that instance, the application of fructose is typically in high quantities and without the presence of nutrients like fiber that delay digestion and absorption. As a result, it’s more likely for the liver to get overloaded with fructose and convert a great proportion of it into fat that accumulates in the abdomen around the organs, which presents numerous health problems.

APPLICATIONS: Cakes, cookies, pastries, confectionery, granola bars, barbeque sauce, ketchup, salad dressing, breakfast cereals, jams, fruit preserves, table syrup, fruit leathers, canned fruit, yogurt, soda, fruit juice, sports drinks, sweetened teas, etc.

see CRYSTALLINE FRUCTOSE

All fruits contain natural sugars in the form of glucose, fructose, and sucrose. The exact ratio varies by fruit type, as does the total sugar content. As such, some fruits are higher in a specific kind of sugar than others, if not their overall amount, and that sugar can be extracted by squeezing juice from them and then removing most of the water. That process typically results in a thick, syrupy liquid that’s several times stronger than natural juice from the fruit. Additionally, fruit juice concentrate tends to have a glycemic index far greater than the glycemic index of the whole fruit that it’s derived from because of the eliminated fiber content and polyphenols.

Fruit juice concentrate is commonly used as a base sweetener in foods and beverages. Manufacturers may also employ fruit juice concentrate as a binder and to balance acidity. In low-fat products as well, it’s often used as a replacement for fat to imitate the texture and mouthfeel that’s provided by the macronutrient without providing the same amount of calories. There are other applications but exactly which one fruit juice concentrate is used for depends on the fruit and the properties its concentrated juice has.

APPLICATIONS: Baked goods, breakfast cereals, confectionery, ice cream, snack bars, fruit drinks, smoothies, enhanced water, etc.

NOTE: Fruit juice concentrate can appear in the ingredients list as “fruit juice concentrate”, “[insert fruit] juice concentrate”, or “concentrated [insert fruit] juice”.

One way of using fruit for industrial application in foods and beverages is by extracting the liquid and using it in production of juice concentrate. Another method is by blending fruit into a substance with a dense texture that retains more of the fruit’s fiber and essential nutrients because a greater amount of the fruit and its pulp is in the mixture. Next, the resultant fruit purée has its water content evaporated in the creation of fruit purée concentrate.

Fruit juice concentrate is often used by manufacturers as a “healthier” replacement for refined sugar to improve the sensory experience of foods and beverages. Fruit purée concentrate is likewise employed for the same purpose of adding flavor, color, and texture. Fruit purée concentrate may also be used as a moisturizer and binder that holds ingredients together, as well as a substitute for fat and eggs to cut down on calories while performing similar functions to the swapped out ingredients. There are other applications but exactly which one fruit purée concentrate is used for depends on the fruit and the properties it has when puréed and concentrated.

APPLICATIONS: Cakes, cookies, muffins, bread, fillings, jams, jellies, fruit-based sauces, baby food, confectionery, yogurt, ice cream, fruit snacks, smoothies, fruit juice, energy drinks, etc.

NOTE: Fruit purée concentrate can appear in the ingredients list as “fruit purée concentrate” or “[insert fruit] purée concentrate”.

see FRUCTOSE

Belonging to the group of single unit sugars known as monosaccharides, galactose is found in milk as a component of lactose. Dairy products are the principal dietary source of galactose but the sugar is also present in trace amounts in certain fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, cereals, legumes, and organ meats in combination with other sugars or by itself, although rarely.

In a process that involves the hydrolysis of lactose, galactose can be manufactured into a white, crystalline solid that’s about 65 percent as sweet as sucrose and has a glycemic index of 20. That low effect on blood sugar is because several enzymes have to convert galactose into glucose, which takes time and prevents a spike in blood sugar levels. Comparatively, lactose also contains galactose but has a higher glycemic index of 46 because the disaccharide also contains glucose molecules that are present for the body to easily absorb without the need for digestion.

Identical to each other in their chemical structures, properties, nutritional values, metabolic effects, and functional benefits, glucose and dextrose are the same. The only difference between the two is that glucose refers to the general category of the monosaccharide that’s naturally found in whole foods and is the body’s primary energy source while dextrose relates to the refined form that’s derived from starch.

see MALTODEXTRIN

see CORN SYRUP SOLIDS

NOTE: Wheat, barley, rye, tapioca, potatoes, and rice are examples of starch sources that glucose syrup solids can be made from. In the United States, however, the product is commonly made from corn starch so the two terms, glucose solids and corn syrup solids, are often used interchangeably. Nonetheless, except for a few minor differences, much of the production process is the same between the sources and they yield powders with similar qualities.

see CORN SYRUP

NOTE: Wheat, barley, rye, tapioca, potatoes, and rice are examples of starch sources that glucose syrup can be made from. In the United States, however, the product is commonly made from corn starch so the two terms, glucose syrup and corn syrup, are often used interchangeably. Nonetheless, except for a few minor differences, much of the production process is the same between the sources and they yield syrups with similar qualities.

see CORN SYRUP SOLIDS

NOTE: Wheat, barley, rye, tapioca, potatoes, and rice are examples of starch sources that glucose syrup solids can be made from. In the United States, however, the product is commonly made from corn starch so the two terms, glucose syrup solids and corn syrup solids, are often used interchangeably. Nonetheless, except for a few minor differences, much of the production process is the same between the sources and they yield powders with similar qualities.

see HIGH-FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP

NOTE: Wheat, barley, rye, tapioca, potatoes, and rice are examples of starch sources that glucose-fructose syrup can be made from. In the United States, however, the product is commonly made from corn starch so the two terms, glucose-fructose syrup and high-fructose corn syrup, are often used interchangeably. Nonetheless, except for a few minor differences, much of the production process is the same between the sources and they yield syrups with similar qualities.

