By chemical nature, sucrose is History of sugar

Scientists have proven that sucrose is an integral part of all plants. The substance is found in large quantities in sugar cane and sugar beets. The role of this product is quite large in the diet of every person.

Sucrose belongs to the group of disaccharides (included in the class of oligosaccharides). Under the action of its enzyme or acid, sucrose breaks down into fructose (fruit sugar) and glucose, of which most polysaccharides are composed.

In other words, sucrose molecules are made up of D-glucose and D-fructose residues.

The main available product, which serves as the main source of sucrose, is ordinary sugar, which is sold in any grocery store. The science of chemistry denotes a sucrose molecule, which is an isomer, as follows - C 12 H 22 O 11.

Interaction of sucrose with water (hydrolysis)

C 12 H 22 O 11 + H 2 O → C 6 H 12 O 6 + C 6 H 12 O 6

Sucrose is considered the most important of the disaccharides. From the equation, it can be seen that the hydrolysis of sucrose leads to the formation of fructose and glucose.

The molecular formulas of these elements are the same, but the structural formulas are completely different.

Fructose - CH 2 - CH - CH - CH -C - CH 2.

Glucose - CH 2 (OH) - (CHOH) 4 - SON.

Sucrose and its physical properties

Sucrose is a sweet colorless crystals, highly soluble in water. The melting point of sucrose is 160 °C. When the molten sucrose solidifies, an amorphous transparent mass is formed - caramel.

Properties of sucrose:

  1. It is the most important disaccharide.
  2. Does not apply to aldehydes.
  3. When heated with Ag 2 O (ammonia solution) does not give the effect of "silver mirror".
  4. When heated with Cu(OH) 2 (copper hydroxide), red copper oxide does not appear.
  5. If you boil a solution of sucrose with a few drops of hydrochloric or sulfuric acid, then neutralize it with any alkali, then heat the resulting solution with Cu (OH) 2, you can observe a red precipitate.

Compound

The composition of sucrose, as you know, includes fructose and glucose, more precisely, their residues. Both of these elements are closely related. Among the isomers having the molecular formula C 12 H 22 O 11, the following should be distinguished:

  • milk sugar ();
  • malt sugar (maltose).

Foods containing sucrose

  • Irga.
  • Medlar.
  • Grenades.
  • Grape.
  • Dried figs.
  • Raisins (kishmish).
  • Persimmon.
  • Prunes.
  • Pastila apple.
  • Sweet straw.
  • Dates.
  • Gingerbread.
  • Marmalade.
  • Bee honey.

How sucrose affects the human body

Important! The substance provides the human body with a full supply of energy, which is necessary for the functioning of all organs and systems.

Sucrose stimulates the protective functions of the liver, improves brain activity, protects a person from exposure to toxic substances.

It supports the activity of nerve cells and striated muscles.

For this reason, the element is considered the most important among those found in almost all foods.

If the human body is deficient in sucrose, the following symptoms can be observed:

  • prostration;
  • lack of energy;
  • apathy;
  • irritability;
  • depression.

Moreover, the state of health can gradually deteriorate, so you need to normalize the amount of sucrose in the body in time.

High levels of sucrose are also very dangerous:

  1. itching of the genitals;
  2. candidiasis;
  3. inflammatory processes in the oral cavity;
  4. periodontal disease;
  5. overweight;
  6. caries.

If the human brain is overloaded with active mental activity or the body has been exposed to toxic substances, the need for sucrose increases dramatically. Conversely, this need is reduced if a person is overweight or suffers from diabetes.

How glucose and fructose affect the human body

As a result of the hydrolysis of sucrose, glucose and fructose are formed. What are the main characteristics of both of these substances, and how do they affect human life?

Fructose is a type of sugar molecule found in high amounts in fresh fruits, giving them their sweetness. In this regard, it can be assumed that fructose is very useful, since it is a natural component. Fructose, which has a low glycemic index, does not increase blood sugar levels.

