Sugars Sugar

            Have you seen the commercial for corn syrup that compares it to regular sugar made from cane?  They are using actors to represent parents and children so you are more likely to accept what they are saying.  The actor tells you that your body processes all sugars the same way so it doesn’t matter which type of sweetener you use.  Let’s begin by addressing the three types of sweeteners made from corn, and the processing each one goes through.  First, the corn kernels are removed from the cob and through a process called “wet milling”; the corn starch is removed from the kernels. 

·         Corn Syrup:  Corn syrup is extracted from corn starch by washing the corn in a solution of sulfur dioxide to separate the hard kernel from the starch containing inner parts.  These inner parts are then heated in a solution of hydrochloric acid for various lengths of time depending on the desired sweetness.  This process was developed in the mid-1800’s and was used until 1967 when an enzyme conversion process was commercialized resulting in the creation of high-fructose corn syrup.  Regular corn syrup is still sold in stores under the brand name Karo.

·         High-Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS):  To improve the sweet flavor of corn syrup, three different types of enzymes are added one after the other, to change the dextrose sugars in the corn syrup first into glucose and then into fructose.  Additional glucose is then added to that mixture to finally create high-fructose corn syrup used in many commercially prepared foods and drinks.

·         Corn Sugar:  The Corn Refiners Association has asked the FDA for approval to change their product name from High-Fructose Corn Syrup to Corn Sugar.  Same product – different name.  Don’t be fooled.

            To refine cane into the different types of sugar sold in our grocery stores, the cane plant must go through the following process, according to the Sugar Association. 

·         Raw Cane Sugar:  The cane is picked from the plant and shipped to the refinery.  Upon arrival, it is washed and cut into shreds by large rotating knives.  The shreds are then crushed, which releases the juice from the cane plant into a large tank.  The juice, or sucrose, is then bleached with a solution of milk of lime and carbon dioxide which clarifies the sucrose solution allowing the fats, gums and waxes to fall to the bottom of the tank.  The natural waters are then removed through various stages of vacuuming which concentrates the sucrose into dark brown syrup.  Once the last little bit of water is evaporated, the sucrose crystallizes, is sent through a centrifuge (kind of like the spin cycle on your clothes washer) and the result is raw golden sugar.  Raw sugar is 96% to 98% sucrose.

·         White Table Sugar:  The raw cane sugar is covered with a thin layer of molasses, which is the thick, raw syrup that contains sugar, water, plant materials, minerals and other non-sugar ingredients.  In the next stage of processing, the sugar is shipped to another plant where the molasses covered raw sugar is mixed with a solution of water and sugar to loosen the molasses layer.  The solution goes through another “spin” cycle, is washed, dissolved, and filtered to remove any remaining impurities.  The remaining golden colored liquid is finally run through a carbon based filter which removes the remaining color resulting in white sugar syrup which is concentrated through evaporation into perfectly sized sugar crystals.  The dried crystals are then packaged for commercial sale.

·         Beet Sugar:  Sugar beets contain 16% to 18% natural sucrose so creating a “natural” sweetener seemed, well – only natural.  Beet sugar starts out similar to cane sugar with the plants being shipped from the field to a single processing plant.  Here, the beets are washed, sliced and sent through a large tank, called a diffuser, which flushes over them to absorb the sugars.  The beet pulp left behind is turned into animal feed and the water/juice mixture is filtered leaving behind a golden brown juice.  The clarified juice is boiled in a vacuum tank which concentrates the juice into syrup.  After a second filtration, the syrup is boiled again and sent through a similar “spinning” process that results in its crystallization.  The crystals are washed in clean hot water and the result is a pure white sugar product.  Once dry, it is packaged and shipped to various stores or food processing plants.    

            The question remains, when it comes to the obesity crisis in our country, is Sugar really just Sugar?  A research team at Princeton University says No.  During experiments where rats were fed both high-fructose corn syrup and table sugar as part of an equal overall caloric intake program, the rats with access to the HFCS gained significantly more weight than those eating table sugar.  As the experiments continued, the lab animals that consumed the HFCS on a long-term basis also showed abnormal increases in body fat, especially in the abdominal area as well as a rise in the triglyceride levels in their blood.  Further research seems to indicate that the liver processes fructose by converting it directly into fat and transporting it to fat tissues.  Over time, the fat tissues appear to be attaching themselves directly to the liver, causing a disease known as “fatty liver”.  

            Additional information that is worth mentioning is that as of 2012, 88% of corn and 74% of sugar beets, grown in the United States, are grown from genetically-modified seed.  If those numbers scare you, or the processes these plants have to go through before they end up on your table or in the food products you are serving your family, you might try some of these natural sweeteners.  As a substitute for 1 cup of processed white sugar, try:

·         Agave Nectar – Raw (dark or light): 1/4 cup – similar sugar content as honey but the glycemic index, or the rate at which the blood glucose level rises after eating a particular food, is much lower.

·         Honey – Raw:  7/8 cup – has a higher nutrition value, enzymes and is a natural antibiotic.  You may need to reduce the liquid level in your recipe by a few tablespoons.

·         Maple Syrup – 3/4 cup – make sure you are getting 100% real syrup.  Yes, it is a bit pricier then artificial syrup but the health benefits are worth it.  Maple syrup is good for the nervous system and a source of minerals that support the body’s processes.  If baking, you may need to reduce the amount of liquid slightly.

·         Stevia leaf – 1 teaspoon:  Yes, you read that right.  Stevia leaf is 300 times sweeter than sugar so using it in recipes becomes a real challenge.  Try using it in the dishes you prepare that you add additional sugar to once they are ready to serve.  The leaf may leave behind a bitter after-taste which not everyone likes.

             So now you know.  Sugar is NOT sugar.  Make an informed choice.

Feel free to answer any of the above questions, or pose new ones, in the comments section below or email me, at mary@marymernsberger.com, for a more personal response.  Check out my website at http://www.marymernsberger.com.   I look forward to continuing this conversation.