Having the same functional properties as caster sugar, golden caster sugar is nothing more than a variation that’s typically made from sugar cane and is unrefined or slightly unrefined so it retains a level of molasses, which contributes to its golden color and buttery, more caramel-like flavor in comparison.

When processing sugar cane to make granulated sugar, if the sugar cane juice is completely refined, then the resulting product is white sugar. When the juice is less refined, the sugar crystals that form have a golden color and there’s a hint of molasses in the flavor profile. In that instance, the granulated sugar may be termed “golden sugar”.

After the syrup that’s to be used for white sugar undergoes the bleaching process if necessary, as in the case of cane sugar, the sugary syrup proceeds to an evaporator and is then placed into a centrifuge. As the centrifuge spins, the sugar crystals are washed and retained while the syrup is removed and collected. Next, moisture is removed from the white sugar crystals and they’re ready for packing. As for the collected syrup, it can be concentrated in the creation of golden syrup, a sweetener that contributes flavor, color, and moisture retention.

NOTE: There’s another sugar product that’s also referred to as golden sugar. It’s typically produced by treating a solution of cane sugar with citric acid and heat to break the sucrose molecules down into glucose and fructose. That makes this form of golden syrup a type of invert sugar. More specifically, it’s a partially inverted sugar. As a partially inverted sugar, the golden syrup in question isn’t fully hydrolyzed of sucrose and instead contains it but the results of the inversion, glucose and fructose, combine to be at a greater proportion. That inverted sugar content is what gives the syrup its thickness, amber color, buttery caramel flavor, and taste that’s about 20 percent sweeter than white sugar.

see FREE-FLOWING BROWN SUGAR

see WHITE SUGAR

NOTE: The term “granulated sugar” typically refers to white sugar by default but it can also apply to any type of sugar grounded into particles. Additionally, granulated sugar can vary by crystal size, which can alter the functional properties and what commercial application the particular sugar is best for.

Glucose was first discovered to exist in grapes before its discovery in other sources. Since then, “grape sugar” has been a common name for glucose. In the commercial food and beverage industry, however, grape sugar more commonly refers to grape juice concentrate that’s crystallized into sugar — sometimes after having enzymes added to break down the fructose content into glucose, as that disaccharide is also present in grapes at a 1:1 ratio.

APPLICATIONS: Pastries, fruit juice, energy drinks, sports drinks, jams, jellies, fruit preserves, marmalades, confectionery, ice cream, fillings, icings, baby food, etc.

Enzymes break down corn starch into glucose as part of a multi-step process that eventually leads to the production of corn syrup. High-fructose corn syrup is a variant of corn syrup, in that another set of enzymes are used to convert a certain portion of the glucose into fructose.

There are different types of high-fructose corn syrup. The most common forms are HFCS-42 and HFCS-55. HFCS-42 is 42 percent fructose and the remainder is glucose and water. HFCS-42 is similar in sweetness to table sugar and is used in an assortment of foods and a smattering of beverages. HFCS-55 is 55 percent fructose. The higher amount of fructose gives it a slightly more intense level of sweetness, as well as a greater ability to dissolve in liquid than most common sweeteners because fructose is the most soluble sugar between glucose and sucrose. As such, HFCS-55 is primarily used in beverages.

Much like the properties and potential applications are different between the two kinds of high-fructose corn syrup because of their fructose content, so too is their exact impact on blood sugar. On that end, at a glycemic index of 58 and 68, respectively, both HFCS-55 and HFCS-42 fall into the moderate range. However, while they provide a gradual increase in blood sugar at an acceptable rate that isn’t bad to your overall health and wellbeing, they still present a problem. Aside from not offering anything other than calories because high-fructose corn syrup is devoid of nutritional value, the greater fructose content of either type increases the likelihood of overwhelming the liver with more of the sugar than it can process, thus leading to it immediately getting stored as fat around the organs. Over time, that can result in weight gain and insulin resistance, along with heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and liver damage. Given the prevalent use of high-fructose corn syrup as a commercial ingredient in the United States, it’s extremely easy to overconsume it and suffer the attendant effects unless vigilance is exercised to watch out for it in foods and beverages.

APPLICATIONS: Bread, cookies, muffins, pastries, crackers, breakfast cereals, yogurt, canned fruit, sauces, ketchup, barbecue sauce, salad dressing, jams, jellies, frozen desserts, candy, granola bars, soda, sports drinks, fruit juice, etc.

To meet the designation of high-maltose corn syrup, a malt syrup that’s derived from corn starch and then hydrolyzed and evaporated into concentrate has to have a maltose content of at least 50 percent and the remainder of the sugar content consisting of glucose and very little fructose. That difference in composition leads to a syrup that’s less sweet than sugar but resistant to crystallization, which makes it ideal as an humectant and preservative.

APPLICATIONS: Baked goods, confectionery, frozen desserts, canned fruits, processed meat, etc.

Nectar is a sugary liquid that’s produced by flowers to attract animals to help them fertilize and reproduce by carrying and depositing genetic material to and from other plants in the form of pollen. Bats and several types of birds and insects feed on flower nectar, including bees. When that nectar is collected by a bee, enzymes in their stomach break the sucrose-rich fluid down into simpler sugars and reduce the water content, which is an enzymatic action that occurs each time the nectar is regurgitated and passed from bee to bee at the hive until it’s finally stored in a wax honeycomb cell or resinous pod depending on the type of bees. Next, to further reduce the water content of the nectar, the bees flap their wings and trigger an evaporative effect that thickens the liquid into honey.

