A Background on Carbohydrates and Sugars

This article provides an overview of how carbohydrates and sugars are classified, common types that are found in foods, their impact on health and what the latest dietary guidance recommends about their consumption. Carbohydrates are one of the three basic macronutrients needed to sustain human life—the other two are fats and proteins. Carbohydrates encompass a broad range of fibers, starches and sugars. Foods that contain carbohydrates provide a variety of other important nutrients to the diet (such as vitamins, minerals, phytochemicals and antioxidants). Carbohydrates occur naturally in whole foods such as fruits, vegetables, grains and dairy products. Carbohydrates are in most packaged foods as well. Carbohydrate classification The basic building block of a carbohydrate is a simple union of the elements carbon, hydrogen and oxygen (CHO). The chemical definition of a carbohydrate is any compound containing these three elements which typically has twice as many hydrogen atoms as carbon and oxygen atoms (CH2O). Some types of carbohydrates may have more carbon atoms than oxygen atoms, but all carbohydrates will have twice as many hydrogen atoms as oxygen atoms (CxH2yOy). There are three classifications of carbohydrates: sugars (these include monosaccharides and disaccharides), oligosaccharides and polysaccharides. Saccharide originates from the Greek word for sugar, “sákkharon.” Mono-, di-, oligo- and poly- refer to the number of sugar units present in a carbohydrate. Sugars in foods When you hear the word “sugar,” you likely think of the white granulated version found in sugar bowls and tabletop packets. That type of sugar is called sucrose. But there are many other types of sugars, all of which scientists classify according to their chemical structures. Simple sugars are called monosaccharides; these are made up of single sugar molecules. The three main monosaccharides that we consume are fructose, galactose and glucose. These monosaccharides combine in various pairs to […]

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What Is Propylene Glycol, and What Does It Do in Our Food?

As you put away the flour from making pancakes, you glance into the pantry and notice a second box of that cake mix you used for your last Thanksgiving dinner. You remember how tasty the cake was, and how moist it stayed, even after a week. You may wonder, “How could cake made from a simple box mix maintain its texture so well?” And before you know it, you’re craving it again! You can thank the food ingredient known as propylene glycol for helping your cake stay moist and intact for so long. But what exactly is propylene glycol, and how did it get into your cake mix? What is propylene glycol? Propylene glycol is a synthetic liquid that is clear, colorless and tasteless. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) considers propylene glycol safe for a variety of uses, including for the absorption of extra water in our foods, in medication, and in cosmetics so that they maintain their moisture and preserve color and consistency. Propylene glycol also helps to dissolve ingredients that are added to products so that the product forms an ideal consistency. It’s also a safe food additive that exhibits low levels of toxicity within the body. What foods contain propylene glycol? Propylene glycol is approved for use in many processed and packaged foods, including: Considering all the foods that propylene glycol is added to, it’s also helpful to know that it functions in food as a humectant (pulling moisture toward it) and solvent (helping to dissolve one ingredient in another). Propylene glycol is also an anti-caking agent, antioxidant, dough strengthener, emulsifier, flavor agent, formulation aid, stabilizer and thickener, glazing agent, texturizer, and antimicrobial agent (helping to kill or slow the growth of microorganisms, like bacteria or fungi that may contaminate food). While this information may […]

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What Is Lactose?

There are many different types of sugars. Some are monosaccharides, which are single units of sugar and are often referred to as “simple” sugars. Other sugars are disaccharides, which are made of linked pairs of monosaccharides. The three main monosaccharides that we consume are fructose, galactose and glucose. They combine in various pairs to form the three disaccharides that are most important in human nutrition: lactose, maltose, and sucrose. Glucose is the common thread in each of these disaccharides: sucrose is composed of glucose and fructose, maltose is two linked glucose units, and lactose is glucose and galactose. Where does lactose come from? Lactose is sometimes referred to as “milk sugar” because it is only found naturally in the milk of mammals—including cows, goats and humans. Milk from cows and goats is used to make cheese and yogurt, but not all milk products contain the same amount of lactose. For example, hard cheeses such as cheddar, parmesan and Swiss contain very little or no lactose, whereas milk, ice cream and yogurt contain higher amounts of lactose. Hard cheeses are lower in lactose due to the removal of whey (a liquid solution of fat, lactose and protein) while they are being made as well as the continued breakdown of lactose by bacteria during the aging process. Is lactose a natural or added sugar? The sugar that we consume is often described as either natural sugar or added sugar. Like many other types of sugars, lactose can be considered both a natural sugar and an added sugar, depending on its source. Lactose is inherent to the milk of mammals and can also be isolated from this original source and crystallized for use as an ingredient in foods such as baked goods, caramels, frozen desserts, fudge, meat products, sauces and soups. The lactose […]

