Sugar

Sugar is the generic name for <a href="/facts/Sweetness/pWt6LlXy">sweet-tasting</a>, soluble <a href="/facts/Carbohydrate/Geuuzxsf">carbohydrates</a>, many of which are used in food. Simple sugars, also called <a href="/facts/Monosaccharide/yzs2d6Eq">monosaccharides</a>, include <a href="/facts/Glucose/oUSkoLCD">glucose</a>, <a href="/facts/Fructose/pEqWJC2N">fructose</a>, and <a href="/facts/Galactose/sh2hEFpC">galactose</a>. Compound sugars, also called <a href="/facts/Disaccharide/9dnUQggw">disaccharides</a> or double sugars, are molecules made of two <a href="/facts/Glycosidic_bond/xhYwU6sl">bonded</a> monosaccharides; common examples are <a href="/facts/Sucrose/7y1ke94L">sucrose</a> (glucose + fructose), <a href="/facts/Lactose/lBa5ozYk">lactose</a> (glucose + galactose), and <a href="/facts/Maltose/v43CVtaU">maltose</a> (two molecules of glucose). <a href="/facts/White_sugar/9qpD1vl5">White sugar</a> is a refined form of sucrose. In the body, compound sugars are <a href="/facts/Hydrolysed/JTvwIHPs">hydrolysed</a> into simple sugars.
Longer chains of monosaccharides (>2) are not regarded as sugars and are called <a href="/facts/Oligosaccharide/5to180o3">oligosaccharides</a> or <a href="/facts/Polysaccharide/lqXq2cJU">polysaccharides</a>. <a href="/facts/Starch/gHAqGfJb">Starch</a> is a glucose polymer found in plants, the most abundant source of energy in <a href="/facts/Human_food/RgNq6NAK">human food</a>. Some other chemical substances, such as <a href="/facts/Ethylene_glycol/stFz6CVe">ethylene glycol</a>, <a href="/facts/Glycerol/sRQ6NBQQ">glycerol</a> and <a href="/facts/Sugar_alcohol/kV7Uul59">sugar alcohols</a>, may have a sweet taste but are not classified as sugar.
Sugars are found in the tissues of most plants. <a href="/facts/Honey/jnRSlNEF">Honey</a> and fruits are abundant natural sources of simple sugars. Sucrose is especially concentrated in <a href="/facts/Sugarcane/925qszH4">sugarcane</a> and <a href="/facts/Sugar_beet/Rzcof5lb">sugar beet</a>, making them ideal for efficient commercial <a href="/facts/Extract/FUeleDQD">extraction</a> to make refined sugar. In 2016, the combined world production of those two crops was about two billion <a href="/facts/Tonne/gMymLmWv">tonnes</a>. Maltose may be produced by <a href="/facts/Malt/Tupt6cGw">malting</a> grain. Lactose is the only sugar that cannot be extracted from plants. It can only be found in milk, including human breast milk, and in some <a href="/facts/Dairy_product/rGVJUHVb">dairy products</a>. A cheap source of sugar is <a href="/facts/Corn_syrup/P8CBE89H">corn syrup</a>, industrially produced by converting <a href="/facts/Corn_starch/ASblJB4P">corn starch</a> into sugars, such as maltose, fructose and glucose.
Sucrose is used in prepared foods (e.g., cookies and cakes), is sometimes <a href="/facts/Added_sugar/cqYAro7o">added</a> to commercially available <a href="/facts/Ultra-processed_food/WhYkcpBb">ultra-processed food</a> and beverages, and is sometimes used as a sweetener for foods (e.g., toast and cereal) and beverages (e.g., coffee and tea). Globally on average a person consumes about 24 kilograms (53 pounds) of sugar each year. North and South Americans consume up to 50 kg (110 lb), and Africans consume under 20 kg (44 lb).
As <a href="/facts/Added_sugar/cqYAro7o">free sugar</a> consumption grew in the latter part of the 20th century, researchers began to examine whether a diet high in free sugar, especially refined sugar, was damaging to <a href="/facts/Human_health/yzPVrjTs">human health</a>. In 2015, the <a href="/facts/World_Health_Organization/YNN3bgug">World Health Organization</a> strongly recommended that adults and children reduce their intake of free sugars to less than 10% of their total <a href="/facts/Energy_homeostasis/0quwmrbc">energy intake</a> and encouraged a reduction to below 5%. In general, high sugar consumption damages human health more than it provides nutritional benefit and is associated with a risk of cardiometabolic and other health detriments.

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Sugar