Sugar: More than Just a Sweetener Agricultural Experiment ...

Sugar: Kansas State University
More than Just a Sweetener Agricultural Experiment Station
and Cooperative Extension Service
Robin Eubank, Barber County Family and Consumer Sciences Agent

Sugar is a carbohydrate found in every fruit Confectioner’s or powdered sugar is gran- Fact Sheet
and vegetable. All green plants manufacture ulated sugar ground to a smooth powder
sugar though photosynthesis, but sugar cane and then sifted. It contains about 3 percent
and sugar beets have the highest natural cornstarch to prevent caking. The type in
concentrations. Beet sugar and cane sugar — grocery stores is the finest of three types.
identical products that may be used inter- The other two are used by industrial bakers.
changeably — are the most common sources
for the sugar used in the United States. Coarse sugar is larger than regular granu-
Understanding the variety of sugars available lated sugar. It tends not to change color or
and their functions in food will help consum- break down at high temperatures.
ers determine when sugar can be replaced or
combined with nonnutritive sweeteners. Sanding sugar is another large sugar crystal.
It is used mainly in the baking and con-
Variety of Sugars fectionary industries to sprinkle on top of
baked goods or on gelled or gummed candy.
Sugar comes in many forms. The following This sugar adds sparkle to confections.
is a list of sugars, mostly made from sugar
cane or sugar beets. Turbinado sugar is raw sugar that has been
only partially processed, removing the sur-
Table sugar —­ granulated white, extra fine face molasses. It is a blond color with a mild
or fine sugar — is found in nearly every brown sugar flavor.
home. It is the sugar used most because its
fine crystals are ideal for bulk handling and Brown sugar retains some of the molasses
not susceptible to caking. syrup, which imparts a pleasant flavor. It
tends to clump because it has more mois-
Fruit sugar is slightly finer and has a more ture than white sugar. Dark brown sugar
uniform crystal size than table sugar. It is has more color and stronger molasses flavor
used in dry mixes, such as gelatin desserts, than light brown sugar.
pudding mixes, and drink mixes. Its unifor-
mity prevents separation or settling in mixes. Liquid sugars come in several types. Liquid
sucrose is essentially water and white sugar
Crystalline fructose is derived from corn. It and can be used wherever dissolved sugar
consists of at least 98 percent pure fructose. might be used.
Compared to table sugar, it is 20 percent
sweeter. Crystalline fructose is considered
safe by nutritionists, but the FDA has not
yet added it to the list of food additives des-
ignated Generally Recognized as Safe.

Superfine or ultrafine sugar is the smallest
crystal size of all types of granulated sugar.
It is ideal for extra-fine textured cakes and
meringues. In England, a sugar very similar
to superfine sugar is known as caster.

Nonnutritive Sweeteners It is often found in chewing gums, soft

The Institute of Medicine of the National drinks, frozen desserts, yogurt products,
Academy of Sciences recommends that no puddings, and fillings.
more than 25 percent of calories consumed
come from added sugars. These are sug- Saccharin (sold as Sweet’N Low) is highly
stable and can be used in cooking or baking.

ars not naturally occurring in foods. In an It is used in tabletop sweeteners, beverages,

attempt to reduce added sugars, more non- juice, chewing gum, dairy products, desserts,

nutritive sweeteners are being used. puddings, jams, and jellies. In 1977, the

These sweeteners are considered nonnutri- FDA proposed baning saccharin use. After
more studies, the FDA approved it, but
tive because few products must include a label statement that
it has caused cancer in laboratory animals.
or no calories are Sugar Calories
absorbed by the Alcohol per Gram Stevia (sold as Truvia or PureVia) is highly
stable and can be used in cooking or baking.
body. While some Erythritol 0.2 It is used in tabletop sweeteners, beverages,
have up to 4 calories Mannitol 1.6 protein drinks, energy bars, and other food
per gram (the same Isomalt 2.0
as sugar), they are
2.0 products. It comes from the plant leaves of
not consumed in Lactitol

large enough quan- Xylitol 2.4 the stevia rebaudiana plant. It has a men-
tities to add many Sorbitol thol-like bitter aftertaste that diminishes
calories to food Maltitol
products. According 2.6 with increasing purity of the extract.
2.1 Sucralose (sold as Splenda) is highly

to a 2004 Calorie stable and can be used in cooking or bak-

Control Council ing. It is used in tabletop sweeteners, baked

survey, 84 percent of consumers use low- goods, desserts, dairy products, beverages,

calorie, reduced-sugar, and sugar-free foods juices, jams, pie fillings, and chewing gum.

and beverages. Sucralose is made from sugar, but it is not

Acesulfame potassium (sold as Sunett) is absorbed by the body.

highly stable and can be used in cooking or Sugar alcohols are hydrogenated from

baking. It is used in chewing gum, baked carbohydrates. They are incompletely

goods, dairy products, desserts, sauces, and absorbed in the small intestine, which

alcoholic beverages. results in a smaller rise in blood glucose

Aspartame (sold as Equal and NutraS- than other sugars. Incomplete digestion of

weet) breaks down when heated and is these sweeteners may lead to stomach dis-

best used in cold food or beverages. It tress. Some are required to carry the warn-

is used in chewing gum, dairy products, ing “Excessive consumption may cause

desserts, puddings, jams, jellies, and gastrointestinal problems.”

breakfast cereals. Upon digestion, it Year Times Sweeter Calories
breaks down to aspartic acid, a small Name Approved than Sucrose Per Gram

amount of methanol, and phenylala- Acesulfame 1988 200 0
nine. Therefore, it must bear a label Potassium

statement that the product contains Aspartame 1981 200 4
phenylalanine, which is hazardous
for people who cannot process this Neotame 2002 8,000 0

amino acid. Saccharin 1970 – Interim 300 to 500 0
Neotame (part of the NutraSweet 2000 – Final

brand, not available commercially) Sucralose 1998 600 0
2 can be used in cooking and baking. Stevia 2008 250-300 0

