Why are sugars added to foods?
• Taste Sugar and other carbohydrate sweeteners make many nutritious foods taste even better. Sprinkling sugar on morning oatmeal or fruit, topping pancakes with syrup, or baking sugar into a bran muffin are just some of the ways this food contributes to eating pleasure. • Functional Properties Sugar and other sweeteners perform many functions in foods. Sugar contributes texture and color to baked goods and is instrumental in the fermentation of yeast, which causes bread to rise. Sugar adds bulk and substance to foods, such as ice cream and muffins, and works as a preservative in jams and fruits. It adds a satisfying body or “mouth-feel” to beverages. In non-sweet foods – salad dressings, sauces and condiments – sugar enhances flavors and balances acid content in tomato- and vinegar-based foods. What label terms can be looked for to find out about sugars in a product? Today’s food label uses the word “sugar” in different ways. The difference depends on whether the label is declaring su
