SUGAR - Part 1.
Welcome
to part 1 of our informational F4P blog on Sugar.
What is it?
Most people understand the term ‘sugar’ to generally refer to ‘table sugar,’ the type of
sugar that we add to our tea and coffee. Sugar belongs to the food group known as carbohydrate.
Where
does it come from?
There are two main sources from which sugar is extracted:
1. Sugar Cane – which
looks like thick bamboo branches has a woody outer, which once stripped back,
reveals sugar rich fibres. It grows in tropical regions, is harvested and
undergoes intense refining processes which eventually produces crystals or raw
sugar, and black syrup called molasses. The crystals are initially brown, and
if further refined (removing more molasses) the result is a lighter product.
White sugar is refined raw sugar – which has undergone bleaching.
2. Sugar beet - is a large pale brown root crop, similar to a parsnip. It grows in certain parts of Europe and North
America. The extraction & production
of white sugar from beet also
involves intensive refining of the plant -the end result like cane sugar – is the
production of sugar crystal.
What is the big deal?
Most adults and children in the UK eat too much sugar.
Most adults and children in the UK eat too much sugar.
The government Scientific Advisory
Committee on Nutrition (SACN) made a recommendation in July 2015 about the
amount of “free sugars” we consume.
Free
sugars are any sugars added to food
or drinks, or found naturally in honey, syrups and unsweetened fruit juices. The
concern is that we are consuming too many foods that are high in free sugars or
added sugars. Eating these too often can mean you eat more calories than you
need, which can lead to weight gain and obesity.
What does it look like?
There
are several different types of sugar. The most obvious difference between types is colour. When sugar has been
extracted from the juice of the beet or cane plant, the strong tasting black
syrup – molasses; remains.
When white sugar is produced, the
molasses are entirely removed, whereas brown sugars retain varying amounts. Basically,
the more molasses in brown sugar, the stickier the crystals, the darker the
colour and the stronger the flavour, for example: Muscovado sugar.
However, the presence of molasses does
not change sugar’s nutritional value. Whether deep brown or bright white –
each teaspoon (5g) of sugar is about 20 calories.
These commonly-used sugars vary in
colour, flavour and crystal size:
Granulated: all-purpose sugar for general use (‘table’ sugar)
Caster: small grains ensure smooth blending to give even textures
in cakes and other baked foods
Icing: milled sugar to give a fine powder. This provides
texture to icings and buttercreams – useful for decorating cakes
Demerara: a brown sugar with larger grains providing crunch and
flavour – ideal for use in biscuits and crumbles
Did you know? Your body does not differentiate
between white sugar, brown sugar or honey? Gram for gram they are all recognised
as sugar, and excess intake can have a negative effect on your health.
Stay with us this week for interesting
facts which could revolutionise the way you eat and drink – and positively impact
you fulfilling your purpose in life.
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