The product itself is very sweet, but it is included in the composition of fruits known to man only in small quantities. Therefore, only a minimal amount of sugar enters the body, and it is instantly processed.

However, large amounts of fructose should not be introduced into the diet. Its unreasonable use can provoke:

  • fatty liver;
  • scarring of the liver - cirrhosis;
  • obesity;
  • heart diseases;
  • diabetes;
  • gout;
  • premature aging of the skin.

The researchers concluded that, unlike glucose, fructose causes signs of aging much faster. Talking about its substitutes in this regard does not make sense at all.

Based on the foregoing, we can conclude that eating fruits in reasonable amounts for the human body is very useful, since they contain a minimum amount of fructose.

Like fructose, glucose is a type of sugar and the most common form of carbohydrate. The product is obtained from starches. Glucose provides the human body, in particular its brain, with a supply of energy for quite a long time, but significantly increases the concentration of sugar in the blood.

Note! With regular consumption of highly processed foods or simple starches (white flour, white rice), blood sugar will rise significantly.

Problems:

  • diabetes;
  • non-healing wounds and ulcers;
  • high levels of lipids in the blood;
  • damage nervous systems s;
  • kidney failure;
  • overweight;
  • ischemic heart disease, stroke, heart attack.

Chemical properties of sucrose

In a solution of sucrose, there is no opening of cycles, so it does not have the properties of aldehydes.

1) Hydrolysis (in an acidic environment):

C 12 H 22 O 11 + H 2 O → C 6 H 12 O 6 + C 6 H 12 O 6.

sucrose glucose fructose

2) Being a polyhydric alcohol, sucrose gives a blue color to the solution when reacted with Cu(OH) 2 .

3) Interaction with calcium hydroxide to form calcium sucrose.

4) Sucrose does not react with an ammonia solution of silver oxide, therefore it is called a non-reducing disaccharide.

Polysaccharides.

Polysaccharides- high-molecular non-sugar-like carbohydrates containing from ten to hundreds of thousands of monosaccharide residues (usually hexoses) linked by glycosidic bonds.

The most important polysaccharides are starch and cellulose (fiber). They are built from glucose residues. The general formula of these polysaccharides is (C 6 H 10 O 5) n. Glycosidic (at C 1 -atom) and alcohol (at C 4 -atom) hydroxyls usually take part in the formation of polysaccharide molecules, i.e. a (1–4)-glycosidic bond is formed.

From the point of view of general structural principles, polysaccharides can be divided into two groups, namely: homopolysaccharides, consisting of only one type of monosaccharide units, and heteropolysaccharides, which are characterized by the presence of two or more types of monomer units.

In terms of functional purpose, polysaccharides can also be divided into two groups: structural and reserve polysaccharides. Important structural polysaccharides are cellulose and chitin (in plants and animals, as well as in fungi, respectively), and the main reserve polysaccharides are glycogen and starch (in animals, as well as in fungi, and plants, respectively). Only homopolysaccharides will be considered here.

Cellulose (fiber)- the most widespread structural polysaccharide of the plant world.

The main component of the plant cell is synthesized in plants (up to 60% cellulose in wood). Cellulose has great mechanical strength and acts as a supporting material for plants. Wood contains 50-70% cellulose, cotton is almost pure cellulose.

Pure cellulose is a white fibrous substance, tasteless and odorless, insoluble in water and other solvents.

Cellulose molecules have a linear structure and a large molecular weight, they consist only of unbranched molecules in the form of filaments, because the shape of β-glucose residues excludes spiralization. Cellulose consists of filamentous molecules, which are assembled into bundles by hydrogen bonds of hydroxyl groups within the chain, as well as between adjacent chains. It is this chain packing that provides high mechanical strength, fiber content, water insolubility, and chemical inertness, which makes cellulose an ideal material for building cell walls.

