How much do you really
know about sugar? Different sugar studies consistently find that people have
some misconceptions about sugar. Test your own knowledge of sugar here with
these fun sugar facts.
Did you know that…
1.
Sugar is found in the
fibers of all plants, as a byproduct of the process of photosynthesis. Sugar
occurs naturally in fruits, dairy products, grains, and vegetables.
2.
Sugar is only found in
high enough concentrations from two plants to make sugar crystals for food
consumption: sugarcane and sugar beets.
3.
Carbohydrates can be
obtained from three different sources: sugar, fiber, and starch. Carbohydrates
are necessary for human and animal survival as the building blocks of cells.
4.
Contrary to what many
people believe, there are only 15 calories in a teaspoon of sugar, which can be
burned off in 15 minutes simply by socializing with other people.
5.
Sugar does not make a
person gain weight. Consuming too many calories is what causes a person to gain
weight, regardless of where the calories are found.
6.
Sugarcane is a species
of grass native to Southeast Asia. There are 37 different species of sugarcane
and they all crossbreed with one another.
7.
According to the Food
and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, sugarcane is the world’s
largest crop. 168 million tons of sugar were produced around the world in 2011.
80% of the world’s sugar production comes from sugarcane, while the other 20%
comes from sugar beets.
8.
Before sugar became
more widely available in the 18th Century, common people relied on honey for
sweetening foods.
9.
Christopher Columbus
was the first person to bring sugarcane to the New World.
10.
Brown sugars contain
more vitamins and minerals than granulated sugars (white table sugars),
according to nutritional information listed in the USDA Nutrient
Database.
11.
When it comes to food
there are two types of sugar: added sugar and naturally occurring sugar. The
body can’t tell the difference between the two because they have the same
chemical composition.
12.
Labels on food
packages include both added and naturally occurring sugars,
while ingredient lists include only added sugars. Added sugars are usually
natural sweeteners other than granulated sugars.
13.
According to TotalHealth,
men and women should consume different amounts of sugar. Women should limit
their sugar consumption to 6 tsp. per day, while men may eat as many as 9 tsp.
of sugar per day.
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