Table sugar

Sugar is a sweet ingredient added to foods such as cookies, cakes, and pastries. Sugar comes from beets or sugarcane and is generally grown in tropical environments. Sugar plays an important role in the commerce of many countries, including Jamaica, Guatemala, and Bolivia.

Sugar is sweet because it contains sucrose, which is a white and solid saccharide that alters the flavor of foods.

When consumed in large quantities, sugar may lead to tooth decay, obesity, or diabetes. Many processed food products contain large amounts of sugar, such as Twinkies, children's breakfast cereals, and candy bars. Type 2 diabetes occurs when someone's body stops producing insulin, which helps the body absorb sugar.