Cellulose consists of α,D-glucopyranose residues in their β-pyranose form, i.e., in the cellulose molecule, β-glucopyranose monomeric units are linearly connected to each other by β-1,4-glucosidic bonds:

With partial hydrolysis of cellulose, the disaccharide cellobiose is formed, and with complete hydrolysis, D-glucose. The molecular weight of cellulose is 1,000,000-2,000,000. Fiber is not digested by enzymes. gastrointestinal tract, since the set of these enzymes of the human gastrointestinal tract does not contain β-glucosidase. However, it is known that the presence of optimal amounts of fiber in food contributes to the formation of feces. With the complete exclusion of fiber from food, the formation of fecal masses is disrupted.

Starch- a polymer of the same composition as cellulose, but with an elementary link, which is an α-glucose residue:

Starch molecules are coiled, most of the molecules are branched. The molecular weight of starch is less than the molecular weight of cellulose.

Starch is an amorphous substance, a white powder consisting of small grains, insoluble in cold water, but partially soluble in hot water.

Starch is a mixture of two homopolysaccharides: linear - amylose and branched - amylopectin, the general formula of which is (C 6 H 10 O 5) n.

When starch is treated with warm water, it is possible to isolate two fractions: a fraction that is soluble in warm water and consists of amylose polysaccharide, and a fraction that only swells in warm water with the formation of a paste and consists of amylopectin polysaccharide.

Amylose has a linear structure, α, D-glucopyranose residues are linked by (1–4)-glycosidic bonds. The elemental cell of amylose (and starch in general) is represented as follows:

The amylopectin molecule is built in a similar way, but has branching in the chain, which creates a spatial structure. At branch points, monosaccharide residues are linked by (1–6)-glycosidic bonds. Between the branch points are usually 20-25 glucose residues.

(amylopectin)

As a rule, the content of amylose in starch is 10-30%, amylopectin - 70-90%. Starch polysaccharides are built from glucose residues connected in amylose and in the linear chains of amylopectin by α-1,4-glucosidic bonds, and at the branch points of amylopectin by interchain α-1,6-glucosidic bonds.

In an amylose molecule, on average, about 1000 glucose residues are bound; individual linear sections of the amylopectin molecule consist of 20-30 such units.

In water, amylose does not give a true solution. The amylose chain in water forms hydrated micelles. In solution, when iodine is added, amylose turns blue. Amylopectin also gives micellar solutions, but the shape of the micelles is somewhat different. The polysaccharide amylopectin stains red-violet with iodine.

Starch has a molecular weight of 10 6 -10 7 . With partial acid hydrolysis of starch, polysaccharides of a lower degree of polymerization are formed - dextrins, with complete hydrolysis - glucose. Starch is the most important dietary carbohydrate for humans. Starch is formed in plants during photosynthesis and is deposited as a "reserve" carbohydrate in roots, tubers and seeds. For example, grains of rice, wheat, rye and other cereals contain 60-80% starch, potato tubers - 15-20%. A related role in the animal world is played by the polysaccharide glycogen, which is "stored" mainly in the liver.

Glycogen- the main reserve polysaccharide of higher animals and humans, built from α-D-glucose residues. The empirical formula of glycogen, like starch (C 6 H 10 O 5) n. Glycogen is found in almost all organs and tissues of animals and humans; Most of it is found in the liver and muscles. The molecular weight of glycogen is 10 7 -10 9 and above. Its molecule is built from branching polyglucosidic chains in which glucose residues are connected by α-1,4-glucosidic bonds. There are α-1,6-glucosidic bonds at the branch points. Glycogen is similar in structure to amylopectin.

In the glycogen molecule, internal branches are distinguished - sections of polyglucoside chains between branch points, and external branches - sections from the peripheral branch point to the non-reducing end of the chain. During hydrolysis, glycogen, like starch, is broken down to form first dextrins, then maltose, and finally glucose.

Chitin- structural polysaccharide of lower plants, especially fungi, as well as invertebrates (mainly arthropods). Chitin consists of 2-acetamido-2-deoxy-D-glucose residues linked by β-1,4-glucosidic bonds.

