Glucose vs Sucrose: One Sugar vs Two, in 3D
Glucose is a single sugar, the fuel your cells run on. Sucrose is ordinary table sugar, a double sugar made of one glucose joined to one fructose. When you eat sucrose, your body splits it back into those two.
Glucose vs sucrose: true size
Glucose vs sucrose at a glance
| Glucose | Sucrose | |
|---|---|---|
| Formula | C6H12O6 | C12H22O11 |
| Molar mass | 180.16 g/mol | 342.30 g/mol |
| Atoms in one molecule | 24 | 45 |
| Type | Monosaccharide, a single sugar | Disaccharide, glucose plus fructose |
| Sweetness | Less sweet than table sugar | The standard for sweetness |
| Found in | Blood, fruit, honey | Sugar cane, sugar beet, fruit |
| Benedict’s test | Positive, turns orange-red | Negative, stays blue |
How sucrose is made and split
Plants make glucose by photosynthesis, then join a glucose and a fructose to make sucrose, giving off a molecule of water. Sucrose is the sugar plants move around in their phloem. When you eat it, an enzyme in your small intestine called sucrase splits it back into glucose and fructose, which are absorbed into the blood.
Why your body runs on glucose
Glucose is the main sugar in your blood. Cells burn it in respiration to release energy, and the brain relies on it heavily. The hormone insulin helps cells take glucose in. Spare glucose is stored as glycogen in the liver and muscles.
Quick facts
- Glucose is also called dextrose on food labels.
- Starch and cellulose are both made of long chains of glucose.
- Fructose, the other half of sucrose, is the sweetest natural sugar.
- Sucrose is not a reducing sugar, so it fails the Benedict’s test until it is split.
- Caramel is made by heating sucrose until it breaks down.
Glucose vs sucrose questions
What is the difference between glucose and sucrose?
Glucose is a single sugar, C6H12O6. Sucrose is a double sugar, C12H22O11, made of glucose joined to fructose.
Is table sugar glucose or sucrose?
Sucrose.
Which is sweeter, glucose or sucrose?
Sucrose. Glucose is noticeably less sweet.
How does the body break down sucrose?
The enzyme sucrase in the small intestine splits it into glucose and fructose.
Is glucose a monosaccharide?
Yes. It is a single sugar unit. Sucrose is a disaccharide.
More face-offs: see all 3D comparisons.
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