You Should Know These 56 Names for Sugar

Added sugar is lurking in 74% of packaged foods, and we’re not just talking about cookies, cakes, and desserts. Many foods that we deem as “healthy” or “natural” can harbor an array of sweetening agents such as dextrose, maltose, and rice syrup. A bowl of bran cereal with raisins, for instance, can be advertised as containing no high fructose corn syrup but can still have 20 grams of sugar per serving. Other popular foods like spaghetti sauce, yogurt, salad dressing, granola bars, frozen meals, and fruit juice are examples of products that may seem like you’re good for you, but are actually riddled with sugar. Thus, it’s important to read labels and always look at how many grams of sugar and what types of sweeteners a product contains. And in addition to checking for sugar content, you should remember to also consider a food’s carbohydrate content, as this affects blood glucose as well. “A sugar or carb, no matter what the source, with increase your blood sugar,” says Danielle Carlesimo, a registered dietitian at Henry Ford Macomb Hospital in Michigan.

While white and brown sugars have long been coined as bad, there is a new mentality that things like agave, honey, and molasses are suitable alternatives. Carlesimo is quick to add, however, that just because “natural” sweeteners like honey have some nutritional value, they will still cause blood glucose to spike and should therefore be avoided.

The first step towards avoiding sugar is to educate yourself on its many different names.

Here’s a list of 56 names for sugar:

1. Agave nectar: Also called agave syrup. Agave is extracted from an agave plant. It contains 70-90% fructose and 10-30% glucose. Agave is not naturally sweet like honey and requires an industrial process to extract its sweetness. Contains 16 grams of carbohydrates per tablespoon.

2. Barley malt: A grain-based sugar that is made from sprouted barley. It’s thick and dark and has a malt-like flavor. Barley malt is half as sweet as traditional white sugar but is just as high on the glycemic index. Contains 14 grams of carbohydrates per tablespoon.

3. Beet sugar: It resembles sugar cane but instead of being harvested by a tropical grass, beet sugar is extracted from sugar beets that are grown as an underground root crop in temperate climates. Contains 4 grams of carbohydrates per tablespoon.

4. Blackstrap molasses: This is a byproduct of cane sugar manufacturing. It’s a dark brown syrup that is thick with a strong flavor. Blackstrap molasses can contain up to 20% free fructose and also contains sucrose. Contains 15 grams of carbohydrates per tablespoon.

5. Brown rice syrup: A sweetener derived from fermented cooked brown rice. It’s made of 3% glucose, 45% maltose, and 52% maltotriose and enters the bloodstream quickly. Rice bran syrup contains 18 grams of carbs per tablespoon.

6. Brown sugar: White sugar combined with molasses. Comes in both light and darker varieties. Contains 4 grams of carbohydrates per packed teaspoon.

7. Buttered sugar: Also called buttercream. Mixing butter with powdered sugar makes this sweetener. One tablespoon of buttercream frosting contains 11 grams of carbohydrates.

8. Cane juice crystals: Once sugar cane juice has been evaporated, these sugar crystals are left behind. Contains 12 grams of carbohydrates per tablespoon.

9. Cane sugar: This minimally processed sugar comes straight from sugar cane. It is a longer, darker color grain that typical table sugar but works the same way in baking and sweetening. Contains 4 grams of carbohydrates per teaspoon.

10. Carmel: Made by heating up various sugars through the process of caramelization. It’s high in both carbohydrates and calories. Contains 12 grams of carbohydrates per tablespoon.

11. Carob syrup: A rich, dense syrup that is extracted from boiled carob pods. Known in Cyprus as “black gold.” Contains 12 grams of carbohydrates per tablespoon.

12. Caster sugar: Table sugar that is more finely granulated into “superfine sugar.” Popular with chefs and is commonly used in baking. Contains 14 grams of carbohydrates per tablespoon.

13. Coconut sugar: Also called coconut palm sugar. This buzz-worthy sweetener is extracted from the sap of a coconut palm and is caramel colored with a similar taste of brown sugar. Coconut sugar is 70 to 79 percent sucrose and 3-9% fructose and glucose. Contains 4 grams of carbohydrates per teaspoon.

14. Confectioner’s sugar: A powdery white type of sugar that dissolves quickly in liquids and is popular in baking. It’s often used to make frosting and icing. Contains 2.5 grams of carbohydrates per teaspoon.

15. Corn syrup: A food syrup that is made from the starch of corn (sometimes referred to as maize). Corn syrup is 100 percent glucose. Contains 16 grams of carbohydrates per tablespoon.