Honey is a sweet, viscous substance that’s a reserve energy source for bees to survive during winter and periods in warmer weather when food is scarce, such as if there’s a lack of blossoming flowers. Honey is also consumed by many other animals, including ants, wasps, skunks, raccoons, bears, and some types of birds. Also among that list are humans, who harvest honey from bee colonies, from which it may then be used in commercial food and beverage manufacturing as a sweetener, flavor enhancer, browning agent, moisture retainer, preservative, and ingredient binder.

Honey is particularly liked by the food and beverage industry because it’s versatile, has acids that help it easily blend into products without the sweetness being overpowering, and it doesn’t need additional processing into powder, syrup, or concentrate to be used in applications. Moreover, honey has a health halo surrounding it, in that consumers are more likely to purchase a product thinking it’s more nutritious than it may actually be on the automatic assumption that because honey is all natural, it’s significantly better for them than other sweeteners. That impression is mistaken, however.

Honey comes in various flavors, colors, and textures depending on the nectar source and geographical location, as well as other factors like the soil and climate. The composition can differ too based on those variables but on average, honey is about 40 percent fructose and 35 percent glucose, with water accounting for 15 percent and the remainder consisting of small amounts of maltose, sucrose, amino acids, enzymes, vitamins and minerals, and antioxidants. By means of the sugar proportion where honey is more fructose than glucose, it doesn’t have as rapid an impact on blood sugar levels. So given that honey’s glycemic index is 50, which is much lower than table sugar’s, it appears that honey is indeed the better choice. That stops being the case, however, when the high fructose content is considered. On that point, the body metabolizes fructose differently than it does glucose, with high intake of the former more likely to get stored as fat in the abdominal region whereas the latter temporarily gets stored as glycogen in muscle and liver cells as a rapid energy reserve before entering long-term storage in adipose tissue throughout the entire body when the excess fuel goes unused. As for the beneficial compounds, their quantities are too minimal to be of any significant value unless a considerable amount of honey were consumed, which presents the problems that were just broached. In all, whatever edge honey might have over some other sweeteners that are common in processed foods and beverages, it’s only marginal and not enough to forgo treating it like you should any other added sugar.

APPLICATIONS: Bread, breakfast cereals, granola bars, snack cakes, muffins, soft-baked cookies, biscotti, flavored water, sweetened teas, energy drinks, marinades, glazes, vinaigrettes, yogurt, etc.

Honey has several benefits that make it good for a number of commercial applications. However, working with liquid honey isn’t convenient and there can be variation in the flavor. Moreover, liquid honey clumps easily and the drums it’s kept in require a lot of storage space. Honi-Bake is the solution to those problems for the food and beverage industry, as it’s essentially dry honey powder. Consisting of a dehydrated blend of honey with anticaking agents and a few other ingredients, Honi-Bake maintains the authentic taste and functional properties of liquid honey but allows for precise measurement and control, isn’t sticky, has uniform and consistent flavor, takes up minimal space, and doesn’t absorb moisture from the air to cause crystallization.

see HONI-BAKE

Lactose is a sugar molecule but it has a low level of sweetness compared to other common sugars. That changes when lactose is isolated from whey and then hydrolyzed with the enzyme lactase, which breaks the disaccharide down into its much simpler and sweeter components of glucose and galactose. The resulting liquid is then evaporated and concentrated into hydrolyzed lactose syrup for use in preventing crystallization and helping certain products retain moisture.

APPLICATIONS: Baked goods, ice cream, yogurt, milk desserts, confectionery, etc.

see CONFECTIONERS’ SUGAR

see ISOMALTOOLIGOSACCHARIDE

see ISOMALTOOLIGOSACCHARIDE

The sugar molecule sucrose is composed of two individual sugar units of glucose and fructose. Through a process known as inversion, the chemical bonds holding glucose and fructose together can be broken down with the help of water and heat, as well as acid or enzymes. Invert, or inverted, sugar is the specific name given to the liquid sugar that results from the hydrolysis of table sugar.

The exact amount of sucrose that’s inverted depends on the function that’s required but invert sugar as a whole is characterized as being sweeter than table sugar and it’s sometimes preferred for its ability to retain moisture and retard sugar crystallization, of which helps promote a smooth texture and improve the shelf life of certain products.

Invert sugar and table sugar have differences in their physical and chemical properties that make one more ideal over the other for a particular application in a food or beverage. Nevertheless, the two sugars are alike nutritionally and prompt a similar metabolic response when they’re consumed.

NOTE: Invert sugar is generally in the form of a syrup but not always. The primary types of invert sugar are full invert syrup, in which all of the sucrose is converted into glucose and fructose, and partial invert syrup, in which about 50 percent of the sucrose is converted. Water can be evaporated from either type of syrup in creation of a white crystalline powder that’s known as dry invert sugar.

see INVERT SUGAR

see INVERT SUGAR

see HIGH-FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP

NOTE: Wheat, barley, rye, tapioca, potatoes, and rice are examples of starch sources that isoglucose can be made from. In the United States, however, the product is commonly made from corn starch so the two terms, isoglucose and high-fructose corn syrup, are often used interchangeably. Nonetheless, except for a few minor differences, much of the production process is the same between the sources and they yield syrups with similar qualities.

Consisting mostly of chains of glucose molecules with more than three units and less than ten, isomaltooligosaccharides are naturally found in honey and some fermented foods, like soy sauce, miso, sake, sourdough bread, and kimchi. However, the sugar is present in food in such small quantities that it’s not practical to extract it on a large scale for commercial purposes. Consequently, isomaltooligosaccharides have to be artificially produced by processing starch from wheat, barley, rice, cassava, potatoes, and other sources then hydrolyzing it with several types of enzymes to break down the complex carbohydrate into simpler sugars. Next, another enzyme, transfer glucosidase, is used on the mixture of simpler sugars, which leads to the formation of isomaltooligosaccharides.

