Tag: Caramelization

While some traditional remedies mention burnt sugar for soothing coughs, modern nutritional science presents a very different picture regarding what are the health benefits of burnt sugar.

Did you know that sugar has been used as a food preservative for centuries? While most people associate it only with sweetness, the functions of sugar extend far beyond taste, playing crucial roles in the texture, appearance, and shelf-life of countless foods.

According to nutritional data, a 1/2-cup serving of plain roasted carrots can contain around 5 to 7 grams of natural sugar. Understanding how much sugar is in roasted carrots involves more than just a number; it is about the concentration and caramelization of natural sugars during the cooking process.

Yes, onions do contain reducing sugars, specifically glucose and fructose, alongside non-reducing sugars like sucrose. This sweetening power is typically masked by pungent sulfur compounds but is released during cooking, making caramelized onions a treat for the taste buds.

Across the globe, countless chemical reactions occur in kitchens and digestive systems every day, transforming raw ingredients into nourishing meals. This fundamental process explains why food is a chemical change, involving alterations at the molecular level that result in new substances with new properties.

According to chemistry Nobel Prize winner Jean-Marie Lehn, the Maillard reaction is “by far, the most widely practiced chemical reaction in the world”. It's just one example of the myriad of processes that explain what happens to food when it undergoes a chemical reaction, affecting its flavor, texture, and appearance.

Onions are comprised of about 9–10% carbohydrates, a significant portion of which consists of various types of sugar. These naturally occurring sugars are a key component of the onion's flavor profile, especially as they are released and altered during cooking.

Sucrose, the scientific name for common table sugar, was first discovered in India around the 6th century B.C.E.. But this versatile disaccharide performs far more than just adding a sweet taste to our food, playing crucial roles in preservation, texture, flavor, and color development.

While roasting vegetables enhances their flavor and creates a delicious, caramelized exterior, it can also alter their nutritional properties. The question of how this process affects sugar content is a common concern for those monitoring their carbohydrate intake, including individuals with diabetes or those following a low-carb diet.

According to the USDA, one cup (165 g) of fresh, raw pineapple contains approximately 82.5 calories. The number of calories in grilled pineapple, however, can vary depending on whether any additional ingredients, like butter, sugar, or glazes, are used during the cooking process.