The usual sweet sugar used in everyday life is called sucrose. It is an oligosaccharide belonging to the group of disaccharides. The formula for sucrose is C 12 H 22 O 11.

Structure

The molecule contains residues of two cyclic monosaccharides - α-glucose and β-fructose. The structural formula of a substance consists of the cyclic formulas of fructose and glucose connected by an oxygen atom. The structural units are linked together by a glycosidic bond formed between two hydroxyls.

Rice. 1. Structural formula.

Sucrose molecules form a molecular crystal lattice.

Receipt

Sucrose is the most common carbohydrate in nature. The compound is found in fruits, berries, plant leaves. A large number of the finished substance is found in beets and sugar cane. Therefore, sucrose is not synthesized, but isolated by physical action, digestion and purification.

Rice. 2. Sugarcane.

Beets or sugarcane are finely grated and placed in large pots of hot water. The sucrose is washed out, forming a sugar solution. It contains various impurities - coloring pigments, proteins, acids. To separate sucrose, calcium hydroxide Ca(OH) 2 is added to the solution. As a result, a precipitate and calcium saccharate C 12 H 22 O 11 · CaO · 2H 2 O are formed, through which carbon dioxide (carbon dioxide) is passed. Calcium carbonate precipitates, and the remaining solution is evaporated until sugar crystals form.

Physical properties

The main physical characteristics of the substance:

  • molecular weight - 342 g/mol;
  • density - 1.6 g / cm 3;
  • melting point - 186°C.

Rice. 3. Sugar crystals.

If the molten substance continues to be heated, sucrose will begin to decompose with a color change. When molten sucrose solidifies, caramel is formed - an amorphous transparent substance. In 100 ml of water, under normal conditions, 211.5 g of sugar can be dissolved, at 0 ° C - 176 g, at 100 ° C - 487 g. In 100 ml of ethanol, under normal conditions, only 0.9 g of sugar can be dissolved.

Getting into the intestines of animals and humans, sucrose under the action of enzymes quickly breaks down into monosaccharides.

Chemical properties

Unlike glucose, sucrose does not exhibit the properties of an aldehyde due to the absence of an aldehyde group -CHO. Therefore, the qualitative reaction of the "silver mirror" (interaction with the ammonia solution of Ag 2 O) does not occur. When oxidized with copper (II) hydroxide, not red copper (I) oxide is formed, but a bright blue solution.

The main chemical properties are described in the table.

Sucrose is not able to oxidize (it is not a reducing agent in reactions) and is called non-reducing sugar.

Application

Pure sugar is used in the food industry for the manufacture of artificial honey, sweets, confectionery, and alcohol. Sucrose is used to obtain various substances: citric acid, glycerin, butanol.

In medicine, sucrose is used to make potions and powders to hide unpleasant tastes.

What have we learned?

Sucrose or sugar is a disaccharide consisting of glucose and fructose residues. It has a sweet taste and dissolves easily in water. The substance is isolated from beets and sugar cane. Sucrose is less active than glucose. It undergoes hydrolysis, reacts with copper (II) hydroxide, forming copper saccharate, does not oxidize. Sugar is used in food, chemical industry, medicine.

Topic quiz

Report Evaluation

Average rating: 4.3. Total ratings received: 29.

1. It is a colorless crystals of sweet taste, highly soluble in water.

2. The melting point of sucrose is 160 °C.

3. When molten sucrose solidifies, an amorphous transparent mass is formed - caramel.

4. Contained in many plants: birch sap, maple, carrots, melons, as well as sugar beet and sugar cane.

Structure and chemical properties.

1. The molecular formula of sucrose is C 12 H 22 O 11.

2. Sucrose has a more complex structure than glucose.

3. The presence of hydroxyl groups in the sucrose molecule is easily confirmed by the reaction with metal hydroxides.

If a solution of sucrose is added to copper (II) hydroxide, a bright blue solution of copper sucrose is formed.

