Sugar doesn't seem sweet to me. Unsweetened sugar, or why glucose rates are rising. Hollywood smile and good mood, goodbye

Have you noticed that sometimes sugar is much sweeter at a party? If so, this does not mean at all that "the vinegar is sweet at a party," it is just that there really are differences in sugar, and sugar and sugar are different. The hosts of the popular health program, the most important thing, Olga Budina and Sergey Agapkin, also drew attention to this. Today they decided to figure out why this is happening, and how to find and choose really sweet sugar in the store. Sergei promised to reveal a terrible secret, which both sellers and sugar producers are silent about.

1. Sugar is made according to two GOSTs:
a.) GOST 21-94 - sugar - sand. Allows the presence of various additives or ballast substances in its composition, making the sugar less sweet.
b.) GOST 22-94 - sugar - refined. Chemically pure sucrose, substance purified from impurities. It turns out that refined sugar can be in cubes, pressed, as we are used to seeing it, but it can also be in crumbly form.
That is why sugar made in accordance with GOST 22-94 is sweeter

2. On the shelves in stores and supermarkets increasingly began to appear cane sugar, a darker color. Often it is even positioned much more useful than usual sugar made from beets... But, according to Sergei, if the sugar is well refined, then there should be no difference at all between sucrose obtained from cane and beet. Therefore, do not overpay for advertising gimmicks.

3. When buying sugar, pay attention to its moisture content. It is important to understand that sugar is a very hygroscopic substance that can absorb large amounts of water. Therefore, buying powdered sugar will provide your tea with more sweetness in smaller portions. You can check the moisture content of sugar in a closed, prepackaged bag by turning the bag over and drawing an appropriate conclusion from the sugar grains remaining on the walls of the bag. Dry sugar will never stick to the wall.

4. The color of the sugar also affects its taste. If you buy refined sugar, then its color should be as white as possible. If its color changes from milky to darker, even grayish shades, then this sugar is poorly refined. However, many people find that slightly dark sugar is healthier because of its additives. However, in this case, there can be no question of the presence of vitamins, since at high temperatures they disappear, and other useful trace elements are contained in such meager quantities that they will not bring significant benefits to human health. Therefore, if the color of sugar is far from ideal white, then, according to Sergei Agapkin, it may contain substances that, on the contrary, are not safe for health.

Now you know what aspects you need to pay attention to when choosing this product, and you can choose and bring into your home the sweetest and safest sugar.

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Why is sugar sweet to varying degrees and salt salty? and got the best answer

Answer from ° N.S. ° [guru]
A person distinguishes between taste qualities - sweet and salty, which are rather well characterized by their typical substances: Quality Substance Threshold of perception, mol / g Sweet Sucrose Glucose Saccharin 0.010.080.000023 Salty NaClCaCl2 0.010.01 Sweet taste is associated mainly with natural carbohydrates such as sucrose and glucose, chloride sodium is salty, other salts are perceived as salty and bitter at the same time. There is no clear correlation between the chemical properties of a substance and its taste. For example, not only sugars, but also lead salts are sweet, and artificial sugar substitutes such as saccharin have the sweetest taste. Moreover, the perceived quality of a substance depends on its concentration. Table salt in low concentration appears sweet and becomes purely salty only when it is increased. The emotional components of gustatory sensations vary widely depending on the state of the organism. For example, a person who is deficient in salt finds the taste to be acceptable, even if its concentration in food is so high that a normal person would refuse to eat. The ability to discriminate tastes decreases with age. The consumption of biologically active substances such as caffeine and heavy smoking lead to the same. According to the mining method, rock salt, self-precipitating salt, evaporated salt and sea salt are distinguished. By the nature of the processing, salt is fine-crystalline, crushed, coarse and ground (fine powdery). Most often, ground salt gets on the table. It is not recommended to use such salt for pickles and marinades. For the preparation of products for future use, it is better to use either crushed salt or coarse salt. The fact is that salt is a good absorbent, and during storage, due to this phenomenon, some contamination of the product occurs. Salt of the finest grinding is more contaminated (absorption depends on the total surface of the substance) than salt in large crystals. In addition, it often happens that finely ground salt is iodized. And although the addition of iodine is very small, such salt is simply unsuitable for preparing food for future use. Iodine is chemically active and spoils the taste of products during prolonged storage. To check the amount of impurities in the salt, it is advisable to crystallize the salt from a saturated solution. If the salt contains a large amount of impurities, you will not be able to obtain large and transparent crystals. If the salt is clean enough, then transparent crystals will grow at the bottom of the dish when the water evaporates at room temperature. This method is good, but it is time consuming. Very often housewives restore salt by calcining it in a clean, dry frying pan. Salt is suitable for preservation if, during calcination, the crushed crystals stick together. After calcining, the salt should be coarser. Salt, obtained in different ways and in different places, initially has its own characteristic set of impurities, which also affects the "salinity" of the salt. So the salt of the Solikamsk deposit in solution seems to be less salty, since it still contains a certain amount of potassium chloride, despite the purification. The raw materials for sugar production are sugar beets and sugar cane. In Russia, the only raw material is sugar beet. At the same time, we process raw cane sugar. After multi-stage processing of sugar beet, the resulting granulated sugar is dissolved and sent to refining to remove impurities that give it a yellow color, a specific taste and smell. Ready, dried refined sugar must contain at least 99.9% sucrose, be white and free from extraneous taste and odor.