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What to Know About Sugars on the Nutrition Facts Label

In 2016, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) finalized its update of the iconic Nutrition Facts label, which made news headlines across America. However, these types of major policy changes take time to be fully implemented. While the majority of food and beverage manufacturers were required to use the new label by January 1, 2021, the FDA set a separate deadline of July 1, 2021, for makers of pure honey, pure maple syrup and other pure sugars and syrups, as well as dried cranberry and cranberry beverage products. Many people may now be familiar with the updated look and information on the new Nutrition Fact label, but some of the information can be difficult to understand at first glance. Below are tips that can help to correctly interpret food label information about sugar. Improving Total Comprehension of Added Sugars The new FDA Nutrition Facts label presents information about sugars in two ways that are different from the original label. First, the amount of sugar found in one serving of a product is now displayed as “Total Sugars.” This information was previously displayed on the original label as “Sugars.” Second, there is a new line on the label for added sugars information; this is the first new line to appear on the Nutrition Facts label since trans fat labeling became mandatory in 2006. This new line represents the amount of sugar that has been added to a food or beverage during manufacturing. The decision to include added sugars information on the new label was based in part, on the conclusions of the 2015—2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA) in a continued effort to help Americans eat more healthfully. The line for added sugars appears indented, directly below “Total Sugars.” Changing label terms from “Sugars” to “Total Sugars” may not seem […]

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Diversifying MyPlate Series: Q&A on Culturally Sensitive Approaches in Nutrition

“All foods fit” is a common approach to a healthy and balanced eating pattern. However, due to a lack of representation of diverse foods as examples of healthy eating, and a gap in culturally sensitive nutrition guidance, many can be left feeling like their foods don’t exactly fit. In the nutrition field, there is a growing awareness of the importance of addressing this; in fact, the recently updated 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans put an emphasis on meeting dietary recommendations while keeping cultural preferences in mind. We asked Registered Dietitians (RD) Nazima Qureshi, Carlie Saint-Laurent Beaucejour, Sarika Shah and Michelle Jaelin to share their expertise for culturally sensitive approaches to nutrition in our Diversifying MyPlate Series. This series highlights how healthy eating can take on many different forms outside of the typical Western diet; it also emphasizes how diets from other cultures can align with nutrition recommendations in resources such as USDA’s MyPlate. This Q&A concludes our series on diversifying MyPlate and offers advice for how registered dietitians can integrate culturally sensitive approaches into their own practices. Q: How do you define a culturally sensitive approach to nutrition and dietetics, and why is this important? How do you integrate this into the work that you do? Nazima Qureshi, RD: A culturally sensitive approach to nutrition and dietetics is one that includes the client’s food preferences, traditions, and current cultural context. It is important to incorporate an understanding of their culture in order to provide recommendations that are relevant and sustainable. Culture isn’t just limited to ethnicity but also includes a person’s family traditions, as well as their lived experience; understanding this makes nutrition recommendations more personalized. I integrate this approach into the work I do by asking a lot of questions in my initial nutrition assessment and tailoring recommendations to […]

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Cleaning Out Your Fridge for Safety