In addition to having a longer chain of glucose molecules than monosaccharides and disaccharides, isomaltooligosaccharides also have their glucose units linked in a different pattern that’s supposed to be harder for the body to digest. As such, isomaltooligosaccharides are claimed to provide the sweetness of sugar but behave like a prebiotic fiber and have little to no effect on blood glucose levels and insulin. Research, however, has found that’s not true. While isomaltooligosaccharides from whole foods are indigestible, those that are made by industrial means tend to have a portion that passes through the body intact for fermentation in the gut as the other parts are metabolized into glucose and can induce significant spikes in blood sugar and insulin levels. That’s one reason to be careful about overconsuming products with isomaltooligiosaccharides despite their healthy marketing. Another is that gas, pain, bloating, and diarrhea can occur in certain individuals due to the fermentation in the colon.

APPLICATIONS: Baked goods, protein bars, energy bars, confectionery, etc.

Maltose and isomaltose are both disaccharides with covalent bonds that link one glucose unit to another. The difference between the pair is that the glucose units are linked in a different pattern. That variance in structure lends to isomaltose being partially metabolized and absorbed by the body, resulting in it having a lower glycemic index and supplying less energy than maltose and other conventional sugars. On account of those characteristics, isomaltose may be used as an alternative sweetener in low-calorie and diabetic-friendly products to help retain moisture, improve texture, and prolong shelf life.

NOTE: Isomaltose is derived from maltose. It should not be confused with isomaltulose, which is similarly a disaccharide that has the same bond pattern as isomaltose but differs in that it’s derived from sucrose and consequently consists of a glucose and fructose unit linked together. Neither should isomaltose be mistaken for isomalt, which is a sugar alcohol that’s produced by hydrogenating, or adding hydrogen to, isomaltulose.

Occurring naturally in small amounts in honey and sugar cane juice, isomaltulose is a disaccharide with a glucose and fructose molecule that can be made artificially with sugar beets. Basically, the process involves enzymes that rearrange the sucrose bonds to make the linkage between glucose and fructose stronger, which results in a sweetener that’s more difficult for the body to break down. As such, digestion and absorption happens slowly. In fact, the release of glucose and its uptake by the cells is estimated to take 4 to 5 times longer than table sugar. So while isomaltulose provides the same 4 calories per gram similar to sucrose, it has a glycemic index of 32 and doesn’t cause the same sudden spike and crash in blood sugar that’s associated with the popular sweetener.

APPLICATIONS: Bagels, cookies, breakfast cereals, cereal bars, sports drinks, baby food, meal replacements, energy bars, fruit juice, chocolate, etc.

A form of unrefined sugar, jaggery is made by boiling sugar cane juice until the moisture evaporates, with the thick syrup then allowed to cool and harden into a concentrated block that contains most, if not all, of the natural molasses content. Sugar cane tends to be the basis of jaggery but it can also be made from the sap of select palm trees. Regardless of the source, jaggery is abundant in several minerals, antioxidants, and phytochemicals on account of the fact that the nutrient-rich molasses isn’t separated from the crystals in the manner that’s done with sugars that undergo various levels of refinement. Both types of jaggery have beneficial properties but with a glycemic index of 84 compared to that of 35, cane jaggery is the least healthy of the two and the one you should watch out for in ingredient lists due to the immediate impact it has on blood sugar.

see CORN SYRUP SOLIDS

NOTE: Konaame is basically the Japanese equivalent of corn syrup solids, except that it’s derived from rice or potatoes. In turn, that essentially makes the sweetener a dried glucose syrup. Nonetheless, much of the production process is the same between the sources and they yield powders with similar qualities.

Monosaccharides are carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen atoms bonded together to form one single unit of sugar. When two monosaccharides join together, the individual molecules chemically bond in formation of a sugar unit that’s called a disaccharide. One common disaccharide is lactose, which is composed of glucose and galactose.

The combination of glucose and galactose is found naturally only in the milk of mammals. As such, lactose is present in dairy products as an intrinsic sugar that doesn’t count towards daily sugar intake given that the lactose content doesn’t exceed its natural amounts. Lactose may also be extracted from whey to be found elsewhere upon its use as an added sugar to act as a browning agent, shelf-life extender, fermentation substrate, texturizer, flavor enhancer, and stabilizer. As a pure sweetener, however, lactose is seldom used for that purpose because it pales behind fructose, sucrose, glucose, and several of the other common sugars.

APPLICATIONS: Baked goods, chocolate, candy, frozen desserts, jams, fruit preserves, soups, sauces, salad dressing, mayonnaise, processed meat, seasoning blends, infant formula, baby food, etc.

see HYDROLYZED LACTOSE SYRUP

see FRUCTOSE

see GOLDEN SYRUP

see BARLEY MALT

see MALTOSE

see BARLEY MALT SYRUP

see BARLEY MALT SYRUP

see BARLEY MALT

When starch undergoes the process of hydrolysis, the complex carbohydrate can break down into a number of combinations of smaller glucose molecules. One such result of a partial breakdown through enzymes is maltodextrin, which presents as a water-soluble white powder consisting of short chains of 3 to 17 glucose units.