Answer from Vladimir Andreev[guru]
This is determined by the structure of the sugar molecule. For example, simple sugars are glucose and fructose. The trivial formula for both is C6H12O6, since they are isomers of each other. However, fructose contains a keto group, while glucose contains an aldehyde group. With such differences, fructose is sweeter than glucose. Even diabetics with not very high blood sugar are advised to drink tea with fructose, as less of it is required to obtain a sweet taste. The taste of different salts is determined by the combination of anions and cations. For example, NaCl (sodium chloride) is salty, and CaCl2 (calcium chloride) has a bitter taste.

Answer from Just Tatiana Sergeevna[guru]

Founder, mastermind of the Taste & Color project, an adherent of healthy eating and lifestyle

Even 50 years ago, the average Russian ate 15 kg of sugar a year, and today - more than 45. The number of oncology diseases (if there are cancer cells in the body, sugar contributes to their active growth), diabetes and obesity has increased proportionally.

It turns out that sugar reduces immunity by 17 times! The mechanism is simple: glucose replaces vitamin C in the body and cells saturated with it - phagocytes. But it is they, like a vacuum cleaner, that must absorb viruses, bacteria and other dangerous microorganisms that constantly attack a person. Glucose, getting into the body, simply prevents the life-saving cells from doing their job, slowing down their reaction by 75%.

More sweet - thicker butt

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It happens that the next morning after a hearty feast with cakes and other goodies, the stomach howls with hunger, despite the fact that the day before you have eaten more than one portion. On the "train" of sugar that got into the body yesterday, the pancreas threw out insulin - and the glucose level dropped sharply. This is how dependence on sweets is formed: the brain received a signal of an alarming situation and triggered a hunger signal to the endocrine system, demanding another portion of sweets. Each time, the previous portion will be small, and the unburned calories will be deposited as fat.

Hollywood smile and good mood, goodbye!

Diseases of tooth decay in people who love sweets are several times more common than in those who avoid it. Because glucose also interferes with the absorption of calcium. Those with a sweet tooth constantly experience a feeling of irritation, fatigue, and mood swings. It's all about the vitamin B group. To assimilate a large amount of sugar, the body "pumps" vitamin B from all organs and systems. A deficiency of vitamin B affects mental balance and worsens the condition of the heart muscle.

Sugar is the enemy of youth

And also from sugar we age, rapidly and irrevocably. It happens when glucose combines with proteins in the body to form a viscous fluid. In fact, these are toxins that envelop the cells and prevent them from performing the function intended by nature. First of all, such harmful glucose-protein compounds "attack" collagen, which is responsible for the elasticity and density of the skin, as well as for a clear oval of the face.

Sugar is a drug for happiness

Rumor has it that by 2020 they want to equate sugar with a soft drug. Scientists have proven that sweets are addictive akin to cocaine and heroin. An experiment was conducted with rats, when one animal was injected with the drug and the other was given sweets: both of them returned with the same constancy for the supplement.

Today, 75% of the products on the market contain sugar, it is even found in ketchup and sausage. It is added not only to stabilize the taste, but also to create the very dependence so that we buy the product. Sweets make us happy, because glucose makes us produce endorphins, dopamine and serotonin: if you eat a chocolate or two, you can move on. It is not so important for us that then there will be a glucose jump, which in turn will lead to a breakdown, eating another chocolate bar and closing the circle. Sports, love, travel, hand made - everything that gives us a feeling of happiness can be an excellent alternative to sweets.

Sugar, I'll replace you!

People who eat irregularly and improperly tend to be addicted to sweets. Not surprising: when the body lacks carbohydrates, we automatically make up for this lack with sweet. But if you start to eat well, eat vegetables, cereals, fruits, you won't even want to look at sweets. The main thing is to create the right diet, because we can get sugars naturally, for example from fruits.

