Tag: Dissolved organic matter

While sea water is famously salty due to dissolved mineral salts like sodium chloride, it also contains tiny, surprising amounts of sugar. This sugar exists mainly in the form of complex carbohydrates released by marine plants, such as seagrasses and phytoplankton, which are constantly performing photosynthesis.

With an average salinity of about 3.5%, ocean water is primarily known for its saltiness, yet a different question often arises: is ocean water sugar free? While the familiar taste of table sugar (sucrose) is absent, the ocean's chemistry is far more complex, including the presence of other organic materials.

Globally, seagrass meadows release between 0.6 and 1.3 million tons of sucrose into their surrounding soil, or rhizosphere, a staggering amount of sugar from a marine source. But **does ocean water contain sugar** in a way that affects your diet? The answer is far more complex than a simple yes or no, involving marine biology and critical nutritional differences.