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Refined Sweeteners

Also indexed as: Beet Sugar, Brown Sugar, Cane Sugar, Confectioner's Sugar, Corn Syrup, Demerera, Dextrose, Granulated Sugar, Grape Sugar, Molasses, Muscavado Sugar, Raw Sugar, Refined Sugar, Sucrose, Table Sugar, Turbinado Sugar, White Sugar

Sugar is the number-one food additive in the United States.

Hundreds of years ago, sugar was a costly food enjoyed mainly by the wealthy. Today, sugar is inexpensive and widely used; in fact, sugar is the number-one food additive in the United States.

Varieties

White sugar

White sugar is known by many names, including sucrose, table sugar, cane sugar, beet sugar, grape sugar, refined sugar, or granulated sugar. It is derived from the juice of sugar cane and sugar beets. Once extracted, the sugar cane or sugar beet juice is processed extensively to produce a white, granulated substance. “Invert sugar,” a variation on sucrose, is used commercially because it is sweeter than equal amounts of sucrose.

Raw sugar

Raw sugar is produced in the initial stages of white sugar’s manufacturing process. Raw sugar is coarser than white sugar, and is brownish in color. Although true raw sugar is banned in the United States because it may contain bacteria, molds, or insect parts, manufacturers partially refine raw sugar to remove the impurities and sell the product as “demerera,” ”turbinado,” or “muscavado” sugar.

Brown sugar

Brown sugar is made by adding molasses to white sugar.

Confectioner’s sugar

Confectioner’s sugar, or powdered sugar, is made by pulverizing white sugar. It also contains cornstarch to prevent the formation of lumps.

Corn syrup

Corn syrup (e.g., Karo® syrup) is a highly-refined, quickly-absorbed light colored syrup derived from corn. Also known as high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS), it is intensely sweet and inexpensive. It is manufactured by changing the glucose in cornstarch to fructose. HFCS is a major source of sugar in processed foods. It is added to canned and frozen fruit, soft drinks, juices, and a great many other packaged foods.

Dextrose

Dextrose is a form of glucose produced from cornstarch. It is commonly used in food production.

Molasses

Molasses is thick, dark syrup produced during sugar refinement. It has a strong, bittersweet flavor.

Buying and storing tips

Store dry sweeteners (white sugar, raw sugar, brown sugar and confectioner’s sugar) in a dry place at room temperature. Store corn syrup and molasses in tightly sealed containers at room temperature or in the refrigerator.

Availability

White sugar, raw sugar, brown sugar, confectioner’s sugar, corn syrup, and molasses are available in most natural food and grocery stores.

Preparation, uses, and tips

White sugar, raw sugar, and brown sugar are used to sweeten hot and cold beverages, and are key ingredients in most baked goods. Confectioner’s sugar is most often used to make icings for cakes. Corn syrup and molasses are used in baking.

Nutritional Highlights

Granulated sugar, 1 tsp (4g) granulated sugar
Calories: 16
Protein: 0.0g
Carbohydrate: 4.2g
Total Fat: 0.0g
Fiber: 0.0g

Brown sugar, 1 cup (220g) brown sugar (packed)
Calories: 827
Protein: 0.0g
Carbohydrate: 214g
Total Fat: 0.0g
Fiber: 0.0g

Confectioner’s sugar, 1 Tbsp (31g) confectioner’s sugar (powdered)
Calories: 31
Protein: 0.0g
Carbohydrate: 7.9g
Total Fat: 0.008g
Fiber: 0.0g

Molasses, 1 Tbsp (20g) molasses
Calories: 53
Protein: 0.0g
Carbohydrate: 13.7g
Total Fat: 0.02g
Fiber: 0.0g
*Good source of: Magnesium (48.4mg)

Corn syrup, 2 Tbsp (1/8 cup or 30mL) corn syrup
Calories: 120
Protein: 0.0g
Carbohydrate: 31g
Total Fat: 0.0g
Fiber: 0.0g

*Foods that are an “excellent source” of a particular nutrient provide 20% or more of the Recommended Daily Value, based upon United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) guidelines. Foods that are a “good source” of a particular nutrient provide between 10 and 20% of the USDA Recommended Daily Value. Nutritional information and daily nutritional guidelines may vary in different countries. Please consult the appropriate organization in your country for specific nutritional values and the recommended daily guidelines.

Health benefits and concerns

Diarrhea

Some foods contain sugars that are absorbed slowly, such as fructose in fruit juice or sorbitol in dietetic confectionery. Through a process called osmosis, these unabsorbed sugars hold onto water in the intestines, sometimes leading to diarrhea. By reading labels, people with chronic non-infectious diarrhea can easily avoid fruit juice, fructose, and sorbitol to see if this eliminates the problem.

Immune function

Nearly all forms of sugar (including honey) interfere with the ability of white blood cells to destroy bacteria. In one study, when healthy volunteers consumed a large amount (100g) of refined sugar, their white blood cells’ ability to destroy bacteria was impaired for at least 5 hours. The importance of these effects in the prevention of infections in humans remains unclear. Nevertheless, many doctors recommend a reduced intake of sugar for prevention and treatment of infections (e.g., colds, flu, bronchitis, and urinary tract infections). Unlike other sweeteners, stevia has been reported to possess anti-viral activity.

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)

Preliminary evidence suggests that some people with IBS have greater trouble than healthy people absorbing the sugars lactose (as found in milk), fructose (as found in high concentration in fruit juice and dried fruit), and sorbitol (as found in some dietetic candy). In this report, restricting intake of these sugars led to reduction of symptoms in 40% of people with IBS symptoms. Therefore, when attempting to uncover food sensitivities, people with IBS should consider the possibility that fruit juice and dried fruit might trigger symptoms.

Retinopathy

Animal studies suggest that dietary fructose may contribute to the development of retinopathy (damage to the eye’s retina). Although such an association has not been demonstrated in humans, some doctors advise their diabetic patients to avoid foods containing added fructose or high-fructose corn syrup. On the other hand, the fructose that occurs naturally in some fruits has not been found to be harmful.

Urinary tract infection (UTI)

In one study, when healthy volunteers consumed a large amount (100g) of refined sugar, their white blood cells’ ability to destroy bacteria was impaired for at least 5 hours. For this reason, many doctors recommend a reduced intake of sugar for prevention of UTI recurrences.

Health benefits and concerns for sweeteners
Many health benefits and concerns associated with this food are applicable to other sweeteners. Read about health benefits and concerns for sweeteners for a full description.