If you have a habit of reading the ingredient list of packaged foods, you will be familiar with glucose syrup. It's also called confectioner's glucose and is commonly derived from the starches in corn, potatoes, wheat, barley, rice and even cassava.
Many store-bought drinks and confectioneries have the ingredient listed as a sweetener instead of sugar. It is used as a thickener, sweetener, and a humectant and is used widely in the production of confectioneries and baked goods.
Ever wondered why? Glucose syrup, unlike sugar, doesn't crystallise easily. It provides stability, volume and glossiness to the food apart from being cheaper and sweeter.
Since it's widely used, there are various concerns surrounding its health effects.
Are there any health benefits of glucose syrup?
Glucose syrup is a convenient and cheap ingredient for the packaged food industry. There are no real health benefits for the consumer if you were to discount the calories. At best, it's a source of instant energy. At worst, it's as bad as sugar.
Consuming glucose syrup can increase the risk of many chronic diseases like high blood pressure, diabetes and heart disease. It can lead to weight gain and obesity. Like sugar, glucose syrup can also contribute to poor dental health.
It's safe to say that there are no health benefits of glucose syrup.
Nutritional composition of glucose syrup
8ml of Glucose syrup has the following nutritional composition
| NUTRITIONAL FACT | MEASURE%(DV) |
| Calories | 25 |
| Carbohydrates | 6% |
| Sugar | 7% |
| Fats | 0% |
| Salt | 0% |
| Vitamin A | 0% |
| Protein | 0% |
It's hard to escape glucose syrup since it's widely used in packaged products. The best way to reduce consumption is to cut down on processed foods or reduce their intake.
Checking the food labels may help to a certain degree, helping you avoid glucose syrup for less concerning sweeteners like xylitol, stevia, agave or molasses.
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