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What Are All Sources of Sugars?

We all know that white, granulated sugar helps sweeten our tea and coffee. Whether it's processed or natural, sugar is an important part of our diet. Sugar is an edible crystalline carbohydrate that we consume from various sources. There are many types of sugar that come from natural sources.

  1. Sucrose

    • Sucrose is the form of sugar most people can recognize. It forms the basis of table sugar, which come from sugar cane and sugar beets. The sugars from the cane and beets are refined to produce either a white or brown sugar particle. It has become part of our everyday diet. It can be found in foods and drinks such as sweets, cakes, soda pop, milkshakes, biscuits and fast food. Although there is research to show a link between table sugar and an unhealthy level of blood fats, there are no findings to show increased sugar intake causes obesity, according to WebMD.

    Fructose

    • Fructose is a simple sugar that is found in many fruits and vegetables. The human body consumes fructose and uses it for energy. It is the sweetest natural sugar and the most water soluble. It is found in fruit and vegetables such as apples, grapes, bananas, carrots, sweet corn, pineapple and peaches. Other sources of fructose are poultry, lamb, nuts and seeds. It doesn't have a big effect on blood sugar levels, which is why it is used as a sweetener.

    Glucose

    • Glucose is a simple, naturally occurring sugar. It is an important carbohydrate used by cells as a source of energy. Humans consume glucose in foods that are carbohydrates, proteins and fat. These include pasta, rice, cornmeal, vinegar and chicken. Honey is a natural sweetener, and one-third of its weight is glucose. If glucose levels in the body are too high, then you can develop hyperglycemia. If they're too low then you can develop hypoglycemia.

    Combining Natural Sugar Sources

    • The three sources of sugar -- sucrose, fructose, glucose -- all provide different benefits when consumed. Food manufacturers have combined the fructose and glucose sugars to create High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS). Varieties of HFCS have been manufactured to put in soft drinks and sweet baked goods. Mixing fructose and glucose is a cheaper alternative to sweetening food with sucrose. HFCS has the same effect on our bodies as eating foods with sucrose, fructose and glucose found in them naturally. According to G Harvey Anderson of the University of Toronto, the theory that HFCS has caused a rise in obesity levels is untrue.

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