A little nudge to dig into the back of your refrigerator and remove condiments that have been sitting there a bit too long is often a welcomed reminder. November 15 is National Clean Out Your Fridge Day, and to celebrate, we’re sharing some tips on how to tackle this daunting task and other best practices linked to safe food handling. Not only will cleaning out your fridge give you more storage space, but it can help keep your personal food supply safer to eat and reduce your household waste. What You Should Throw Away Check Date Labels Before you purge any questionable packaged goods, there are a few things to remember about date labels on food packages. Most dates are indicative of an item’s quality, not safety, so don’t be too quick to throw away everything away that is past the posted date. The terms “Best if Used By,” “Sell-By,” “Use-By,” and “Freeze-By” all tell a consumer when a food may start declining in flavor and quality, but none of these phrases precede a safety-based expiration date. In fact, most of the dates listed on products are not regulated by federal food safety agencies but are given voluntarily by food manufacturers. It is important to note that dates on infant formula are federally regulated and any formula should be disposed of when it is past the listed date. Look at the Condition of the Food Itself Beyond checking date labels, if you are trying to determine if something in your refrigerator should stay or go, trust your gut and your nose. Characteristics to look out for are food that is softer than usual, discolored, has an unpleasant odor, is slimy, or has visible mold. The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s “Ask USDA” tool can also help guide your decision-making when it […]

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Gut Check: Postbiotics and the Microbiome

Over the past few years, there’s been a wave of research and news surrounding the impact of what we eat on our gut microbiome and digestive health. From Greek yogurt to probiotic-boosted chocolate to dietary supplements aimed at supporting digestive health, the options for nurturing the bacteria living in our gastrointestinal tract are seemingly endless. And more recently, there’s been a new addition to the conversation around gut health: Postbiotics. This article explains what postbiotics are, how they’re used, and what we know about their potential health benefits. What are postbiotics? To better understand postbiotics, let’s recall what we know about other gut-health-related terms. Prebiotics are substances in foods that humans can’t digest—mainly dietary fiber—that become food for the millions of bacteria living in our stomach and intestines. Also known as probiotic microorganisms, these gastrointestinal bacteria ferment prebiotics. The end products of the fermentation process are postbiotics. Postbiotics are not useless waste products—instead, they are bioactive, meaning they can have beneficial effects on our bodies and our health. Spurred on by growing awareness and the increasing use of the term “postbiotics” in research and in commercial products, in 2021 the International Scientific Association of Probiotics and Prebiotics (ISAPP) formally defined a postbiotic as a “preparation of inanimate microorganisms and/or their components that confers a health benefit on the host”. What are some examples of postbiotics? There are many different types of postbiotics, ranging from familiar nutrients like vitamin B12, vitamin K, folate and some amino acids—yes, these nutrients can be made by our gut bacteria!—to less-familiar varieties like short-chain fatty acids, enzymes, lipopolysaccharides, fragments of bacterial cell walls, bacterial lysates, and cell-free supernatants. What are the health effects of postbiotics? The health effects of postbiotics have been studied both for prevention and treatment of certain health conditions. In humans, evidence […]

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What Is Magnesium?

Highlights The Basics Magnesium is one of the most abundant minerals in the human body, residing predominantly in our bones and soft tissue. It’s also naturally found in foods like seeds, nuts, leafy green vegetables, legumes, brown rice, and milk. Magnesium can be added to other food products through the process of fortification, and is also available in dietary supplement form. Additionally, magnesium is an ingredient in certain medications, such as antacids and laxatives. In the human body, magnesium plays a key role in hundreds of enzymatic reactions that regulate important biological processes, such as influencing muscle and nerve function, stabilizing blood sugar levels, and maintaining blood pressure. Magnesium is also important for the production of metabolic energy, the formation of bone and the synthesis of protein and DNA. Magnesium and Health Magnesium has been explored as a treatment or preventative measure for many health conditions— notably, for hypertension and cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, osteoporosis, and migraines. Overall, while observational studies have demonstrated a lower risk of these conditions in people who consume higher amounts of fruits and vegetables, randomized controlled trials (RCTs) have not demonstrated clear therapeutic benefits specific to magnesium (derived from either foods or supplements), especially in people who are generally healthy and consume a varied diet. In early 2022, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced that it would allow a qualified health claim on packaged foods regarding magnesium consumption and the potential for reduced risk of hypertension. These health claims must be appropriately worded to avoid misleading consumers; for example, some suggested language advises that “[c]onsuming diets with adequate magnesium may reduce the risk of high blood pressure (hypertension). However, the FDA has concluded that the evidence is inconsistent and inconclusive.” Recommended Intakes The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine have set dietary reference intakes […]

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