Understanding Sugars:  

OVERVIEW

Research suggests that consuming sweet foods can short-circuit your appetite's wiring, making you crave more sugary foods and eat more in general. This list, created with help from nutritionist Kathleen Melanson, Ph.D., R.D., reveals which sweeteners and sugars pack the biggest punch. (Each number represents the amount of times sweeter than sucrose it is.)

.16: LACTOSE

Though it doesn't taste sweet, lactose is still technically a sugar. It's a combination of two sugar building blocks, glucose and galactose.

Found in: milk and dairy products.

.75: GLUCOSE

The same type that's in blood sugar, glucose fuels your muscles and brain. It's a simple sugar, meaning its a part of complex sugars, such as sucrose and HFCS.

Found in: sports drinks, honey, agave nectar.

.92: HFCS-42

Pure corn syrup is 100 percent glucose; this adulterated version is 42 percent fructose, 58 percent glucose.

Found in: baked goods, processed foods, sweetened drinks, and soups.

1: SUCROSE

You know this stuff as table sugar. It's a 50-50 glucose-fructose combination and is usually derived from sugar cane or sugar beets.

Found in: a wide range of processed foods and beverages.

1.1: HFCS-55

This HFCS variation has a 55:45 fructose-to-glucose ratio. Because of the higher fructose content, it's sweeter than HFCS-42.

Found in: soft drinks, mainly, but also baked goods and soups.

1.4: FRUCTOSE

A simple natural sugar found in fruit, fructose ranges from 1.2 to 1.75 on our sweetness scale, depending on the kind of fruit.

Found in: fruits and other sugars like HFCS, honey, and agave.

1.6: HONEY

This natural blend of fructose and glucose is slightly sweeter than table sugar and is a better source of antioxidants and nutrients.

Found in: some breads, granola bars, pretzels, and cereals.

1.6: AGAVE

This fructose-glucose syrup is derived from the same plant that yields tequila. It's high in fructose, containing up to 90 percent.

Found in: cocktails; it's also used in coffee as a sweetener.

200: ASPARTAME

Sold as Equal Original or NutraSweet, low-calorie aspartame is made by combining two amino acids.

Found in: many sugar-free products, including diet sodas and low-cal yogurts.

250: STEVIA

A zero-calorie natural sweetener made from the dried leaves of a South American shrub.

Found in: smoothies labeled "no sugar added" (it's not a sugar), coffee sweeteners, and diet drinks.

300: SACCHARIN

That pink packet of Sweet'N Low is saccharin, a concoction of sulfur and other complex chemicals.

Found in: some restaurant fountain drinks with aspartame (it increases its stability).

600: SUCRALOSE

Sold as Splenda, it's formulated from chlorine atoms that are substituted for hydrogen-oxygen groups in ordinary sugar.

Found in: many low-calorie desserts and beverages.

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