To make sure that everything is in order with your body, take an analysis for glycated hemoglobin. Normally, it should be less than 5.7%. If your indicator is higher, the slagging of the body is already threatening your health. Therefore, it is imperative to monitor the diet! Remember that eating a hefty portion of vegetables is far healthier than low-fat yogurt, a glass of juice, and a bun. Train yourself to savor sweets - there is very little, for the sake of taste, and not for the sake of satisfying hunger. And to finally stop loving sweets, watch the movie "Sugar", filmed back in 2014. This is a 100% sugar addiction vaccine.

While you shouldn't cut sugar abruptly, it's best to do it gradually, replacing synthetic sugar with coconut or other natural sweeteners. And it is best to prepare desserts yourself - with natural ingredients. Then you can be one hundred percent sure that they will not harm your health (and figure).

Desserts without refined sugar can be a great alternative to common sweets. For example, oatmeal muffins with chocolate.

Recipe: Chocolate Oatmeal Cupcakes

Ingredients:

Coconut oil - 1-2 tablespoons spoons

Bananas - 3 pcs.

Liquid vanilla - ½ tsp

Almond flour - 50 g

Coconut flakes - 20 g

Large oatmeal - 75 g

Chopped oatmeal - 75 g

Chocolate veg chips - 70 g (can be substituted with cocoa powder)

Salt - 7 g

Sweetener to taste.

Preparation:

In a deep bowl, mix all the loose ingredients: coarse and chopped oatmeal, almond flour, chocolate chips and coconut, add a pinch of Himalayan salt. Then we send half a spoonful of liquid vanilla and bananas there - it is better to knead them with your hands. Mix the cake mix thoroughly with your hands to get an even dough. Add 1-2 tablespoons of coconut oil and any natural sweetener to it. Optionally, add cocoa powder to enhance the chocolate flavor. Grease the muffins with coconut oil and fill them with dough. Bake at 200 degrees for 20 minutes. A delicious dessert is ready!

I have repeatedly heard how they try to convince us that the sweetness of both types of sugar is the same, since the chemical formula is the same.

With the appearance on the Russian food market of sugar made from raw sugar, the opinion among buyers began to prevail that sugar from raw cane is less sweet than beet sugar. This opinion is erroneous and completely unfounded.

Commercial granulated sugar produced at sugar factories from raw cane and sugar beet meets the requirements of one State Standard. Both are products with the same content (not less than 99.75%) of the same chemical compound - sucrose.

One and the same chemical compound has quite definite physicochemical properties, regardless of origin. Therefore, solutions of cane and beet sugar of the same concentration, i.e. solutions of equal concentrations of sucrose cannot have different properties, in particular, different sweetness. So the sweetness of tea does not depend on the type of raw material from which the sugar is made, but on the number of spoons of sugar that you put in it.

Yellowish sugar is poorly refined, it is precisely this sugar that should be used in winemaking, and white sugar, due to the residual amount of cleaning agents, spoils the taste of wine. I read this recommendation in one special issue of the newspaper dedicated to home winemaking. But if sugar is cleaned with bones, then what can be harmful there is not clear.

Now is the time for fakes, maybe they mix something in sugar, unsweetened. Another option: if it is a piece sugar, then it can be with increased porosity - it looks the same size as usual, but it is less in weight, and such a piece should be put in twice as many. But when I put in my mouth just a little granulated sugar from a teaspoon, once cane, another beet sugar, then the latter definitely seems sweeter.

Another mystery for me, who would explain: recently they began to speak. that unrefined sugar is healthier than refined, but unrefined is more expensive, and several times more. This is what happens, they take an expensive uncleaned one, clean and clean it, while it becomes cheaper. How this can be, is not clear.

The website http://kachestvo.ru says: "They contain one continuous sucrose - an easily digestible carbohydrate. True, there is a slight difference in its level. Cane sugar contains a little less sucrose. That is why many people notice that cane sugar is not so sweet. " But I doubt it is because of this.

Here is a quote from Our Money magazine:

Sugar is the common name for sucrose and refers to water-soluble carbohydrates - valuable nutrients that provide the body with the energy it needs. Sucrose for a product called "sugar" is derived from the juice of sugar beet and sugar cane. Is beet sugar different from cane sugar? If we are talking about the usual white, and not about brown sugar, then no. The final product, as a result of technological operations, loses any taste differences.