As an additive, maltodextrin is used as a thickening agent, preservative, and substitute for fat in low-calorie products. And despite being relatively tasteless, maltodextrin is also used as a flavor enhancer because it has properties that can influence taste perception. Interestingly, another common use for maltodextrin is in sugar-free products as a filler to add texture and volume in place of table sugar and other similar sweeteners. What’s interesting there is that although maltodextrin contains less than 20 percent sugar, its glycemic index can range from 106 to 136 depending on the exact number of glucose units in a molecule. As such, maltodextrin’s effect on blood sugar is significantly worse than the effect that table sugar and many other similar sweeteners have.

APPLICATIONS: Bread, cookies, cakes, gluten-free baked goods, dairy products, frozen desserts, instant oatmeal, instant pudding, ready-to-eat soups, spice blends, sauces, powdered drink mixes, energy drinks, sports drinks, protein shakes, extruding snacks, chocolate, candy, frozen meals, plant-based dairy alternatives, etc.

Like lactose that’s only found in milk, maltose is another disaccharide that’s not common in food but can be formed when grains soak in water and germinate, as well as when starch is partially hydrolyzed. Composed of two glucose molecules bonded together, maltose is about a third as sweet as sucrose and has several functional benefits that allow for its use in a spate of food and beverage applications.

If maple sap is boiled down and reduced past the point of making maple syrup, it crystallizes into a solid block. Once dry, the mass of maple sugar is then grounded into granules that are used to flavor maple products and as an alternative to more refined sweeteners, like white sugar.

Tree sap is a watery fluid that consists of sugar, as well as vitamins, minerals, amino acids, hormones, and other properties that are vital to the growth and development of a tree. All trees contain sap but its constitution varies by type and not all trees produce sap that’s digestible by humans. One of those saps that’s edible is from the sugar, black, and red maple tree, which is procured by boring holes into the trunk to extract the liquid. From there, the harvested sap is boiled to evaporate the water in production of a syrup that’s a popular ingredient in the commercial food industry.

Maple syrup is a natural sweetener and because it’s minimally processed, many of the nutrients in sap find their way into the final product. To that point, maple syrup is exceptionally high in manganese and riboflavin while providing moderate levels of potassium, zinc, and calcium. In addition to that, there’s also a wide array of antioxidants present. With those considerations, maple syrup can be viewed as a healthy sweetener to be on the look out for. That’s doubled by its low glycemic index of 54. However, be that as it may that maple syrup doesn’t cause significant blood sugar spikes, anything with it should still be consumed in moderation.

APPLICATIONS: Baked goods, confectionery, granola bars, barbeque sauce, salad dressing, marinades, vinaigrettes, meat glazes, ice cream, yogurt, pudding, cocktail syrups, etc.

NOTE: Maple syrup has a classification system based on color, taste, aroma, and clarity that determines what should be sold to consumers for personal use and what’s processing grade for commercial products. By no means should either form of maple syrup be confused with regular table syrup, which may also be known as pancake syrup. Table syrup has maple notes but it’s an entirely different product because it’s made using corn syrup or high-fructose corn syrup and then artificially colored and flavored to approximate the taste and appearance of syrup derived from pure maple sap.

see GLUCOSE SYRUP

NOTE: Mizuame is basically the Japanese equivalent of corn syrup, except that it’s derived from rice or potatoes. In turn, that essentially makes the sweetener a glucose syrup. Nonetheless, much of the production process is the same between the sources and they yield syrups with similar qualities.

A few manufacturing steps after the juice from sugar beets is extracted during the production of white sugar, a centrifuge is used to separate sugar crystals from a viscous liquid. Molasses is the thick, dark brown syrup that’s left over. Next, the sugar beet molasses is primarily used for animal feed, among other commercial uses. The processing of sugar cane for white sugar produces the same byproduct of molasses. However, because the molasses from sugar cane is more palatable to humans, it’s either used to make brown sugar, serve as the raw material for rum, or act as a functional ingredient that provides moisture, adds color, and disguises other flavors that are less pleasant.

There are three different types of sugar cane molasses. Although they each range in flavor, color, and sugar content, they all have in common that they contain several minerals and antioxidants that are normally lost as sugar is refined. That nutrient profile is what lends to the reputation of molasses being a healthy alternative to all kinds of sweeteners but it’s really not because the iron, potassium, and other elements are not only in trace amounts but molasses can also spike blood sugar due to its high sugar density.

Also made from the juice of sugar cane and retaining molasses, muscovado sugar is similar to Barbados sugar. The main distinction is that rather than being a completely unrefined cane sugar like Barbados sugar, muscovado can be partially refined or unrefined. The extent to which the sugar retains some level of its molasses content is typically signified by one of its two colors, with the light variety indicating that some of its molasses is missing and the almost black appearance of the dark variety coming as a result of containing all of its molasses. Based on this fact that dark muscovado sugar is unrefined and has much the same sensory properties as Barbados sugar not only concerning color but also in regard to taste and moistness, the two are essentially the same product and can be used interchangeably. The most notable difference between the sugars is their crystal sizes, which is responsible for muscovado having a slightly coarser texture than Barbados sugar.

see INVERT SUGAR

Any sugar, syrup, or concentrate that provides energy and contributes to daily calorie intake falls under the classification of a nutritive sweetener.

