Sugars and Sweeteners

Sugars, also known as carbohydrates, glycides, carbohydrates or saccharides, are simple carbohydrates that occur naturally in foods such as fruits, vegetables, honey and dairy products, but are also added to processed foods to improve flavor. They are organic chemical compounds consisting mainly of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen atoms, and they are the main source of energy for the human body.

Sweeteners are artificial or natural substances used to replicate the sweet taste of sugars but with fewer calories or without a direct impact on blood sugar. They are functional groups that interact with sweet taste receptors on the tongue. These functional groups are typically hydroxyls, carboxyls, or amines, specifically arranged in the molecule to impart the sweet taste.