Carbohydrates, fats and protein are the three main nutrients (known as macronutrients) that provide energy in our diet.

Most of the carbohydrates we eat are starches or sugars. There are many different types of sugar, including glucose (also known as dextrose), fructose, sucrose (table sugar), lactose (milk sugar) and maltose. Sucrose is made up of glucose and fructose. Starch is made up of long branched chains of glucose units.

Starches and sugars provide about four Calories per gram. A level teaspoon of sugar (4g) provides 16 Calories.

Nutrition experts worldwide recommend that adults and children above the age of two obtain at least 55% of their daily calories from a variety of carbohydrate sources. Eating sugar is a useful way of increasing carbohydrate intake especially in those with high energy requirements, such as athletes and people employed in physically demanding jobs. Most people eat starchy foods in combination with fat e.g. butter with bread, creamy sauce with pasta, potatoes fried in oil, however, sugar itself is fat-free. Many sugary foods e.g. sweet breakfast cereals, fig rolls, low-fat fruit yoghurts, and jaffa cakes are low in fat and thus can help to increase our carbohydrate intake without adversely increasing fat intake.

The Sugar Bureau