<P> Sugar is the generic name for sweet - tasting , soluble carbohydrates , many of which are used in food . There are various types of sugar derived from different sources . Simple sugars are called monosaccharides and include glucose ( also known as dextrose ) , fructose , and galactose . The `` table sugar '' or `` granulated sugar '' most customarily used as food is sucrose , a disaccharide of glucose and fructose . Sugar is used in prepared foods ( e.g. , cookies and cakes ) and it is added to some foods and beverages ( e.g. , coffee and tea ) . In the body , sucrose is hydrolysed into the simple sugars fructose and glucose . Other disaccharides include maltose from malted grain , and lactose from milk . Longer chains of sugars are called oligosaccharides or polysaccharides . Some other chemical substances , such as glycerol and sugar alcohols may also have a sweet taste , but are not classified as sugars . Diet food substitutes for sugar include aspartame and sucralose , a chlorinated derivative of sucrose . </P>
<P> Sugar is the generic name for sweet - tasting , soluble carbohydrates , many of which are used in food . There are various types of sugar derived from different sources . Simple sugars are called monosaccharides and include glucose ( also known as dextrose ) , fructose , and galactose . The `` table sugar '' or `` granulated sugar '' most customarily used as food is sucrose , a disaccharide of glucose and fructose . Sugar is used in prepared foods ( e.g. , cookies and cakes ) and it is added to some foods and beverages ( e.g. , coffee and tea ) . In the body , sucrose is hydrolysed into the simple sugars fructose and glucose . Other disaccharides include maltose from malted grain , and lactose from milk . Longer chains of sugars are called oligosaccharides or polysaccharides . Some other chemical substances , such as glycerol and sugar alcohols may also have a sweet taste , but are not classified as sugars . Diet food substitutes for sugar include aspartame and sucralose , a chlorinated derivative of sucrose . </P>
sweetened foods often contain simple and are known as
sweetened foods often contain simple and are known as
monosaccharides
monosaccharides