Cooking incorporating air into the shortening. The 3
with Nonnutritive Sweeteners air is trapped in the fat on the face of sugar’s
irregular crystals. During baking, these air
Check the food label on sweetener packages pockets expand. Small bubbles in large quan-
for usage. Some can be measured cup for tities contribute to a finer textured cake.
cup like sugar. Others are sweeter and less
product is needed. Delayed coagulation: In cakes without
shortening, sugar molecules mix with egg
Recipes prepared with nonnutritive sweet- proteins to delay bond formation, allowing
eners may turn out differently than recipes cakes to rise.
made with sugar. Use any sweetener in
recipes that do not require heat — such as Enhanced flavors: In frozen foods, low
cold beverages, salads, chilled soups, frozen temperatures tend to numb the taste buds,
desserts, or fruit sauces. and sugar acts to enhance flavors. Also,
sugar balances sour, bitter, and spicy flavors.
Expect a lower volume and less brown-
ing when cooking and baking with intense Enhanced mouthfeel: Sugar increases the
sweeteners instead of sugar. Sugar adds thickness of frozen desserts, which helps to
bulk. Try a half-and-half mix by substitut- create a thick, creamy mouthfeel.
ing half the amount of sugar with a nonnu-
tritive sweetener. Longer shelf life: Sugar increases the length
of time foods remain safe to consume.
Functions of Sugar in Foods
Gelatinization: Sugar slows gelatinization
Sugar serves many purposes in a variety of by competing with the starch for liquid. By
food products. Following is an alphabetical absorbing part of the liquid, sugar allows
list of the functions sugar has as it interacts the volume of a bakery item to increase. The
with other ingredients. result is a fine, uniform grain with a soft,
smooth texture.
Caramelization: Sugar caramelizes when
heated above its melting point, adding flavor. Gelling: Sugar is essential in making jams,
Caramelization also leads to surface brown- preserves, and jellies because it attracts
ing, which improves moisture retention in and holds water during the gelling process.
baked products. In baked goods, carameliza- Gelled fruit juices are trapped in a network
tion takes place under high temperatures. of fibers. Pectin can form gel only in the
The golden brown, flavorful, and slightly presence of sugar and acid.
crisp surface of breads, cakes, and cookies not
only tastes good, but helps retain moisture. Gluten development: Sugar serves as a
Caramelization also takes place in fruits and tenderizing agent in baked products. By
vegetables when natural sugars are exposed preventing gluten development, sugar helps
to high temperatures, such as during grilling. give the final baked product a tender texture
and good volume.
Color and texture retention: Added sugar
helps retain the color of fruit through its Leavening: Sugar increases the effective-
capacity to attract and hold water. The sugar ness of yeast by providing an immediate,
prevents fruit from absorbing water, which usable source of nourishment for its growth.
would cause its color to fade through dilu- With correct moisture and warmth, sugar is
tion. Additionally, this keeps the fruit from broken down by the yeast cells and carbon
becoming mushy. dioxide gas is released, causing the product
to rise.
Creaming: When shortening and sugar
are creamed together, sugar crystals mix Lowered freezing point: In mixtures to be
with the shortening molecules. In cakes and frozen, the dissolved sugar’s ability to attract
cookies, sugar helps promote lightness by and hold water reduces the water available
for crystallization during freezing. As a result,

the freezing point of the liquid mixture is Stabilizer: Sugar helps stabilize beaten
lowered. Because less water is available, the eggs. In foam-type cakes, sugar interacts
ice crystals that form tend to be smaller. with egg proteins to stabilize the whipped
foam structure.
Maillard reaction: At oven temperatures,
sugar chemically reacts with protein to Surface cracking: Sugar helps produce the
brown food surfaces. The higher sugar con- desirable surface cracking of some cookies.
tent of baked food results in a darker golden Because of the relatively high concentration
brown appearance. of sugar and low water content in cookies,
sugar recrystallizes on the surface.
Preservation: Sugar delays food spoilage.
For example, once the jar of jelly is opened, References are available in MF2930, Sugar:
sugar helps prevent microorganism growth More Than Just a Sweetener, Leaders Guide.
by attracting water to itself. This requires
a concentrated sugar solution of at least 65 Reviewers
percent.
Mary Meck Higgins, Human Nutrition
Recrystallization: Sugar undergoes physi- Specialist, K-State Research and Extension
cal and chemical changes when used in
candy recipes. A supersaturated sugar solu- Karen Blakeslee, Rapid Response Cen-
tion is heated to above the boiling point, ter Coordinator, K-State Research and
forcing water to evaporate. When cooled, Extension.
sugar molecules crystallize. The type of
candy formed depends on temperature and
which fat or proteins are added.

Other candies are formed by preventing
the recrystallization process. This is done
by adding an invert sugar such as molas-
ses, honey, or corn syrup, or by adding an
acid such as cream of tartar or lemon juice.
Another way to prevent recrystallization is
to heat to a higher temperature to reduce
the water content to 2 percent or less.

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In each case, credit Robin Eubank, Sugar: More than Just a Sweetener, Fact Sheet, Kansas State University, July 2010.

Kansas State University Agricultural Experiment Station and Cooperative Extension Service

4 MF2929 July 2010

K-State Research and Extension is an equal opportunity provider and employer. Issued in furtherance of Cooperative Extension Work, Acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914, as amended.
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