Sugar Facts from The World Sugar Research Organisation (WSRO)

Sugar as a source of energy

Sugar is an important source of food energy. During digestion, all food carbohyd
rates (starches and sugars) break down into single molecule sugars. These sugars
are absorbed from the intestine into the blood stream and travel to the cells,
where they are used to provide energy for cellular functions. In parts of the wo
rld where people suffer from energy malnutrition and are undernourished, sugar i
s valued as an inexpensive source of energy to support human activities.
Function of sugar in foods
Sugars have a number of functions in the preparation of foods, such as improving
taste and texture. Important uses of sugars in food include:
â ¢ Providing sweetness
â ¢ Serving as preservatives in jams and jellies
â ¢ Increasing the boiling point or reduces the freezing point of foods
â ¢ Allowing fermentation by yeast
â ¢ Reacting with amino acids to produce colour and flavour compounds import
ant to the taste and golden brown colour of baked goods.
â ¢ Making foods that have limited moisture content crisp
Medical uses of sugar
Table sugar can be used to make oral rehydration solution (ORS), which can help
prevent dehydration in children who have infantile diarrhoea or vomiting in deve
loping countries. The effective use of ORS saves millions of lives around the wo
rld each year. Although recipes for ORS vary from country to country, one widely
used recipe is made up of 1 litre of water, 8 teaspoons sugar and ½ teaspoon o
f salt.
Sugar and fortification
Fortification of foods with micronutrients is generally recognised as the most c
ost-effective long-term strategy for eliminating micronutrient malnutrition. It
is also socially acceptable, requires none or little change in food habits and c
haracteristics, and provides a means for reaching the greatest percentage of the
population requiring the micronutrients. Sugar is a safe and economical foodstu
ff that is accepted and consumed by populations at risk including those who are
very poor. So fortified sugar can play a critical role in fighting nutrient defi
ciency.
Sugar is used as a vehicle for supplying vitamin A in a number of Central Americ
an countries (Guatemala, Nicaragua, Honduras and El Salvador), in Zambia and mor
e recently in the Philippines. Pilot studies have also been conducted in other d
eveloping countries such as India and Vietnam. The consumption of fortified suga
r has resulted in significant increases in vitamin A intake and improvements in
the vitamin A status of a surveyed population in Guatemala. Vitamin A fortificat
ion can significantly reduce the risk of a permanent form of child blindness and
mortality from severe infections in undernourished children.
Industrial uses of sugars
Sugars are also used in the production of surfactants, fabrics, cement.