Q I am so confused about sugar. I read a label that said “evaporated cane sugar.” Are foods that have it healthier? — J.Q., Winterville
A Your question came at the same time that the American Heart Association issued new recommendations that children 2-18 years old consume less than six teaspoons of added sugars per day. To meet that goal, it would mean that kids should have no more than 8 ounces of sugary drinks a week. Additionally they advise that children under the age of 2 years should not eat any foods or beverages with added sugars. The heart association had already stated that adults should consume no more than 100-150 calories — 6 to 9 teaspoons — of added sugar a day. I asked Drew Gardner, a third-year Brody student, to answer your question. Here is what he wants you to know.
Sugar may be a delight to the sweet tooth, yet a terrible headache for a person completing the Sunday-morning crossword puzzle trying to find the right synonym for sugar. Evaporated cane sugar, evaporated cane juice, dehydrated cane juice, dried cane juice, Demerara sugar, natural cane sugar, washed sugar, raw cane sugar, turbinado sugar, unrefined cane sugar are just a few of the terms you will find.
You might wonder if these names serve a unique purpose or if they are fancy words that all mean the same thing. In basic terms, sugar is a sweet substance that usually takes a crystal form. In chemistry terms, it is a member of the carbohydrate class with a main composition of sucrose, which is a small molecule that links up with itself to form crystals.
The process of making sugar is very involved. Sugar can be made from sugar beets, but it more commonly comes from sugar cane. It starts with growing sugar cane, setting the crop on fire to remove the dead leaves, and harvesting the stalks. The sugar cane crop is transported to a refinery where it is chopped and crushed, which produces sugar cane juice.
Source: www.reflector.com