4. There is no aldehyde group in sucrose: when heated with an ammonia solution of silver (I) oxide, it does not give a “silver mirror”, when heated with copper (II) hydroxide, it does not form red copper (I) oxide.

5. Sucrose, unlike glucose, is not an aldehyde.

6. Sucrose is the most important of the disaccharides.

7. It is obtained from sugar beet (it contains up to 28% of sucrose from dry matter) or from sugar cane.

Reaction of sucrose with water.

If you boil a solution of sucrose with a few drops of hydrochloric or sulfuric acid and neutralize the acid with alkali, and then heat the solution with copper (II) hydroxide, a red precipitate will form.

When boiling a sucrose solution, molecules with aldehyde groups appear, which reduce copper (II) hydroxide to copper (I) oxide. This reaction shows that sucrose undergoes hydrolysis under the catalytic action of the acid, resulting in the formation of glucose and fructose:

C 12 H 22 O 11 + H 2 O → C 6 H 12 O 6 + C 6 H 12 O 6.

6. The sucrose molecule consists of glucose and fructose residues connected to each other.

Among the isomers of sucrose having the molecular formula C 12 H 22 O 11, maltose and lactose can be distinguished.

Features of maltose:

1) maltose is obtained from starch under the action of malt;

2) it is also called malt sugar;

3) upon hydrolysis, it forms glucose:

C 12 H 22 O 11 (maltose) + H 2 O → 2C 6 H 12 O 6 (glucose).

Features of lactose: 1) lactose (milk sugar) is found in milk; 2) it has a high nutritional value; 3) upon hydrolysis, lactose decomposes into glucose and galactose, an isomer of glucose and fructose, which is an important feature.

66. Starch and its structure

Physical properties and presence in nature.

1. Starch is a white powder, insoluble in water.

2. In hot water, it swells and forms a colloidal solution - a paste.

3. Being a product of the assimilation of carbon monoxide (IV) by green (containing chlorophyll) plant cells, starch is common in the plant world.

4. Potato tubers contain about 20% starch, wheat and corn grains - about 70%, rice - about 80%.

5. Starch is one of the most important nutrients for humans.

The structure of starch.

1. Starch (C 6 H 10 O 5) n is a natural polymer.

2. It is formed as a result of the photosynthetic activity of plants when absorbing the energy of solar radiation.

3. First out carbon dioxide and water, as a result of a number of processes, glucose is synthesized, which in general can be expressed by the equation: 6СO 2 + 6Н 2 О = С 6 Н 12 O 6 + 6O 2.

5. Starch macromolecules are not the same in size: a) they include a different number of C 6 H 10 O 5 units - from several hundred to several thousand, while their molecular weight is not the same; b) they also differ in structure: along with linear molecules with a molecular weight of several hundred thousand, there are branched molecules with a molecular weight of several million.

Chemical properties of starch.

1. One of the properties of starch is the ability to give a blue color when interacting with iodine. This color is easy to observe if you place a drop of iodine solution on a slice of potato or a slice of white bread and heat the starch paste with copper (II) hydroxide, the formation of copper (I) oxide will be visible.

2. If you boil the starch paste with a small amount of sulfuric acid, neutralize the solution and react with copper (II) hydroxide, a characteristic precipitate of copper (I) oxide forms. That is, when heated with water in the presence of an acid, starch undergoes hydrolysis, and a substance is formed that reduces copper (II) hydroxide to copper (I) oxide.

3. The process of splitting starch macromolecules with water is gradual. First, intermediate products with a lower molecular weight than starch are formed - dextrins, then the sucrose isomer - maltose, the end product of hydrolysis is glucose.

4. The reaction of the conversion of starch into glucose under the catalytic action of sulfuric acid was discovered in 1811 by a Russian scientist K. Kirchhoff. The method he developed for obtaining glucose is still used today.

5. Starch macromolecules consist of residues of cyclic L-glucose molecules.

Sucrose is an organic substance, or rather a carbohydrate, or disaccharide, which consists of the residual parts of glucose and fructose. It is formed in the process of splitting off water molecules from high-grade sugars.

