As sugar (and alternatives) become more popular, the supermarket shelves are filling up with an overwhelming number of choices. It can definitely feel confusing when trying to decide which ones to pick.
To help simplify things, we’ve compared 10 common sweeteners, looking at how they are made, their ingredients, cost, and nutritional value. Let’s break it down!
But First, What is this Sweet Stuff?
This is where things can get tricky. Sugar is sugar, right? Well, yes and no. While sugar is a carbohydrate that provides energy, different types of sugar behave differently in our bodies. The sugars we’re reviewing today contain various forms of sugar, but they all break down into glucose and/or fructose. These sugars vary in composition and how they affect us, so let’s take a closer look at the common sweeteners in your pantry.
Glucose and fructose are the main building blocks of sweeteners, and each impacts your body in unique ways. Some sweeteners, like honey and maple syrup, are natural, while others, such as refined sugars or agave syrup, undergo more processing.
Now, let’s explore how each type of sugar affects your body and their nutritional value.
Glucose
Glucose is absorbed in the small intestine through specific transporters. The number of these transporters depends on your daily glucose intake, which is why athletes often “train” their gut before events to ensure proper digestion. Your body can absorb around 60g of glucose per hour, but once transporters become saturated, absorption slows down.
Fructose
Fructose can exist as free fructose or as part of sucrose. After absorption in the small intestine, fructose travels to the liver for metabolism. This is where concerns, like fatty liver, arise. While moderate amounts of naturally occurring fructose are fine, large amounts of added sugars (fructose or sucrose) may warrant closer monitoring in your diet.
Interestingly, fructose is absorbed differently from glucose, making it a valuable addition to endurance events as part of the “multiple transportable carbohydrates” strategy. However, it metabolizes more slowly, which is why it has a lower glycaemic index (GI) than glucose.
COMMON SUGARS (and alternatives)
White
Refined from sugar cane.
Price is: $0.14c -$0.20c per 100g
Type: Sucrose – 50% fructose, 50% glucose
Content per 100g: 99.9g
GI rating: 65
Raw
Also refined from sugar cane, but with small amounts of molasses remaining.
Price is: $0.18c-$0.30c per 100g
Type: Sucrose – 50% fructose, 50% glucose
Content per 100g: 99.8g
GI rating: 65
Brown
Made similar to raw sugar (from sugar cane) with larger amounts of molasses remaining.
Price is: $0.30-$0.44 per 100g
Type: Sucrose – 50% fructose, 50% glucose
Content per 100g: 98g
GI rating: 65
LowGI Cane Sugar
Not just refined from sugar cane, instead of disregarding some of the goodness (minerals & polyphenols), it is extracted and sprayed over the sugar.
Price is: $0.44c per 100g
Type: Sucrose – 50% fructose, 50% glucose
Content per 100g: 99.4g
GI rating: 55
Coconut
Made from the fresh sap from the flower buds of the coconut palm (not from the coconut – who knew?!). The sap is collected, boiled, evaporated and concentrated.
Price is: $1.80 per 100g
Type: ~ 80% Sucrose (50% fructose, 50% glucose) + 10% Glucose + 10% Fructose
Content per 100g: 93g
GI rating: 54
Nutrition Notes: Despite the marketing hype, 100g of coconut sugar provides us with only about 20% of our daily potassium intake.
SYRUPS
Rice Malt Syrup
Made from the starch from brown rice, and then broken down into a liquid & filtered into syrup.
Price per 100g: $0.64c – $1.10
Ingredients: Brown rice
Type: Maltose, dextrin, and maltotriose (all broken down to glucose)
Content per 100g: 53g
GI rating: 98
Maple Syrup
Made using the sap from the maple tree, it is boiled and concentrated to form syrup.
Price per 100ml: $2.52 – $3.60
Ingredients: 100% Canadian Maple Syrup
Type: Sucrose – 50% fructose, 50% glucose
Content per 100g: 79g
GI rating: 54
Note: Be cautious of sweetened fake imposters – ensure you choose the real stuff!
Agave Syrup
Sap from the agave plant is filtered and reduced to make syrup.
Price per 100ml: $2.00
Ingredients: Agave
Type: 70-90% fructose, 10-30% glucose
Content per 100g: 75g
GI rating: 15 (Low due to high fructose content)
Honey
BeautifulBees transform flower nectar into honey for us to enjoy!
Price per 100g: $1.47 – $1.68
Ingredients: Honey
Type: 60% fructose, 40% glucose
Content per 100g: 82.5g
GI rating: 58
Medjool Dates
Sourced from the fruit of the palm tree (dates).
Price per 100g: $2.00
Ingredients: Medjool dates
Type: 50% fructose, 50% glucose
Content per 100g: 66g
GI rating: 50
Our Verdict: Sugar is sugar!
In the end, all sugars—whether they’re refined sugars or alternatives—contain similar amounts of sugar and calories. Even those touted for having additional nutrients offer only small amounts that won’t significantly impact your health unless consumed in excessive amounts.
So, instead of stressing about which one is the “best,” focus on choosing the sweetener that fits your recipe, taste preferences, and lifestyle. There’s no need to spend a fortune on alternatives if it doesn’t align with your goals.
Thanks for reading you sweet things! If choosing or including sugar (or sugary foods) causes stress or anxiety for you our team is here to help. We provide personalised, evidence-based support to guide you in making choices that align with your goals, while ensuring your relationship with food is prioritised and so is balance!
