5 Types of Liquid Sugar You Probably Didn’t Know
Before modern sugar processing methods manufactured granulated sugar, transportable and manageable liquid sugars were created. Most liquid sugar comes from corn syrup, honey, and molasses, primarily granulated sugar.
Except for the corn syrup-based syrups, all the others below are equally stable over time. They have a shelf life of around two unopened and about a year once opened. Refrigeration after opening is recommended to prevent mold growth. Mold growth means you should throw out the syrup.
After each use, the bottle’s exterior must be wiped down to remove any traces of drips. Unlike honey, pure cane and sugarcane syrups can be made liquid again if they become solid and can no longer be used.
Types of Liquid Sugar
- Agava Syrup
The syrup made from organic blue agave cactus is either neutral or golden in color. It contains between 23 and 25% water. One can detect a trace of mescal in the flavour of the golden variety. Fructose has a higher sweetness than sucrose until it is warmed above 120 degrees Fahrenheit. At this point, it begins to turn brown and lose sweetness.
In contrast to liquid sugar substitutes that are made with chemicals, the fructose is taken out through an enzymatic reaction and then melted down to the right consistency. It’s used to make alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks like tequila and fizzy drinks. Some people with diabetes may find it easier to drink than other types of sugar.
2. Glucose Syrup
Carbohydrates, of which glucose is the most important, are very important to the way our bodies work. It is one of the minor units with the features of this class of carbs. Glucose refers to a simple liquid sugar or a monosaccharide. In some contexts, “dextrose” is used instead of “glucose” to refer to this sugar.
Many different types of complex sugars, including glucose, are found in corn syrup. It’s a component of plant sap and, more commonly, “blood sugar” in human bodies. PB, caramels, gum paste, and liqueurs are just a few of the tasty treats that call for it — easily stored for the foreseeable future. Eight tablespoons of glucose equals nine tablespoons of light corn syrup or brown sugar.
3. Golden Syrup
This liquid sugar is very popular in England and is also known as light TREACLE. It has a consistent quality of corn syrup and a clear golden colour. Vaporised sugar cane extract gives this liquid sugar a smokiness and a depth of flavour that no other sugar substitute can match. Golden syrup can be found in certain grocery stores and several culinary markets. It can be used in place of corn syrup in recipes for pancakes, ice cream, and other foods.
4. Honey
This sugar substitute predates even recorded history. It was discovered in ancient Egyptian pyramids, much older than anything recorded. Sugar in honey is the opposite, a liquid invert. In baking, it enhances flavour and retains moisture.
A common component is water (at a concentration of 17.2 percent). It comes from the nectar of plants that is collected, processed, stored, and concentrated by bees. It consists of levulose (fructose) and dextrose and is a sugar alcohol (glucose).
Different types of honey, such as those made from borage, thyme, buckwheat, clover, or avocado, have distinctive tastes. Due to the presence of fructose, it is even sweeter than table sugar.
5. Maple Syrup
Concentrating the mildly sweet nectar of the sugar maple tree yields pure maple syrup. Growers of maple syrup head into the woods in the winter or early spring to collect nectar from sugar maple trees using pails, pipes, and drill bits. The season lasts from late February to early April, depending on the weather. In the end, they have pure maple syrup.
You can buy these liquid sugar products in stores and use them as an alternative to white or brown sugar in various dishes. Also, the result could be sold in restaurants as a sugar-free alternative to coffee and tea. Since liquid syrup is so much sweeter than table sugar, you only need a small amount to achieve a similar level of sweet flavour in any drink.
