This list of sugar facts and sugar names will help you uncover the many hidden sugars that are tucked away everywhere in our food today.
Food and beverage manufacturers are partners with the sugar industry consistently look for new sugar names to add
to their long sugar list. Why do they go to such sneaky lengths to hide more and more high glycemic index sugar in commercial foods? Because sugar is addictive! And once they've got us hookedas sugar addicts, we constantly crave more and more for our sugar-fix – even though we know it's bad for us.
Sugar Facts about Hidden Sugars
Some of the major sources of highly refined grains and hidden sugars that cause high glycemic blood sugar problems are: sodas, ketchup, cereals, fruit juice, jams, jellies, canned fruit, prepared foods, ice cream, cookies, candy, cakes, pies, pastries and most other desserts.
Processed starches that behave like sugar in your body are white flour, white rice, pasta (unless the flour is listed as 100% whole wheat), enriched flour, tapioca, cornstarch and processed breakfast cereals.
The most common names for sugar are: barley malt, corn syrup, dextrose, fruit juice concentrate, glucose, high-fructose corn syrup, maltodextrin, maltose, molasses, raw sugar, sucrose and turbinado sugar.
Here's a more complete sugar list with 69 sugar names.
List of Sugar Names
Agave nectar Glucose Polymers
Barbados Sugar Glucose Solids
Barley malt Golden Sugar
Beet sugar Golden Syrup
Blackstrap molasses Granulated Sugar
Brown sugar Grape Sugar
Buttered syrup Grape Juice Concentrate
Cane crystals HFCS
Cane juice crystals High-fructose Corn Syrup
Cane sugar Honey
Caramel Icing sugar
Carob syrup Invert sugar
Castor sugar Lactose
Confectioner’s sugar Malt Syrup
Corn syrup Maltodextrin
Corn sweetener Maltose
Corn syrup solids Mannitol
Crystalline fructose Maple Syrup
Date sugar Molasses
Demerara Sugar Muscovado Sugar
Dextrin Organic Raw Sugar
Dextran Panocha
Dextrose Powdered Sugar
Diastatic malt Raw Sugar
Diatase Refiner's Syrup
D-mannose Rice Syrup
Evaporated cane juice Sorbitol
Ethyl maltol Sorghum Syrup
Florida Chrystals Sucrose
Free Flowing Sugar Sugar
Fructose Syrup
Fruit juice Table Sugar
Fruit juice concentrate Treacle
Galactose Turbinado
Glucose Yellow Sugar
The sugar industry is constantly coming up with new sugar names. So be on guard for new hidden sugars with insulin spiking ingredients.
Are Artificial Sweeteners a Safe Sugar Substitute?
Artificial sweeteners are often accused of causing cancer, headaches and other health problems. But who knows how many of these unsubstantiated stories are intentionally spread by the powerful, aggressive and heavily government subsidized sugar industry to undermine their competition.
It's something to seriously consider. There's certainly no sound scientific evidence to back up the rumors that any of the U.S. approved artificial sweeteners cause cancer. And there are many studies confirming the safety of these sugar substitutes for the general population.
However, there's some evidence that people who consume large quantities of diet sodas tend to gain weight. But this is probably due to the sugar substitutes sweet taste causing sugar cravings for junk foods.
Artificial sweeteners main benefits are: they don't negatively affect blood sugar and they're calorie-free. Approved artificial sweeteners are:
• Aspartame (NutraSweet, Equal)
• Saccharin (Sweet'N Low, SugarTwin)
• Acesulfame K (Sunett, Sweet One)
• Sucralose (Splenda)
The natural herbal sugar substitute, Stevia, is also a viable option.
Of course, once you give up sugar and your taste buds adjust, the best sugar substitutes are fresh fruits, vegetables and other natural foods.