Sucrose
Common table sugar — glucose joined to fructose.
What is Sucrose?
Sucrose is what we call ordinary table sugar. It is a disaccharide made of one glucose and one fructose molecule, and it occurs naturally in many fruits and vegetables as well as in cane and beet sugar. The body splits it into glucose and fructose during digestion.
Health benefits of Sucrose
- Provides quick, readily available energy
- Occurs naturally alongside nutrients in whole fruits and vegetables
Top food sources of Sucrose
See full rankingCane and beet sugar, fruit, sugar beets, maple syrup, and most sweetened foods. Values shown per 100 g.
Sugars, granulated
99.8 g
Sugar, turbinado
99.2 g
Sugars, brown
94.6 g
Lemonade, powder
74.5 g
Lemonade-flavor drink, powder
69.8 g
Drink mix, QUAKER OATS, GATORADE, orange flavor, powder
59.9 g
Syrups, maple
58.3 g
Nuts, coconut cream, canned, sweetened
51.5 g
Sweeteners, for baking, contains sugar and sucralose
47.1 g
Chocolate, dark, 45- 59% cacao solids
46.3 g
Candies, chocolate, dark, NFS (45-59% cacao solids 90%; 60-69% cacao solids 5%; 70-85% cacao solids 5%)
44.7 g
Cookies, chocolate sandwich, with extra creme filling
44.5 g
How much Sucrose do you need?
There is no Daily Value for sucrose itself; it counts toward the 50 g added-sugar Daily Value when added to foods. Naturally occurring sucrose in whole foods is not the concern.
Sucrose deficiency
There is no dietary requirement for sucrose. The health focus is on limiting added sugar rather than getting enough.
Can you have too much Sucrose?
A lot of added sucrose contributes extra calories with few nutrients and is linked to tooth decay, weight gain and a higher risk of type 2 diabetes. Guidelines suggest keeping added sugars under about 10% of daily calories.
Nutrition data per 100 g from the USDA & FooDB databases. Daily Values follow the FDA 2016+ labeling standard for a 2,000-calorie diet. This guide is for general information and is not medical advice.
Frequently asked questions
What does Sucrose do?
Sucrose is what we call ordinary table sugar. It is a disaccharide made of one glucose and one fructose molecule, and it occurs naturally in many fruits and vegetables as well as in cane and beet sugar. The body splits it into glucose and fructose during digestion.
How much Sucrose do I need per day?
There is no Daily Value for sucrose itself; it counts toward the 50 g added-sugar Daily Value when added to foods. Naturally occurring sucrose in whole foods is not the concern.
Which foods are highest in Sucrose?
Per 100 g, some of the richest sources are Sugars, granulated, Sugar, turbinado, Sugars, brown, Lemonade, powder, Lemonade-flavor drink, powder.
What happens if I don't get enough Sucrose?
There is no dietary requirement for sucrose. The health focus is on limiting added sugar rather than getting enough.
Can you have too much Sucrose?
A lot of added sucrose contributes extra calories with few nutrients and is linked to tooth decay, weight gain and a higher risk of type 2 diabetes. Guidelines suggest keeping added sugars under about 10% of daily calories.