The chemical properties of sucrose are very diverse. As we all know, it is soluble in water (due to this, we can drink sweet tea and coffee), as well as in two types of alcohols - methanol and ethanol. But at the same time, the substance completely retains its structure when exposed to diethyl ether. If sucrose is heated more than 160 degrees, then it turns into ordinary caramel. However, with a sharp cooling or strong exposure to light, the substance may begin to glow.

In reaction with copper hydroxide solution, sucrose gives a bright blue color. This reaction is widely used in various factories to isolate and purify the "sweet" substance.

If an aqueous solution containing sucrose in its composition is heated and acted upon by certain enzymes or strong acids, this will lead to the hydrolysis of the substance. As a result of this reaction, a mixture consisting of fructose and glucose is obtained, which is called "inert sugar". This mixture is used to sweeten various products to obtain artificial honey, to produce caramel molasses and polyhydric alcohols.

The exchange of sucrose in the body

Sucrose in unchanged form cannot be fully absorbed in our body. Its digestion begins in the oral cavity with the help of amylase, an enzyme that is responsible for the breakdown of monosaccharides.

Hydrolysis occurs first. Then it enters the stomach, then into the small intestine, where, in fact, the main stage of digestion begins. The enzyme sucrase catalyzes the breakdown of our disaccharide into glucose and fructose. Further, the pancreatic hormone insulin, which is responsible for maintaining normal blood sugar levels, activates special carrier proteins.

These proteins transport the hydrolyzed monosaccharides to enterocytes (the cells that make up the wall of the small intestine) by facilitated diffusion. Another type of transport is also distinguished - active, due to which glucose also penetrates into the intestinal mucosa due to the difference with the concentration of sodium ions. Interestingly, the mode of transport depends on the amount of glucose. If there is a lot of it, then the mechanism of facilitated diffusion prevails, if it is small, then active transport.

After being absorbed into the blood, our main "sweet" substance is divided into two parts. One of them enters the portal vein and then to the liver, where it is stored in the form of glycogen, and the second is absorbed by the tissues of other organs. In their cells, a process called “anaerobic glycolysis” takes place with glucose, as a result of which molecules of lactic acid and adenosine triphosphate (ATP) are released. ATP is the main source of energy for all metabolic and energy-consuming processes in the body, and lactic acid, when it is in excess, can accumulate in the muscles, which causes pain.

This is most often observed after enhanced physical training due to increased glucose consumption.

Functions and norms of consumption of sucrose

Sucrose is a compound without which the existence of the human body is impossible.

The compound participates both in reactions providing energy and chemical exchange.

Sucrose ensures the normal course of many processes.

For example:

  • Maintains normal blood cells;
  • Provides vital activity and work of nerve cells and muscle fibers;
  • Participates in the storage of glycogen - a kind of glucose depot;
  • Stimulates brain activity;
  • Improves memory;
  • Ensures the normal condition of the skin and hair.

With all of the above beneficial properties, you need to use sugar correctly and in small quantities. Naturally, sugary drinks, sodas, various pastries, fruits and berries are also taken into account, because they also contain glucose. There are certain norms for the use of sugar per day.

For children aged one to three years, no more than 15 grams of glucose is recommended, for older children under 6 years old - no more than 25 grams, and for a full-fledged organism, the daily dose should not exceed 40 grams. 1 teaspoon of sugar contains 5 grams of sucrose, which is equivalent to 20 kilocalories.

With a lack of glucose in the body (hypoglycemia), the following symptoms occur:

  1. frequent and prolonged depression;
  2. apathetic states;
  3. increased irritability;
  4. pre-fainting and dizziness;
  5. migraine-type headaches;
  6. a person gets tired quickly;
  7. mental activity becomes inhibited;
  8. hair loss is observed;
  9. depletion of nerve cells.

