Disaccharides are found among a variety of common foods we consume on a daily basis. Often referred to as ‘double sugars’, disaccharides are created when two small sugar molecules (called monosaccharides) bond together to form a larger disaccharide. For example, when glucose and fructose are bonded, this creates sucrose.
Popcorn is a popular snack that is made from the dried kernels of a particular variety of corn. Dried corn kernels can be made into popcorn in a variety of ways. They can be cooked in a small amount of oil on the stovetop, air popped in the microwave or popped in a dedicated popcorn machine.
Most of the sugar available in Australia and New Zealand is produced from the sugar cane plant. Sugar is also produced from sugar beets in other parts of the world like America. The Australian sugar cane industry harvests around 350,000 hectares of sugar cane which produces over 4 million tonnes of sugar each year.
Sports drinks have gained popularity over the past few decades and are readily available at many supermarkets, tuckshops and sporting events.
If you’ve ever consumed foods that have the term malt or malted in the ingredients list, there’s a good chance you’ve consumed maltose. While maltose is not found naturally in high quantities, there are a range of foods that contain this sugar including breads, wheat, peaches and energy bars.
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