Sugar or sucrose is the ingredient we buy to sweeten food and the one most commonly used in sweets.

Chemistry

In chemistry it is a disaccharide consisting of a molecule of fructose and a molecule of glucose. Each sugar molecule contains 12 carbon atoms, 22 hydrogen atoms and 11 oxygen atoms. It is formed when the monosaccharide sugars glucose and fructose react in a condensation reaction. This is the equation of the reaction:

C₆H₁₂O₆ + C₆H₁₂O₆ = C₁₂H₂₂O₁₁ + H₂O

Molecular formula    C₁₂H₂₂O₁₁

Molecular  weight   342.3

CAS    57-50-1

History of the sugar

Discovered by Christopher Columbus on his first trip in 1492 to the territory that is now the Dominican Republic  plenty of sugar cane. The cultivation was exported to Brazil and to the English, French and Dutch colonies. The harvest was good, but staff were needed for cutting the canes and processing and it was a very tiring job. In 1505 the first slaves from West Africa were brought in, then dominated by the Portuguese who had already started a flourishing trade in pepper and other spices and ivory.

It is estimated that, between 1500 and 1900, sugar was the most profitable and widespread commodity for the European economy.

Health

A normal intake of sugar in the body is important for human health, particularly for the brain (1).

Excessive or reiterated sugar or refined sugars consumption is primarily associated with the risk of:

• type 2 diabetes mellitus, 
• weight gain with consequent risk of obesity, 
• increase in cholesterol LDL 
• hepatic steatosis
• caries
• hypertension.

To counteract this trend, sugar levels in the blood must be lowered.

Flavonoids are phenolic compounds found in fruits and vegetables and have properties that prevent diabetes and its complications. This could improve blood sugar levels (2).

A reduction in the consumption of sugar-based sweetened beverages is recommended. The consumption of this type of beverage in early childhood is associated with increased risks of adiposity and risk of overweight/obesity (3).

Sugar studies

References_______________________________________________________________________

(1) Sugar for the brain: the role of glucose in physiological and pathological brain function.  Mergenthaler P, Lindauer U, Dienel GA, Meisel A.  Trends Neurosci. 2013 Oct;36(10):587-97. doi: 10.1016/j.tins.2013.07.001

(2) Flavonoids and Their Anti-Diabetic Effects: Cellular Mechanisms and Effects to Improve Blood Sugar Levels.  Al-Ishaq RK, Abotaleb M, Kubatka P, Kajo K, Büsselberg D.  Biomolecules. 2019 Sep 1;9(9). pii: E430. doi: 10.3390/biom9090430.

(3) Associations of sugar sweetened beverage intake at ages 18 months and 5 years with adiposity outcomes at age 6 years: The Singapore GUSTO mother-offspring cohort.  Quah PL, Kleijweg J, Chang YY, Toh JY, Lim HX, Sugianto R, Aris IM, Yuan WL, Tint MT, Bernard JY, Natarajan P, Müller-Riemenschneider F, Godfrey KM, Gluckman PD, Chong YS, Shek LP, Tan KH, Eriksson JG, Yap F, Lee YS, Chong MFF. Br J Nutr. 2019 Sep 3:1-25. doi: 10.1017/S0007114519002253