Sugar

Scientists in Denmark have now offered further insights into how sugar reshapes our brain chemistry, by performing experiments on pigs and taking note of how the reward circuitry lights up after consumption.

Researchers have created bacteria that can effectively eat air. By carefully directing the evolution of E. coli in the lab, the team managed to wean them off their preferred diet of sugar, and make the switch to carbon dioxide in the air around them.

Low-calorie alternatives to sucrose could make tasty treats that are at least less bad for us. And now, researchers from Tufts University have developed a more efficient method for producing one such sweetener, using farms of bacteria.

The latest ingredients of life to be discovered off-world are certain bio-essential sugars, which have now been found in meteorites. This could lend weight to the idea that meteorite impacts are responsible for the origin of life on Earth.

Fructose may be more damaging to your health than glucose according to a new animal study comparing the effect of both sweetening compounds on liver metabolism.

A large-scale study has yet again rekindled debate over the association between cancer risk and consumption of sugary drinks. The research suggests unsweetened fruit juices also contain enough sugars to confer a similar increase in cancer risk as sugary soda drinks – but that's not the whole story.

What if you could stay healthier without changing your diet? In mouse tests researchers have now found a way to alter the fat metabolism in the liver, reducing the chances of diabetes without changing a high-fat diet.

A team of scientists from Germany’s University of Tübingen has discovered a novel and unusual sugar molecule that shows great potential as a natural herbicide. It is harmless to animals and humans but can effectively disrupt the growth of various plants and microorganisms.

​Two new studies have reawakened a debate over the safety of artificial sweeteners, suggesting the chemicals may cause significant alterations in the make-up of out gut microbiome​ but some experts are not convinced the research can be accurately applied to human subjects.​

A compelling new study is comparing cancer cell populations to parasites, describing how it can alter the body's ability to metabolize glucose to create more energy sources that help tumors grow.

Researchers have discovered a new way to reduce the risk of diabetes – sugar. Trehalose is a natural sugar that has now been found to deprive the liver of glucose and activate a gene that improves insulin sensitivity and triggers the burning of more fat.

Good news older readers, a small sugary treat can boost your memory and performance when faced with a difficult task. A long-standing body of research has been bolstered by a new study that has concluded that sugar does indeed improve memory and motivation in older adults.