Sweet, delicious, and extremely moreish, sugar is one of life’s simple pleasures. Sprinkled on strawberries, added to cakes, even delicately trimming your cocktail glass, this simple carbohydrate is equally enjoyed and dismissed in today’s world where it’s often linked to the rise in obesity.   

The 4 most common types of sugar include glucose, fructose, sucrose, and lactose.  Let’s look at these in more detail:

Glucose is a type of sugar that our bodies get from the food we consume. It is a key energy source for the body’s cells and is made by digesting carbohydrates. Most carbohydrates that we eat are converted by the body into glucose so it can use it as energy.

Fructose, also known as fruit sugar, is naturally found in fruit, honey, and most root vegetables.  It is commonly sourced from sugar beet and sugar cane.  It’s not all healthy though… fructose is also added to high-fructose corn syrup, made from corn starch, and often used generously as a component of unhealthy, processed foods.

Sucrose occurs naturally in plants as the end product of photosynthesis.  Also known as table or cane sugar, it’s a combination of glucose and fructose and is easily harvested from plants like sugar cane and sugar beet, where the syrup is extracted and refined.

Lactose is a component found in the milk of mammals, it is composed of glucose and galactose. Following a vegan diet, therefore, also means following a lactose-free diet. That might not be a bad thing. Experts estimate that up to 68% of the general population have lactose malabsorption which can lead to lactose intolerance later. Lactose intolerance causes digestive problems and hinders the absorption of calcium and Vitamin D. 

Different types of plant-based sugar have different levels of glucose, fructose, and sucrose.

How is sugar used in the kitchen?

When we think of adding sugar to food, it’s usually to make it sweeter but there are other uses for this versatile ingredient. Sugar can be used as a preservative (think jams and chutneys), it’s a key factor in fermentation, when added to ice cream and sorbets it actually lowers the freezing point, and it adds a golden brown color and incredible flavor when used to caramelize food.

Want to learn about baking delicious sweet vegan treats? Then you might want to check out our course “Vegan Pastry Essentials”. 

Is sugar vegan?  

One of the questions we get a lot is “is sugar vegan”?

While the short answer is yes, this isn’t always the case. Most often, the sugar we add to our recipes or cup of coffee is refined table sugar, extracted from sugar cane and beets. 

The methods used to process beet sugar and cane sugar can vary. In some countries, such as the US, bone char is sometimes used to whiten cane sugar. Bone char isn’t directly added to the sugar but as it is part of the process, vegans will often choose not to consume it.  

The good news is that beet sugar and coconut sugar are less processed and never contain bone char. Cane sugar is also suitable if it’s labeled as unrefined, organic, natural, or raw.  According to Peta, if the sugar is certified as organic by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, you can be sure that no bone char was used in the process.

5 vegan-friendly sugar alternatives

Looking for an alternative to sugar?

Here are some delicious plant-based sweeteners to pep up your dishes and sweeten your treats:

Brown rice syrup

As the name suggests, this plant-based sweetener is derived from brown rice.  It’s created when cooked brown rice is exposed to natural enzymes. This turns the rice’s starches into sugars and results in a thick, oozy liquid which is then boiled and reduced to a syrup. Half as sweet as sugar, rice syrup contains almost twice as many calories so is best used sparingly. The flavor of brown rice syrup is mild and slightly nutty. 

Maple syrup

This delicious amber liquid is made from the sap of maple trees.  A hole is drilled in the tree, the liquid sap drips into containers below and is then boiled until the thick, sweet syrup remains.  It has been used in Canada and North America for centuries and is famously added to pancakes. Unlike many other sweeteners, maple syrup contains natural minerals such as manganese and zinc and is a source of antioxidants. It has a slightly lower glycemic index than table sugar and makes a delicious alternative.  Use ¾ of a cup of maple syrup for each cup of table sugar.

Agave syrup

Extracted from various species of the agave plant, found in South America and Mexico, agave syrup contains around 56% fructose.  To produce agave syrup, the liquid is collected from the plants, heated, and concentrated or hydrolyzed.  High in fructose compared with sugar, agave does have a low GI (glycemic index) which makes it a popular choice for diabetics.  Agave syrup dissolves easily so is ideal for sweetening drinks and can be used effectively in baking, as a guide, use ¾ of a cup to substitute each cup of sugar.  

Date syrup

Also known as date nectar or date honey, this delicious sweetener is made from concentrated dates. It even dates back to biblical times. Water is added, the dates are then heated, blended, and strained. The added water is then evaporated leaving a sticky, gooey, red nectar, full of datey vitamins and minerals.  It contains higher levels of calcium and potassium than any other plant-based sugar alternative and makes an excellent alternative to table sugar. You would use about ⅔ of a cup of date syrup for each cup of sugar.  

Molasses

Molasses (or treacle) is produced from the juice of sugar cane or sugar beets which is then boiled to concentrate the sugar.  The first boiling process results in the thick, dark molasses liquid.  It makes a good substitute for maple syrup and its sweet, slightly smoky flavor makes it a popular addition to cakes and cookies. Use roughly 1⅓ cups of molasses for one cup of sugar.

As with all sugar alternatives, these are best consumed in moderation as part of a balanced and healthy diet.