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There is a common misperception that sugar consumption has risen over the years. However, the sugar supply in the EU has remained stable for over 40 years and has, on average, amounted to about 33 kg per capita per year between 1970 and 2011, as demonstrated by the agricultural statistics provided by the FAO. These figures account for the sugar supply meaning the apparent consumption, and therefore, the actual amounts consumed are lower.
Sugar is first and foremost used because of its sweetening properties. It has a clean sweet taste with no aftertaste and is the reference against which other sweeteners are compared. Beyond its sweetening properties, sugar provides structure and texture to many traditional foods, such as bakery products and jam. Sugar helps to create crispness and texture in biscuits, and is central to the browning process that gives bread and pastries their traditional golden colour and characteristic flavour.
In some products, sugar can act as a natural preservative. Reducing sugar concentration in a food product may shorten its shelf life and impact on quality. For example, a jam with reduced sugars content will need to be stored in the fridge.
No single ingredient can replace sugar in all foods and replicate its many functions at the same time. Thus, replacing sugar often results in the use of several additional ingredients and additives, which may result in higher calorie content.
There are many different types of sugars. They all provide 4 kcal/17 kJ per gram. The sugars most commonly present in foods include: sucrose, glucose, fructose, maltose and lactose. All of these sugars occur naturally.
Examples of sources of sugars in various fruits, vegetable and honey:[1]
Just like other carbohydrates, such as starch, sugar provides 4 kilocalories (kcal) or 17 kilojoule (kJ) of energy per gram. This is the same as proteins, but it is lower than fat and alcohol:
Sugar is a carbohydrate. Carbohydrates are the most important fuel for our brains and provide our bodies with the energy our organs need to function.
Sugars are present in nature; plants make sugars through photosynthesis. The sugar (sucrose) you find in your sugar bowl is simply water-extracted from beet or cane by sugar producers. Sucrose found in a fruit and sucrose used to bake a cake are identical. All have the same calorific values (4 kcal/ 17 kJ of energy per gram). The body does not distinguish between sugars used in manufactured food and drinks or in the home, and those found naturally in foods.
To function correctly, our body needs:
CEFS is an international non-profit organisation, representing sugar manufacturers from the EU and Switzerland.
