A tablespoon of agave syrup has 14.1 grams of sugar, 64.2 calories and 15.8 grams of carbohydrates. ![]() It has a glycemic index of 54.īy comparison, a tablespoon of pure honey has 63 calories, 17.2 grams of sugar and 17.3 grams of carbohydrates. A tablespoon of maple syrup has 52 calories, 12.1 grams of sugar and 13.4 grams of carbohydrates. Now that you know the basics of sugar, we can dive deeper into natural sweeteners and how they stack up against one another.Ī tablespoon of sugar has 12.6 grams of sugar, 48.9 calories and 12.6 grams of carbohydrates, according to the USDA. Fructose is lower on the glycemic index at 19. Glucose is a 100 on the glycemic index, whereas sucrose (54) and lactose (49) fall in the middle. Foods low on the glycemic index cause a slower, more sustained release of glucose. Foods high on the glycemic index cause your body to release glucose rapidly. This is why many athletes turn to products with glucose for boosts of energy. Glycemic index and blood sugar levelsįoods high in glucose are higher on the glycemic index - the effect carbohydrates have on your blood sugar - and will cause a quicker blood sugar spike compared to other types of sugar. Too much added sugar leads to temporary spikes in glucose (blood sugar) and can cause weight gain, inflammation, skin aging and dental problems, according to the AHA.īeyond that, it can contribute to a litany of health problems, including increasing your risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, colon cancer, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, kidney disease and liver disease. For example, an apple contains fructose but also has fiber, vitamin C and vitamin B6. ![]() Yes, your body processes natural and added sugars the same, but sugars found naturally in food also contain healthy vitamins and minerals. Added sugars contain no nutritional value, which is why they’re referred to as empty calories. The main difference between naturally occurring sugars and added sugars is the impact they have on your body. Table sugar, derived from sugar cane before being processed, bleached and crystallized, is one of many types of added sugars used in the food manufacturing process to help improve taste and shelf life. Sucrose also appears in fruits and vegetables, although you’ll most commonly find it in sugar packets and on counters in the form of table sugar. Therefore, it falls under the category of added sugars.įructose is sugar found in fruit, while lactose is sugar found in dairy products. While maple syrup is a natural sweetener, it’s not a naturally occurring sugar found in food. In general, you can separate sugar into two categories: naturally occurring sugars and added sugars. Disaccharides include sucrose (glucose and fructose), lactose (glucose and galactose) and maltose (two glucose molecules). Simple sugars have just one molecule and include glucose, fructose and galactose. ![]() Sugar is classified as either having one molecule (monosaccharides) or two molecules (disaccharides). Sugar is a carbohydrate found naturally in various foods that provides energy to your cells. What does sugar do to your body?ĭespite the negative connotation, your body actually needs sugar to function. But, does natural mean better for you and is maple syrup superior to table sugar? We sought out the answer to those questions by diving into more detail about how sugar affects your body and analyzing the potential health benefits maple syrup has over other options. It also explains why people are always in search of sugar substitutes or natural sweeteners such as maple syrup. It’s hard to avoid sugar, which is why almost eight in 10 adults are trying to reduce the amount of it in their diets, according to the American Health Association (AHA). It’s in your morning coffee drinks, it’s on your kitchen counter, it’s in your fruits and vegetables and it’s especially notable in the snacks, sweets and treats you consume.
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