Saccharides, ranging from simple table sugar (sucrose) to lactulose were successfully used as solid-state precursors for the synthesis of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT). Dehydrated saccharide residues mixed with catalyst powders were subjected to pyrolysis at high temperatures (up to 1300°C) under flowing Argon atmosphere. Pyrolysis products were investigated using TEM, SEM, Raman spectroscopy and EDS. Images taken using the S/TEM and bright field mode of TEM showed the presence of helical multi-walled carbon nanotube (H-MWCNT) and regular MWCNT formation. More than two or three catalyst particles were observed to be present inside the hollow core of some of the nanotubes synthesized, suggesting a high level of capillary activity inside the tubes during synthesis. © 2008 Materials Research Society.