16. Crystalline fructose: One of the sweetest sugar substitutes around, this is basically pure fructose. It’s derived from corn. Contains 14 grams of carbohydrates per tablespoon.

17. Date sugar: This is made from chopped-up dates. Though it’s one of the less processed sweetener options, dates contain 11 grams of carbohydrates per tablespoon.

18. Demerara sugar: A large-grained, textured sugar that has a caramel-ish flavor. Contains 14 grams of carbohydrates per tablespoon.

19. Dextrin: A hydrolyzed starch made from potatoes, corn, tapioca, rice, arrowroot or wheat. It’s widely used in the food industry as a thickener in sauces and soups.

20. Dextrose: A simple sugar that is made from corn. Dextrose is chemically identical to glucose. Contains 14 grams of carbohydrates per tablespoon.

21. Diastatic malt: Produced from barley and contains 2/3 the calories of normal table sugar. Contains 3 grams of carbohydrates per tablespoon.

22. Ethyl maltol: An organic compound commonly used as a flavorant in confectioneries. A white solid with a sweet smell and a natural cotton candy flavor.

23. Evaporated cane juice: This sweetener is derived from sugar cane syrup. Undergoes less processing than typical sugar. Contains 12 grams of carbohydrates per tablespoon.

24. Florida crystals: A rich, golden-tan sugar accented with a hint of molasses. This granulated sugar can be used in a similar manner to white sugar.

25. Fructose: A simple sugar that occurs naturally in fruits and vegetables. 1.2 times as sweet as regular table sugar. Contains 4 grams of carbohydrates per teaspoon.

26. Fruit juice: Fruit juices, such as apple or grape juice, are often used as sweeteners in recipes like baked goods. One tablespoon of grape juice contains 2.4 grams of carbohydrates.

27. Fruit juice concentrates: This is made when water is removed from fruit juice and the pulp. One tablespoon of apple juice concentrate contains 5.5 grams of carbohydrates.

28. Galactose: A monosaccharide simple sugar that is less sweet than both glucose and fructose.

29. Glucose: Comes from the Greek word for “sweet.” Glucose is a simple sugar that is found in fruit and vegetables. It’s about 75% as sweet as regular sugar and is the main fuel used by the body. Contains 13.5 grams of carbohydrates per tablespoon.

30. Golden sugar: This is also known as caster sugar. It’s a fine granulated sugar that is made from unrefined sugar cane or beets. Popular in the UK for its pale golden brown color and slightly buttery flavor. Contains 14 grams of carbohydrates per tablespoon.

31. Golden syrup: An amber-colored inverted sugary syrup made during the process of refining sugar cane or sugar beet into sugar. Vegans often use it as a honey alternative. Contains 11 grams of carbohydrates per tablespoon.

32. Grape sugar: Dextrose that is obtained from grapes.

33. High-fructose corn syrup: This is processed from cornstarch by means of an industrial process. The most common form of high-fructose corn syrup contains 55% fructose and 45% glucose. Contains 14g of carbohydrates per tablespoon.

34. Honey: A thick, golden liquid that is made from flower nectar combined with an enzyme that is secreted by honeybees. Honey contains trace elements and minerals like zinc and selenium. Is a more natural solution than many sweeteners as it doesn’t contain preservatives or additives. Contains 17 grams of carbohydrates per tablespoon.

35. Icing sugar: Another name for powdered sugar or confectioner’s sugar. Contains 2.5 grams of carbohydrates per teaspoon.

36. Invert sugar: A sweeter than ordinary sugar and less inclined to crystalize. Made from beet or cane sugar that is broken down into its simple sugar components of glucose and fructose. Contains 12 grams of carbohydrates per tablespoon.

37. Lactose: The sugar that is found in milk. It’s a larger sugar molecule that is made up of two smaller sugar molecules, glucose and galactose. Contains 4 grams of carbohydrates per teaspoon.

38. Malt syrup: A germinated grain fermented from grains like barley. Also known as “Maltose” and “Malt extract.” Contains 17 grams of carbohydrates per tablespoon.

39. Maltodextrin: A white powder that is derived from rice, corn, potato starch, or wheat. Maltodextrin is essentially dextrin containing maltose. Contains 4 grams of carbohydrates per teaspoon.

40. Maple syrup: A syrup that comes from the sap of a sugar maple, red maple, or black maple tree. Maple syrup is a natural sweetener that is often made in Canada. Contains 13 grams of carbohydrates per tablespoon.