It should be remembered that the need for glucose is not always the same. It increases with intensive intellectual work, since more energy is required to ensure the functioning of nerve cells, and with intoxications of various origins, because sucrose is a barrier that protects liver cells with sulfuric and glucuronic acids.

Negative effect of sucrose

Sucrose, decomposing into glucose and fructose, also forms free radicals, the action of which prevents protective antibodies from carrying out their functions.

An excess of free radicals reduces the protective properties immune system.

Molecular ions depress the immune system, which increases susceptibility to any infections.

Here is an approximate list of the negative effects of sucrose and their characteristics:

  • Violation of mineral metabolism.
  • Decreased enzyme activity.
  • The amount of necessary trace elements and vitamins decreases in the body, which can lead to the development of myocardial infarction, sclerosis, vascular disease, and thrombosis.
  • Increased susceptibility to infections.
  • Acidification of the body occurs and, as a result, acidosis develops.
  • Calcium and magnesium are not absorbed in sufficient quantities.
  • The acidity of gastric juice increases, which can lead to gastritis and peptic ulcer.
  • With existing diseases of the gastrointestinal tract and lungs, their exacerbation may occur.
  • The risk of developing obesity, helminthic invasions, hemorrhoids, emphysema increases (emphysema is a decrease in the elastic capacity of the lungs).
  • In children, the amount of adrenaline increases.
  • High risk of developing coronary heart disease and osteoporosis.
  • Cases of caries and periodontal disease are very frequent.
  • Children become lethargic and sleepy.
  • Systolic blood pressure rises.
  • Due to the deposition of uric acid salts, gout attacks can disturb.
  • Contributes to the development of food allergies.
  • Depletion of work (islets of Langerhans), as a result of which the production of insulin is disrupted and conditions such as impaired glucose tolerance and diabetes mellitus may occur.
  • Toxicosis of pregnant women.
  • Due to changes in the structure of collagen, early gray hair breaks through.
  • Skin, hair and nails lose their luster, strength and elasticity.

To minimize the negative impact of sucrose on your body, you can switch to the use of sweeteners, such as Sorbitol, Stevia, Saccharin, Cyclamate, Aspartame, Mannitol.

It is best to use natural sweeteners, but in moderation, as their excess can lead to the development of profuse diarrhea.

Where is sugar found and how is it obtained?

Sucrose is found in foods such as honey, grapes, prunes, dates, shadberry, marmalade, raisins, pomegranate, gingerbread, apple marshmallow, figs, medlar, mango, corn.

The procedure for obtaining sucrose is carried out according to a certain scheme. It is obtained from sugar beets. First, the beets are cleaned and very finely chopped in special machines. The resulting mass is laid out in diffusers, through which boiling water is subsequently passed. With this procedure, the main part of the sucrose is removed from the beets. Milk of lime (or calcium hydroxide) is added to the resulting solution. It contributes to the precipitation of various impurities, or rather, calcium saccharate.

For its complete and thorough precipitation, carbon dioxide is passed through. After all, the remaining solution is filtered and evaporated. As a result of this, a slightly yellowish sugar is released, since it contains dyes. To get rid of them, you need to dissolve sugar in water and pass it through activated charcoal. The result is again evaporated and real white sugar is obtained, which is subject to further crystallization.

Where is sucrose used?

Sucrose uses:

  1. Food industry - sucrose is used as a separate product for the diet of almost every person, it is added to many dishes, used as a preservative, to remove artificial honey;
  2. Biochemical activity - first of all, as a source of obtaining adenosine triphosphate, pyruvic and lactic acids in the process of anaerobic glycolysis, for fermentation (in the beer industry);
  3. Pharmacological production - as one of the components added to many powders when they are insufficient, in children's syrups, various kinds of medicines, tablets, dragees, vitamins.
  4. Cosmetology - for sugar depilation (sugaring);
  5. Production of household chemicals;
  6. Medical practice - as one of the plasma-substituting solutions, substances that relieve intoxication and provide parenteral nutrition (through a probe) in a very serious condition of patients. Sucrose is widely used if a patient develops