NOTE: Sugar alcohols, or polyols, also fall into this category. However, because they’re carbs with their own distinct chemical structure and metabolic pathway, they’re not counted as added sugars, nor do they factor into the total sugars count of a product. Instead, their amount is listed in the “Total Carbohydrate” section of the nutrition facts panel in their own separate “Sugar Alcohol” line. Common types of sugar alcohols that you may see in an ingredients list include erythritol, maltitol, sorbitol, xylitol, lactitol, mannitol, and isomalt. As to what sugar alcohols are, they have a chemical structure consisting of both a sugar molecule and alcohol molecule. These hybrids are found naturally in certain fruits and vegetables but are usually man-made from other sugars and added to processed foods as sweeteners and bulking agents. They’re about 25 to 100 percent as sweet as table sugar and contain half to one-third of the calories. Additionally, they don’t promote tooth decay and because they’re poorly digested by the body and are instead fermented by gut bacteria, they have less of an impact on blood glucose than technical sugars.

see FRUCTOOLIGOSACCHARIDES

see ISOMALTULOSE

see PALM SYRUP

Various species of palm trees contain sugary sap that can either be harvested from their trunks or flower stalks, as is the lone case with coconut trees. Once there’s enough extract collected, it’s boiled for hours then undergoes the additional steps that are necessary to convert the concentrated liquid into sugar granules for use as a healthier alternative to some more popular sweeteners because of a slightly higher nutritional content and lower glycemic index.

Coconut trees, palmyra trees, date trees, and other species in the palm family have sugary sap in their trunks or flower stems. The process of collecting the sap varies depending on where the extract is stored in the tree but once it’s harvested, the same steps are taken to boil the sap for several hours. Palm syrup is the rich and sweet concentrated liquid that remains when about 90 percent of the initial water content has evaporated.

see JAGGERY

NOTE: Given the production process and end result, panela is basically the same as jaggery. The only difference is that panela sugar is made exclusively from sugar cane and has a regional name that’s representative of Latin America and not the Indian subcontinent.

see JAGGERY

NOTE: Given the production process and end result, panocha is basically the same as jaggery. The only difference is that panocha sugar is made exclusively from sugar cane and has a regional name that’s representative of Mexico and not the Indian subcontinent.

see JAGGERY

NOTE: Given the production process and end result, piloncillo is basically the same as jaggery. The only difference is that piloncillo sugar is made exclusively from sugar cane and has a regional name that’s representative of Mexico and not the Indian subcontinent.

see CONFECTIONERS’ SUGAR

see DRIED RAISIN SWEETENER

see DRIED RAISIN SWEETENER

see JAGGERY

NOTE: Given the production process and end result, rapadura is basically the same as jaggery. The only difference is that rapadura sugar is made exclusively from sugar cane and has a regional name that’s representative of Brazil and not the Indian subcontinent.

When sugar cane is harvested from the field, the juice is extracted from the plant material and then impurities are removed. Next, the liquid is boiled until it thickens and sugar crystals form. Following that, the concentrated syrup is spun in a centrifuge to separate all of the molasses from the crystals, which are then spun with water to remove any remaining impurities. Finally, the sugar is bleached with bone char. That’s the refinement process for the production of white sugar. Raw sugar describes the category of cane sugar that’s processed to not as great of an extent so that only most, not all, of the molasses is removed. That typically results in a sweetener that has 2 to 8 percent of its natural molasses.

NOTE: The molasses from sugar beets is always removed because the taste is too unpleasant for human consumption. For that reason, varieties of raw sugar that are derived from sugar beets don’t exist.

When a sweetener source, such as sugar cane, sugar beets, or corn starch, for example, is processed to remove impurities and a level of its nutrients, the resulting sugar, syrup, or concentrate falls under the classification of a refined sugar. White sugar, brown sugar, high-fructose corn syrup, and other products in this category are closely associated with rapid digestion and blood sugar spikes, reduced satiety, obesity, and long-term health risks.

see GOLDEN SYRUP

Occurring naturally in meat, cheese, and mushrooms in small amounts, ribose is a simple sugar that’s added to certain processed foods and beverages to support exercise performance and improve recovery. However, while ribose is a monosaccharide and has a mildly sweet taste, it doesn’t fall under the same nutritional classification of the common sugars.

Without getting too much into the chemistry, ribose has one less carbon atom than glucose and other sugars and because of that structure, it’s directly metabolized to make adenosine triphosphate (ATP), which is the body’s cellular energy. In other words, ribose has a separate function in the body than conventional sugar and operates through a metabolic pathway that doesn’t require insulin nor raise blood glucose levels. As such, the sugar isn’t counted as an added sugar.

APPLICATIONS: Energy bars, sports drinks, protein bars, energy shots, fortified water, etc.

see BROWN RICE SYRUP

see BROWN RICE SYRUP

see BROWN RICE SYRUP

Brown rice syrup is a liquid that’s produced through an involved process that culminates in a mixture of water and broken down rice starch getting heated and concentrated into a syrup. If another production step is taken by dehydrating the syrup to remove the remaining moisture, a fine, white powder with a mildly sweet taste is left behind. That end product is otherwise known as rice syrup solids, which is a specific kind of dried glucose syrup.

Rice syrup solids add sweetness but also improve texture and mouthfeel, provide bulk, bind ingredients together, help carry flavor, extend shelf life, and act as a thickening agent and humectant. Essentially, rice syrup solids provide much of the same functional benefits as rice syrup but are a more practical additive for dry products and an alternative to corn syrup solids.

APPLICATIONS: Baked goods, breakfast cereals, granola bars, confectionery, sauces, condiments, salad dressing, dry seasoning blends, powdered drink mixes, energy drinks, energy shots, protein bars, energy bars, plant-based dairy alternatives, frozen desserts, baby food, etc.

see SUCROSE

see SORGHUM SYRUP

see SORGHUM SYRUP

Sorghum is a tall grass that contains green juice in its stalks. That juice happens to be sugary and through a similar process to how syrup is produced from cane and beet juice, the sweet liquid in sorghum can be extracted and boiled down into a concentrate that’s reminiscent of dark molasses in consistency, color, and essential nutrient retention but departs in having a slightly sweeter taste and less bitter flavor profile. Also differing from molasses and the sugar cane it’s derived from, as well as other mass-market sweeteners, is that sorghum is more labor-intensive to harvest, has a low yield, and is time consuming and requires a lot of fuel to boil down. All of those factors combine to make sorghum syrup have a high production cost. As a result, it’s not as common to find sorghum syrup in processed foods and beverages compared to much cheaper alternatives like high-fructose corn syrup and refined sugar.