In addition to sucrose, natural sugars also include fructose (found in fruits and honey), maltose (in sprouted grains, it is also called malt sugar), glucose (often called grape sugar, but it is found in honey, fruits and vegetables) and lactose ( milk sugar).

As a rule, sugar of two main types goes on sale: regular and refined. We used to call sugar in the form of cubes refined sugar, but granulated sugar can also be refined. Refined sugar is the designation of the highest purity product, superior in quality to ordinary sugar. In Russia, there are now two regulatory documents governing the requirements for product quality: GOST 21-94 for granulated sugar and GOST 22-94 for refined sugar.

Distinctive features of the product called "granulated sugar" - an increased content of impurities: dyes, minerals and other substances. Impurities cause the color of the sand and a lower degree of sweetness compared to refined sugar. A variety of granulated sugar is powdered sugar, these are crushed granulated sugar crystals no more than 0.2 mm in size.

Refined sugar, in contrast to sand, contains fewer impurities removed during refining. It is sweeter, although, to be honest, the difference is not dramatic. But the color of refined sugar differs from the color of granulated sugar - it is pure white, without impurities, a bluish tint is allowed.

According to the method of production, refined sugar is divided into pressed (cubes), refined granulated sugar and refined powder.

In our country, there is an opinion that cane sugar is less sweet than beet sugar. However, this opinion is erroneous and unfounded.

Granulated sugar produced at beet sugar factories, both from sugar beets and from raw cane sugar, in accordance with GOST 21-94 has almost the same composition and contains 99.75% sucrose, i.e. granulated sugar in both cases is practically pure sucrose. The latter has certain physical and chemical parameters. in particular the amount of sweetness. In accordance with the fact that cane and beet sugar contains the same amount of sucrose of the same sweetness, then naturally, the sweetness of both cane and beet sugar solutions of equal concentration will be the same.

The sweetness of crystalline granulated sugar, both beet and cane, in their sensory evaluation, depends on the size of the sugar crystals.

It is known that the perception of the taste of a substance is a process associated with the interaction of molecules that determine the taste of a substance with the corresponding receptor.

the human sensory system includes several types of taste buds located in separate parts of the tongue and responding to various substances that have four main types of taste: salty, sour, bitter and sweet. It is known that receptors that respond to sweet taste are found in mushroom-shaped outgrowths located in the front of the tongue. The receptor, made up of protein, attracts the reagent molecule, which facilitates a series of reactions that induce the sensation of taste.

Moreover, the more points of contact of a substance (product) with receptors, the stronger the taste sensation. It is clear that the finer the granulated sugar crystals, the more points of contact, the sweeter it seems. This is true for both beet and cane sugar.

If the granulometric composition (that is, the size of the crystals) of beet and cane granulated sugar is the same, then their sweetness will be the same.

Granulated sugar produced in beet sugar factories from raw cane sugar usually has larger crystals. This is due to the fact that massecuite I, from which granulated sugar is obtained, when processing raw sugar is boiled from cleaner solutions than when processing sugar beet. It is known that the purer the solution, the higher the crystallization rate, the faster the crystals grow. However, this is not required. Larger granulated sugar crystals can also be obtained when processing sugar beets.

The different sweetness of the prepared drinks, such as tea, can also be associated with the size of the granulated sugar crystals. This is due to the fact that the bulk density (weight) of granulated sugar with different crystal sizes is different. The finer the sugar crystals, the greater their bulk density. From this it follows that if, for example, three teaspoons of fine sugar are put in a glass of tea, then its amount will be greater, respectively, and the tea will be sweeter than with three similar tablespoons of coarse granulated sugar. Thus, the seemingly different sweetness of granulated sugar is due to the size of its crystals, not "origin".

Speaking about the sweetness of sugar, one should also keep in mind one more point, namely the presence of traces of caramelization products on the surface of the sugar crystals. The fact is that caramelized products have a bitter taste and reduce the sweetness of sugar. The presence of the latter is possible on crystals of both beet and cane sugar. Therefore, this factor cannot be decisive in the identification of sugar.

As for the quality of cane or beet sugar used in certain branches of the food industry as raw materials, it is associated with the presence of non-sugars in them, mainly substances that cause foaming and sediment formation. Moreover, the latter can be contained in both types of sugar. The answer to this question can be obtained on the basis of special studies, i.e. here the main role is played not by the type of granulated sugar, but by its quality.

It is almost impossible to distinguish cane (raw) granulated sugar from beet sugar in appearance. This can be done based on the identification of compounds inherent in only one of these sugars.

Sweet substances

(ranking by sweetness)