From the natural nectar of flowers to refined crystals, this category offers a vast selection of sweeteners to satisfy your sweet tooth. Whether you're looking for a classic baking staple or a natural alternative, there's an option for you.
Attributes
- Sweetness: All products provide a level of sweetness, with varying intensities.
- Natural vs. Refined:
- Natural: Honey, maple syrup, some syrups (date syrup, fruit syrup)
- Refined: White sugar, brown sugar (some varieties), most syrups (corn syrup, golden syrup)
- Raw/Unrefined: Minimally processed (honey, some sugars)
- Refined: Processed to remove impurities (white sugar)
- Honey: Liquid, thick, smooth
- Sugar: Granulated (most common), powdered (fine), coarse (crystals)
- Other sweeteners: Liquid (syrups), powdered (stevia), crystalline (some sugar substitutes)
- Texture: Sticky (honey), dissolvable (most sugar), syrupy (syrups)
Types
- Honey: A natural sweetener produced by bees, with a variety of floral and flavor profiles.
Popular types: Clover honey, wildflower honey, manuka honey
Other options: Acacia honey, buckwheat honey, orange blossom honey, etc.
Specialty varieties: Creamed honey (spreadable), comb honey (honey in the beeswax)
- Sugar: Used for baking, sweetening beverages, and as a table sugar.
Refined sugars: White sugar, brown sugar (light and dark)
Less-refined sugars: Raw sugar, turbinado sugar, Demerara sugar, Muscovado sugar
Specialty sugars: Icing sugar, sanding sugar, rock sugar, pearl sugar, sugar cubes
- Other Sweeteners: A broad range of alternatives to sugar, offering various levels of sweetness and calories.
Natural: Stevia, monk fruit sweetener, erythritol, xylitol, maple syrup, agave nectar, coconut sugar, date sugar, molasses
Artificial: Sucralose, aspartame, saccharin, acesulfame potassium
Syrups: Corn syrup, golden syrup, cane syrup, brown rice syrup, barley malt syrup, yacon syrup
Flavors
- Natural sweetness: The inherent sweetness of honey, some sugars, and natural sweeteners.
- Flavored varieties:
Honey: May have floral notes depending on the source.
Sugar: Brown sugar has a molasses flavor.
Other sweeteners: Some come in flavored varieties like vanilla, caramel, chocolate, or fruit flavors (syrups).
Related Terms
- Uses: Sweetener, topping, drizzle, glaze, spread, sauce (syrups)
- Food: Baking, cooking (desserts, beverages - tea, coffee, smoothies), breakfast (pancakes, waffles, french toast, oatmeal, yogurt, ice cream)
- Other uses: Marinades, salad dressings, BBQ sauce
- Sweetness options: Sweet taste, sweet treat, sweet flavor
- Availability: Pantry staple, bulk quantities, single-serve packets, portion control