|  | Diet Nutrition | Weight Control

Sources of Sucrose

Sucrose is a complex carbohydrate with a chemical composition of a disaccharide of glucose and fructose, two other types of sugars. Sucrose can be manufactured as table sugar and other sugar products by harvesting and processing sugar cane and sugar beets. Sucrose also occurs naturally in a variety of foods. Sugar can contribute a lot of calories to a person's diet, and people with certain medical conditions, such as diabetes, need to closely monitor their sugar intake.

  1. Sugar

    • Table sugar is pure, processed sugar. Powdered or confectioner's sugar is pure sucrose, but is processed differently than table sugar to make it powdery. Brown sugar is mostly sucrose, but some molasses is added to give it its brown color.

    Fruits

    • Fruits naturally contain sucrose. Examples of fruits containing a lot of sucrose are pineapple, citrus fruits such as tangerines, clementines and oranges, and peaches and nectarines.

    Vegetables

    • Although typically not as sweet as fruits, vegetables also contain sucrose. Examples of high-sucrose vegetables include peas, corn, carrots and sweet potatoes.

    Seeds and Nuts

    • Examples of nuts and seeds with high sucrose contents include hazelnuts, walnuts, Brazil nuts, pecans, cashews, almonds and sunflower seeds.

    Beverages

    • Many beverages, especially fruit juices and carbonated drinks, contain sucrose. Pure fruit juices come by their sucrose naturally. Beverages such as sodas and juice drinks have sugar added during the manufacturing process.

    Processed Foods

    • Many processed foods contain sucrose because it is added in the form of sugar and other sugar products during the manufacturing process. Thousands of processed food products contain sucrose, and many have high levels. Examples of processed foods that may have sucrose in them include crackers, chips, cereals, breads and pasta.

Weight Control - Related Articles