What is sugar? What are sugar alternatives? You will find sugar everywhere – in your ketchup, in your mayo, in your soup, in your veggies, it’s everywhere! You’ve got to be reading labels on everything you purchase in a store that comes in a package! You just have to. Below is a list of ingredients that are disguised in name – but are really the dreaded SUGAR!!!

59 other names for Sugar - sugar alternatives, what is sugar?

Sugar is everywhere. It’s in most foods you eat and you don’t realize it. Even when you’re eating something that doesn’t taste “sweet” and you wouldn’t consider a dessert or sweet treat, it still probably has sugar in it. Below is a huge handy list of ingredients that essentially are sugar in one form or another or have sugar in them. I’ve also included a list of sugar alternatives. It’s a reminder to ALWAYS read labels if you’re on a low sugar diet, or watching your sugar intake. Because sugar won’t always be spelled out S-U-G-A-R for you. It’s spelled many different ways as you can see our list of 59 other names for sugar. But first…..

Why are there so many different names for sugar?

Companies are required by law to label their uppermost ingredients first on a nutrition label. By splitting the sugar up into different names, they don’t have to put “SUGAR” as the first ingredient (or second). So essentially they are tricking you into not seeing the high sugar content of products you’re eating. Kinda scary, right? This post will tell you what is sugar and why you need to be aware of it in your food.

59 Other Names for Sugar

Below is an extensive list of ingredients you’d find on packaged foods that have been disguised but are really sugar. Sugar alternatives (scroll down to see list below this list) can be helpful if you’re trying to lower your sugar intake. Stop asking – what is sugar – and take in the list below to know the many different names of sugar.

agave syrup or agave nectar – found in organic foods
barley malt – found in malt beers, cereals, candy bars
beet sugar – found in more than 20% of the world’s sugar, usually genetically modified
brown rice syrup – found in rice milk, cereal bars
brown sugar – found in baked goods, sauces, beverages
buttered sugar (buttercream) – found in frosting, icing
cane juice – found in beverage, in liquor
cane juice crystals – found in yogurt, baked goods like cake and cookies
cane sugar – found in 80% of world’s sugar
caramel – found in soda, candy
carob syrup – found in sub for chocolate, cakes, cookies
castor sugar (superfine sugar) – found in mixed drinks, baking products
coconut sugar – found in diabetic sweeteners, alternative foods (lower on glycemic food index than other sugars)
corn sweetener – found in cough syrups, antacids, liquid sweeteners, frozen foods
corn syrup – found in soda, fast food
corn syrup solids – found in coffee creamers, dry beverage mixes
confectioner’s sugar – found in frosting, icing
date sugar – found in healthier baked goods, more natural since it’s made from chopped up dates, however still high in sugar content.
Demerara sugar – found in baked goods, used as sweetener for coffee or tea (large-grained sugar, caramel taste)
dextran – food additive
dextrose – found in baked goods and desserts
diastatic malt – found in milk shakes, flavored syrups
diastase – found in milk, barley
ethyl maltol – found in confectionary and baked goods
evaporated cane juice – found in baked goods, beverages, cereal
free flowing brown sugar – a shaker bottle to add sugar to whatever you’d like
fructose – found in soft drinks, naturally occurring in fruits and honey
fruit juice
fruit juice concentrate
galactose – found in fast food, dairy products
glucose – found in fruits, honey, baked goods, fast food
golden sugar – found in meringues, biscuits
golden syrup – found in pancake topping, desserts
high fructose corn syrup – found in soda, yogurts, frozen food, fast food, cereal bars, mac and cheese, breads, etc.
honey
icing sugar – found in baked goods, desserts
invert sugar – found in soda, baked goods, candy (NOT vegan, vegetarian, kosher or Halal)
lactose – found in dairy products
maltodextrin – found in beer, soda, candy, processed foods
maltose – found in beer
malt syrup – found in baked goods, diabetic alternative foods
mannitol – found in sweetener for diabetic food
maple syrup
molasses – found in baked beans, gingerbread
Muscovado – brown sugar replacement
Oat syrup – found in granola bars, cereals, baked goods
panocha – found in desserts (combo of brown sugar, milk and butter)
powdered sugar – found in baked goods, frosting, icing
raw sugar – Note that it’s still processed and refined with chemicals added. Might sound “healthy”, but it’s not really much healthier than regular granulated sugar.
rice bran syrup – dietary supplement for B-vitamin
rice syrup – found in baked goods, granola bars
sorbitol – found in sugar free chewing gum, diabetic candy
sorghum – found in baked goods, beer
sorghum syrup – topping for breakfast foods
sucrose – found in baked goods, ice cream
treacle – found in tarts, merengues, desserts
tapioca syrup – found in fruit drinks, cereals
Turbinado sugar – found in baked goods
yellow sugar – found in marshmallow candy, baked goods