41. Molasses syrup: A byproduct from the process of making sugar. Molasses comes in several varieties like light, dark, and blackstrap. It contains natural vitamins and minerals like B6, calcium, potassium, copper, iron, and magnesium. Contains 15 grams of carbohydrates per tablespoon.

42. Muscovado sugar: Often referred to as “Barbados sugar.” This is a variety of unrefined cane sugar where the molasses isn’t removed. It has a much stronger flavor than brown sugar and is often added to BBQ sauce and marinades. Muscovado sugar comes in dark and light varieties and has a sticky, sandy texture. Contains 4 grams of carbohydrates per teaspoon.

43. Oat syrup: Created via the hydrolysis of oat flour by means of natural enzymes. Oat syrup is orange in color and has a light caramel flavor. Contains 15 grams of carbohydrates per tablespoon.

44. Panela: Panela is made when sugar cane juice is dehydrated over low heat. During the cooking process, it retains its molasses flavor. It’s an unprocessed sugar.

45. Panocha: A Mexican brown sugar. Also known as “panela” and “piloncillo.” Contains 4 grams of carbohydrates per tablespoon.

46. Raw sugar: The residue that is left over after sugar cane has been processed to remove its molasses. There are three types: Demerara sugar, Turbinado sugar, and Barbados sugar. Contains 12 grams of carbohydrates per tablespoon.

47. Refiner’s syrup: This partially inverted syrup is thick with a unique flavor. Refiner syrup is a byproduct of the process of refining cane sugar. It consists of invert syrup (sucrose broken down into fructose and glucose) and sucrose. Contains 17 grams of carbohydrates per tablespoon.

48. Rice bran syrup: A sweetener derived from brown rice. It consists primarily of starch and sugar. Contains 11 grams of carbohydrates per tablespoon.

49. Sorghum syrup: This type of sweetener is made from sweet sorghum, a type of grass that originated from Africa. It has a sweetness similar to sugar and is a liquid form that resembles honey. Contains 16 grams of carbohydrates per tablespoon.

50. Sucanet: Also known as “sucre de canne naturel.” This natural sugar is made when juice is extracted from the sugar cane and then beat into granules. It’s light brown in color and has a molasses-like flavor. Contains 3 grams of carbohydrates per teaspoon.

51. Sucrose: This is the most common type of sugar. Often referred to as “table sugar,” sucrose is a naturally occurring carbohydrate that is found in plants and fruit. It’s usually extracted from sugar cane or sugar beets. Sucrose is comprised of 50% glucose and 50% fructose. It contains 4g of carbohydrates per teaspoon.

52. Syrup: A sweet liquid that is made when sugar is dissolved in boiling water. It has a consistency that is similar to molasses. There are many different forms of syrup such as simple syrup, flavored syrup, and gomme syrup. Contains 7 grams of carbohydrates per tablespoon.

53. Treacle: What the British call molasses. It’s made from the syrup that’s leftover when cane sugar is refined into table sugar. Contains 15 grams of carbohydrates per tablespoon.  

54. Tapioca syrup: A natural liquid sweetener that is made from tapioca starch. It’s a clear syrup that is often used as an alternative to sucrose. Contains 17 grams of carbohydrates per tablespoon.

55. Turbinado sugar: A minimally refined raw cane sugar. It resembles brown sugar but has a delicate caramel flavor. Turbinado sugar is typically used to sweeten beverages and in baking. Contains 4 grams of carbohydrates per teaspoon.

56. Yellow sugar: A light brown sugar with less molasses added to it than the typical darker varieties. It is typically added to enhance the flavor of glazes, oatmeal cookies, and butterscotch. Contains 14 grams of carbohydrates per tablespoon.

Nicole Pajer

Nicole Pajer is a freelance writer and reporter based in Los Angeles. her work has appeared in The New York Times, Rolling Stone, Woman’s Day, United Hemispheres Magazine, Men’s Journal, Billboard, Emmy Magazine, The Boston Globe, Playboy, The Red Bulletin, Green Builder Magazine, Cesar’s Way, Mental Floss, The Hollywood Reporter, The LA Times, Whole Life Times, and more. In addition, she covers Hollywood red carpet happenings, including all the major awards shows like the Oscars, Grammys, Emmys, and Golden Globes, for outlets such as Us Weekly, VH1, Grammy.com, Yahoo, and TV Guide. She also serves as an on camera correspondent at television and film junkets for MTV News, having interviewed everyone from George Clooney to Ringo Starr, Leonardo DiCaprio, Tom Cruise, Madonna, and Jennifer Aniston.