APPLICATIONS: Cakes, cookies, energy bars, breakfast cereals, granola bars, barbeque sauce, meat glazes, marinades, baked beans, etc.

Plant starch contains complex carbohydrates that can be broken down into smaller glucose units with enzymes through a process known as hydrolysis. Glucose and glucose-fructose syrup, maltodextrin, dextrose, and other products that can be derived from wheat, corn, rice, and cassava, for instance, all fall under the category of being starch sweeteners, which are typically preferred over other kinds of sweeteners to add flavor, color, texture, and stability to foods and beverages because they’re often cheaper to make.

see EVAPORATED CANE JUICE

Apart from adding sweetness, sucrose is also used to enhance texture, increase moisture retention, aid in browning, balance flavor, promote structure, and act as a preservative. As to what sucrose is, it’s a disaccharide consisting of glucose and fructose bonded together. More specifically, sucrose is a naturally-occurring sugar in many plants but it’s commonly extracted and refined from sugar cane or sugar beets to produce the white sugar that’s known as “table sugar”.

In its processed form, sucrose is the standard sweetener that all others are compared to, of which it has a relative sweetness rating of 100. On the glycemic index, however, it has a moderate rating of 65 and that impact on blood sugar can be credited to the fact that enzymes have to break sucrose down into its constituent parts of glucose and fructose before absorption. From there, the glucose can be burned immediately for fuel or converted into glycogen for storage in muscle and liver cells as a rapid energy reserve. Anything in excess gets stored as fat throughout the entire body. Conversely, fructose is either immediately used as energy or turned into fat for storage in the abdominal region. That difference in the metabolism of fructose is why excess consumption of sucrose poses a problem that’s not shared by glucose and some other sugars.

APPLICATIONS: Bread, cakes, cookies, pastries, breakfast cereals, pasta sauce, ketchup, salad dressing, processed meat, candy, ice cream, yogurt, fruit juice, soda, etc.

In ordinary parlance, the term “sugar” refers to all monosaccharides and disaccharides, whether they occur naturally in foods and beverages or are incorporated as additives. On a product label, however, “sugar” in an ingredients list only refers to sucrose derived from sugar cane or sugar beets, which comprises more than 40 different sweeteners.

see BEET SUGAR

see BEET SYRUP

In an ingredients list, “sugar cane” typically encompasses any refined, raw, or unrefined sweetener that’s processed directly or indirectly from the sugar cane plant.

see INVERT SUGAR

see CASTER SUGAR

see SORGHUM SYRUP

A rare sugar is a monosaccharide that’s found in nature but only in trace quantities. One rare sugar is tagatose, which is present in cacao and some fruits like apples and oranges but is most often found in milk and dairy products.

As part of a two-step process to produce tagatose for commercial purposes, lactose is broken down with enzymes into its constituent molecules and then additional chemical reactions take place that leave behind a white crystalline powder that tastes similar to sucrose. However, while tagatose is about 92 percent as sweet as sucrose, it has a significantly lower impact on blood sugar regulation with its glycemic index of 3. Additionally, at only 1.5 calories per gram, the sugar provides 38 percent of the energy that sucrose does. Because of those characteristics, tagatose has become an alternative bulk sweetener, flavor enhancer, texturizer, humectant, and stabilizer in a number of edible and drinkable products.

APPLICATIONS: Bread, breakfast cereals, frostings, icings, diet soda, low-calorie soft drinks, chocolate, candy, low-fat dairy products, chewing gum, meal replacements, nutrition bars, etc.

see MOLASSES

Occurring in small amounts in nature but derived from tapioca starch for industrial use as an additive, trehalose is a disaccharide formed by two glucose units. In that fashion, the sugar’s chemical makeup is much like maltose. Where trehalose and maltose differ, however, is that their molecules are bonded in a different way. That variance in structure not only gives trehalose significantly different properties from maltose but it also gives it most of the functional benefits of sucrose with about 45 percent of the sweetness and less of an impact on blood sugar and insulin levels. For that reason, trehalose is prized as a texturizer, preservative, and moisture retainer.

APPLICATIONS: Baked goods, confectionery, rice, pasta, breakfast cereals, frozen desserts, seafood, chewing gum, processed vegetables, dried fruit, frozen meals, dairy products, etc.

see INVERT SUGAR

A variety of raw sugar, turbinado sugar is made by extracting sugar cane juice, boiling it, and then spinning the thickened mixture in a turbine-like centrifuge until only a thin layer of the liquid molasses remains on the surface of the sugar crystals. That being the case that turbinado sugar is minimally processed so it retains about 2-3.5 percent of its natural molasses content, it has a blond color and caramel flavor. Thanks to the molasses, turbinado sugar also contains more of the beneficial vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that are found in sugar cane, none of which are transferred down in white sugar. That bevy of nutrients, however, is minimal and not enough to contribute to daily intake requirements in any significant way to confer health benefits. Therefore, turbinado sugar should be consumed in moderation like any other sugar, especially given that it has the same rapid impact on blood sugar as white sugar with its identical glycemic index of 65.