What is sugar?

What is sugar? – you might be asking. I am sure you’ve seen sugar listed on nutrition fact labels on food products under Carbohydrates. So, essentially sugar is a carb. It’s pretty much nutrition-less. Most sugar you use in your food comes from either a beet or sugar cane plant. These plants are processed and refined to look like the little white crystals you add to your coffee or other foods you make. There are a few good sugar alternatives you might want to check out if you’re trying to stop a sugar addiction or reduce your sugar intake. See full list below.

Naturally Occurring Sugars

Fructose – Comes fruit fruit, honey, sugar cane and some vegetables.

Glucose – AKA Dextrose. From fruits, veggies and honey. A big part of corn syrup. It’s the most common sugar. Our bodies use this for fuel.

Sucrose – This is what you commonly use in recipes. It’s available in many forms: granulated white sugar, raw sugar, Turbinado sugar and powdered sugar. Comes from either sugar cane or sugar beets.

Lactose – Milk sugar.

Popular Sugar Alternatives

Sugar alternatives are sweeteners that you can use in place of sugar when creating a recipe or just sweetening your tea/coffee. Use your best judgement when choosing sugar alternatives.

Honey – Seems to be the best healthy alternative sweetener option. Even has health benefits such as lowering blood glucose spikes (in lab rats compared to other sugars). It is high in sugars still though.

Stevia – Comes naturally from a plant in the sunflower family. 300 times sweeter than table sugar, so using in smaller quantities is recommended. Minimal adverse effects from consuming stevia, plus it has a low effect on glucose levels.

Sucralose – It’s a popular alternative sweetener that is zero calorie. You might know it as Splenda. It’s also found in some protein powders. It’s 600 times sweeter than sugar, so using it in smaller quantities than you would table sugar is recommended.

Agave Nectar – Interestingly this comes from an agave plant (aka cactus). So you’d think it was healthy, but it’s highly processed (similar to the processing of high fructose corn syrup) and it’s really high in fructose!

Aspertame – Found in most diet sodas, along with some yogurts. It’s not good for you, at all. I’ve experienced anxiety when consuming it. There are also studies out there that suggest it can cause cancer, but I don’t think they’ve been proven yet.

Saccharin – Higher sweetness, so use in smaller quantities. Has been linked to cancer in some studies.

This post was really just to let you know the answer to “what is sugar?” and give you pointers on where to find sugar in your packaged foods. Always read labels. Always make yourself aware. Only you can change your health. No one else controls your diet. You must take the lead on what you consume. Being aware and being conscience of what is going into your body makes all the difference in your health. Use sugar alternatives when you can, but educate yourself on which are the healthy ones vs the unhealthy ones. Reach out to me anytime with questions about what is sugar or anything else. Kelly@healthyhappysmart.com — or comment below!

Comments 2

Victoria

Which sugar products are good for you

kelly

Hi Victoria – basically none, honestly. This post is basically pointing out that sugar is in everything we eat, it’s hidden in our foods we buy and it’s just to help people become aware of that. If you want to use some kind of sweetener you might want to try stevia, it’s natural and doesn’t have the bad effects sugar causes. Depending on what you’re making, you could use fruit as a sweetener. Dates work well in desserts to sweeten them up. If you have a specific food you’re trying to sweeten up, let me know and I’ll tell you what would be best.