2006-12-14 23:22:44 · 13 answers · asked by amazing_sweet_angel 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Chemistry
1. To give the sweetness taste.
2. It also serves as a nutritive additive (to give calorie) though consume too much sugars is never be good.
3. At the same time, it gives the sensory characteristic of "fullness". For example, you will find that an orange juice taste better if we add sugar, compare to just add a sugar substituent.
4. Sugar will also helps in providing a gel to certain food product. For example, a jam (food preserve) cannot form a firm gel without adding sufficient amount of sugar.
5. Also, sugar is a natural preservative. Again in jam, with high level of sugar (about 60% or higher), it will create a system that lower the "free water" (so called water activity) thus unfavour the growing of spoilage bacteria. As a result, an extension of shelf life can be achieve
2006-12-14 23:53:04 · answer #1 · answered by SS 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I'm going to take a guess.
In general, the taste buds of western consumers have become used to sweetness in food and associate this with a pleasurable taste. Sugar (and salt) is even added to some savoury processed food as while the effect is subtle it has a perceived impact on how 'tasty' a dish is.
I'm approaching this from the negative viewpoint that sugar is most frequently an unnecessary additive which at the end of the day isn't that nutritious.
Oh, and of course it can be used as a preservative. In fact, that might be the answer you were looking for.
2006-12-14 23:29:41 · answer #2 · answered by bad_sector 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Both as a preservative and to enhance the taste. That's why the less tasty the food is, the more sugar people add. In USA everything is incredibly sweet, especially beans and tomato sauce.
In Southern Europe (Italy, France, Spain, Portugal, Greece) it is not a very common practice to add sugar to food because they use a lot of natural spices (mostly garlic and herbs) which also preserve and enhance the taste.
The horrible thing is, very often what they call "sugar" is lactose, which makes the life of lactose intolerant people (about 8-12% of population) very difficult!
2006-12-15 06:39:52 · answer #3 · answered by Jesus is my Savior 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The injestion of sugar (and indeed fats), leads to a release of serotonin in the brain which is the same hormone your brain gets when you win a competition, make love or any other number of pleasurable things. The serotonin makes you feel good, thereby creating a desire to participate in the activity again. Food manufacturers know this and so add both fats and sugars to their product to sell more.
2006-12-18 03:53:02 · answer #4 · answered by zebbedee 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
First it can be added because og the sweet taste but originally sugar was really expensive and was used in small ammounts in a similar way to salt as it is a flavour enhancer.
2006-12-15 09:05:17 · answer #5 · answered by Gordon B 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
to give sweetness.
to protect food because, if sugar is added to food the water potential in the will become less so, if any bacteria try to harm the food will be shrinked due to the osmosis.
2006-12-17 01:09:52 · answer #6 · answered by ahamedsaajith 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
to improve or enhance the flavour
to extend the shelf life
in some cases to disuise the lack of flavour the base product has
in some cases to pander to the customers desire for sweet tasting things
2006-12-14 23:30:45 · answer #7 · answered by Mark J 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Because it makes them taste better.
'Too sweet' is a phrase that makes no goddammed sense at all.
Its about time for breakfast, toast with chocolate spread sounds mighty good right now.
2006-12-15 00:47:33 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Sugar is a good natural preservative....
2006-12-14 23:26:55 · answer #9 · answered by ashwin_hariharan 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
To make them taste nicer.
2006-12-14 23:26:06 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