Diabetes Monitor - Glucose And Sugar

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Publication Date: 4/25/2005

Remember that the information presented here is not intended to replace the care of your own doctor. Before making any changes in the management of your own illness, you should consult your physician or other qualified medical professionals.

Question

How many tablespoonsful of glucose equal one tablespoonful of normal sugar as a sweetening agent?

Answers

With regards to sweetness of sugars:

Fructose is about 1.2 to 1.8 times as sweet as table sugar (sucrose).

Glucose is about 0.7 to 0.8 times as sweet as table sugar (sucrose).

Please note that sugary foods often termed "empty calorie" foods are those that do not contain much nutritional value but contain calories and often times fat. Empty calorie foods include cookies, cakes, ice cream, etc. Everyone should limit empty calorie foods, not just those with diabetes or pre-diabetes.

Milk, yogurt, and whole fruits are high in simple sugars but do contain vitamins and minerals. These foods generally should be incorporated in the diet unless otherwise directed by your healthcare team. Portion sizes should be noted.

As far as caloric content, 1 gram of any sugar = 1 gram of carbohydrate = 4 calories. Table sugar, the white granulated type, is known as sucrose. Other sugars you might encounter include dextrose, fructose, glucose, lactose, and maltose.