intrinsic vs extrinsic

• intrinsic sugars are naturally occurring in foods such as fruit, some sweet vegetables and milk
• the intrinsic sugars are - glucose, fructose, lactose, sucrose
• extrinsic sugars are added to foods
• the extrinsic sugars include - sucrose (sugar cane, sugar beet or corn), honey, artificial sweeteners and sugar in milk
• non-milk extrinsic sugars are all extrinsic sugars that do not come from milk
• NMES is a term only used in the UK and they are also called 'free sugars'
• NMES also include honey, glucose, fructose and glucose syrups
• sugars can be found in food naturally, or it can be added to food during the manufacturing process
• added sugars are often referred to as 'empty calories' because they have no nutritional benefit other than energy
• when we eat carbohydrate based foods, our body breaks down the sugar and starch into glucose, which is absorbed into our blood and used by our body for energy