What is another word for wood sugar?
Pronunciation: [wˈʊd ʃˈʊɡə] (IPA) 
Wood sugar is the common name attributed to xylose, a simple sugar derived from cellulose and hemicellulose, the two main components of wood and other plant materials. Other synonyms for this term include xylan sugar, beechwood sugar, and plant sugar. Xylan is a polysaccharide found in many plant cell walls, and when it is broken down, xylose is released. Beechwood sugar aptly describes xylose's origin as it was originally extracted from beechwood. Additionally, xylose is sometimes referred to as pentose sugar, since it is a five-carbon sugar, compared to glucose, which is a six-carbon sugar and is typically derived from corn or sugarcane.