When sugar cane is harvested from the field, the juice is extracted from the plant material and then impurities are removed. Next, the liquid is boiled until it thickens and sugar crystals form. Following that, the concentrated syrup is spun in a centrifuge to separate all of the molasses from the crystals, which are then spun with water to remove any remaining impurities. Finally, the sugar is bleached with bone char. That’s the refinement process for the production of white sugar. Unrefined sugar describes the category of cane sugar that doesn’t undergo centrifugation or washing to remove any of its molasses. That typically results in a sweetener that retains 8 to 14 percent of its natural molasses content.

NOTE: The molasses from sugar beets is always removed because the taste is too unpleasant for human consumption. For that reason, varieties of unrefined sugar that are derived from sugar beets don’t exist.

see ISOMALTOOLIGOSACCHARIDE

Sugar cane and sugar beets are the two most abundant sources of sucrose in nature. Both plants are used to make white sugar, which consists of sugar crystals of pure sucrose that are colorless and sweet because of the complete removal of impurities and molasses through a relatively similar refining process.

Chemically and nutritionally, there’s no difference between white sugar made from sugar cane and white sugar made from sugar beets. They’re identical to each other. As such, they both provide empty calories thanks to the absolute stripping of the nominal nutrients in molasses. Moreover, they act on the body in the same way by rapidly spiking blood glucose levels and elevating the risk of insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes, and obesity when consumed excessively.

APPLICATIONS: Baked goods, confectionery, ice cream, soda, fruit juice, sports drinks, ketchup, salad dressing, barbeque sauce, jams, jellies, canned fruits, etc.

NOTE: For cane sugar to achieve its white color upon complete refinement, it has to be filtered through charcoal, which is often composed of charred animal bones. That step isn’t necessary with white sugar that’s derived from beets and makes that variety the better option for some vegans.

see EVAPORATED CANE JUICE

Sugar alcohols are carbohydrates consisting of both a sugar molecule and alcohol molecule. That chemical structure lends to the body having difficulty digesting and absorbing them, as they’re ultimately fermented by the gut and that leads to them supplying few calories and having little to no impact on blood glucose and insulin levels. Based on those structural and metabolic differences, sugar alcohols aren’t technically sugar. As such, they’re not counted as added sugars when they’re included in the manufacturing of foods and beverages, nor do they factor into the total sugars count. It’s on those grounds that sugar alcohols are commonly found in “sugar-free” and “diet” products. One popular sugar alcohol is xylitol, which is derived from xylose.

With about 70 percent of the sweetness of table sugar, xylose is a naturally occurring monosaccharide that’s found in the fibrous tissues of all plants. However, one of the sources the sugar is most abundant in is hardwoods like birch, so commercial xylose is often extracted from that tree in production of a crystalline solid that can perform several ingredient functions at a lesser calorie cost and without having a significant effect on blood glucose. In that regard, xylose is similar to its xylitol derivative but on account that xylose is an actual sugar, the method by which it’s not as impactful is different.

As a single-molecule sugar, xylose doesn’t have to be broken down in the small intestine into simpler units that the body can manage easier. That being so, upon consumption, xylose bypasses digestion and is absorbed directly into the bloodstream then travels to the liver. In the liver, about 40-60 percent of the ingested xylose is metabolized and converted into metabolites then intermediates that are used to power various cellular processes. The rest of the xylose circulates in the blood unchanged and gets filtered by the kidneys then excreted in the urine. As can be seen, xylose isn’t efficiently utilized by the body so not all of the available calories are absorbed and what xylose metabolizes into in the liver isn’t glucose, which explains the glycemic index of virtually zero because a blood sugar and insulin response aren’t required.

see YACON SYRUP

Known as the Peruvian ground apple and Bolivian sunroot, the yacon plant is native to the Andes mountains and has the physical characteristics of a sweet potato. However, while the tuber can be cultivated for its edible roots, the plant also contains sugary juice that can be extracted and then reduced into a concentrate in production of yacon syrup.

Yacon syrup contains fructose, glucose, and sucrose as free sugars. Accounting for the majority of the carbohydrate content, however, are fructans in the form of fructooligosaccharides and inulin. What’s special about fructans is that they’re chains of fructose molecules that behave like sugar and prebiotic fiber. That essentially means that yacon syrup provides the sweetness of sugar but because the short-chain fructooligosaccharides and long-chain inulin can’t be completely digested in the small intestine and have to instead ferment in the bowels, there’s very little impact on blood glucose regulation. In addition to having a low glycemic index of 1 to 40 depending on the product concentration, yacon syrup is also lower in calories than traditional sweeteners and has high levels of phenolic compounds with antioxidant properties, as well as some traces of calcium, potassium, and phosphorus.

There are several benefits offered by yacon syrup and for those reasons, it’s finding its way into health-conscious and diet-specific foods and beverages to act as a sweetener, binder, or moisturizer in place of honey, maple syrup, and sugar. That now noted that yacon syrup is one of the better forms of added sugar, it must still be imparted that because it does contain some amount of fructose in isolation, the same concerns regarding that sugar’s metabolization apply as with any other sweetener that contains it. That’s one reason to be careful about overconsuming products with yacon syrup. Another is that abdominal pain, nausea, gas, bloating, and diarrhea can occur because of the high fructooligosaccharide content.

APPLICATIONS: Vegan baked goods, energy bars, breakfast cereals, salad dressing, marinades, granola bars, plant-based dairy alternatives, functional beverages, etc.

NOTE: The impact that yacon syrup has on blood glucose regulation depends on the concentration of fructooligosaccharides and simple sugars that are in it. Based on that, the sweetener may or may not be counted as an added sugar in a given food or beverage.

see XYLOSE