Written by Aradhita Saraf (Weloquent)
Brown sugar is the best.
All sugar is bad.
Sucrose is an important part of a balanced diet.
The rumours about sugar are as many as there are types of sugar. Sugar steals the limelight in any conversation about changing diets, being healthier, regulating food habits, etc. Sweets are renowned for making our souls happy and yet mysteriously our bodies unhappy.
However, contrary to popular belief, the first step to being healthy is not to eliminate all sweet dishes from your diet, but instead to find healthier alternatives to highly processed sugar. What causes chaos in our bodies on consumption, is not the sugar itself, but the several harmful chemical processes the sugar undergoes before it is mass-packaged and sold to us.
Amongst the healthier alternatives to sugar, what we hear most talk about is, “raw sugar” and “brown sugar,” and hence we decided to explore the differences between them and answer the important question of - “which is healthier - brown or raw sugar?” Let’s find out through the following components:-
Composition
Brown sugar is formed when white refined sugar crystals are mixed with molasses (black treacle.) The amount of molasses mixed in the sugar can be determined by the colour of the brown sugar
For instance, the lighter ones normally contain 3.5 % molasses, whereas the darker brown ones may have up to 6.5 % molasses. The softer texture and sweeter taste of brown sugar can be attributed to the addition of molasses in the sugar.
As the name suggests, raw sugar is the opposite of refined sugar. Made from evaporated cane juice, raw sugar is made by boiling the sap of sugar cane plants. It retains most of its natural molasses content and is purified before it is packaged. Overall it barely undergoes any chemical processing when compared to its other counterparts.
As demonstrated in this video, on adding spoonfuls of brown sugar and raw sugar in different glasses of water respectively, we found that the water with the brown sugar turns a muddy brown (due to the added content of molasses,) whereas, the water with raw sugar retains its original colour while the sugar dissolves in it. This quick experiment is a good way to check whether your sugar is natural or contains additives.
Health Benefits
Due to the increased content of molasses in brown sugar, it does contain certain minerals such as magnesium, and calcium, however these minerals are present in extremely miniscule quantities - making them as good as non-existent.
Raw sugar on the other hand is healthier than all other forms of processed sugar including brown sugar. Since it does not go through several chemical treatments, it retains its natural properties and contains traces of minerals such as phosphorus, calcium, and iron.
Taste and Flavour
If you scoop out some granules of brown sugar and taste it raw, you will find a notable difference from what white processed sugar tastes like. Brown sugar leaves a toffee-taste in your tongue, and has a warm caramel flavour to start with. Hence, it is very often used as a sweetener in most desserts. Many also often find brown sugar to be too sweet to their liking.
Raw sugar has a richer flavour than the traditional processed white sugar. Since it is closest to the most natural form of sugar one can consume, it is stickier and coarser to touch than all other forms of sugar - including brown sugar. It’s large crystals make it a preferred ingredient in hot beverages like tea and coffee, and its natural sweetness makes it a key ingredient in healthy homemade pancakes and cakes.
Since raw sugar is the healthiest, tastiest, and most flavourful form of sugar, we decided to scour the most natural raw sugar available in the country, in hopes of adding healthy sweetness to your life. Grab your bag of golden goodness from the Conscious Food website, today!
Buy now:https://www.consciousfood.com/collections/sugars-honey/products/raw-sugar
FAQs
Health Benefits
Raw sugar on the other hand is healthier than all other forms of processed sugar including brown sugar. Since it does not go through several chemical treatments, it retains its natural properties and contains traces of minerals such as phosphorus, calcium, and iron.
Which is the healthiest sugar? ›
You can opt for coconut sugar, honey, maple syrup, and agave nectar, which are some good and healthy options. Another good option is shakkar, an unprocessed sugar rich in nutrients like zinc, iron, potassium, and magnesium. You can also use jaggery to sweeten up your desserts and beverages.
Is it OK to use raw sugar instead of brown sugar? ›
Raw sugars like turbinado or demerara make great brown sugar substitutes, as their naturally light amber colors and mild caramel flavors are similar to the real thing. In most recipes, you can trade raw sugars for brown sugar in an even proportion without noticing much difference.
Is sugar in the raw really better for you? ›
However, though raw cane sugar is often marketed as a healthy alternative to regular sugar, there's no real difference between them. In fact, both are identical in terms of chemical composition and made up of sucrose, a molecule formed by units of simple sugars, such as glucose and fructose.
What is the least processed sugar? ›
The so-called unrefined sweeteners are the least refined, as they retain most of the original cane molasses. It includes traditional brown sugars – muscovado, panela, jaggery, and piloncillo – and those produced by a more sophisticated drying method, such as Sucanat.
What is the purest form of sugar? ›
Refined sugar.
It includes white granulated sugar, bakers' sugar and confectioners' sugar and is the purest form of sugar, without molasses or other impurities.
What is a healthy substitute for brown sugar? ›
Honey, Agave Nectar or Maple Syrup
You can substitute ⅔ cup of these liquids for a cup of brown sugar, but you will want to slightly reduce your other liquid contents like water or oils to make up for the additional liquid content.
What kind of sugar is best in coffee? ›
Both white sugar and raw sugar provide sweetness without significantly distorting the flavor of coffee. White sugar has almost no impact on flavor other than making coffee sweeter, and raw sugar has only a minor impact. Additionally, many people prefer the minorly darker flavor of raw sugar in coffee.
Is turbinado sugar healthier than brown sugar? ›
Among them is turbinado sugar. It's chunky, sparkly, and crunchy, and often labeled with words like "natural" or "raw." But it's not really a raw or natural version of brown or granulated white cane sugar—nor is it a healthier or comparable substitute. It is, however, a versatile ingredient with its own special uses.
What is the healthiest sugar substitute? ›
Stevia and monk fruit are both naturally derived from plants and some people feel they have a flavor very similar to regular sugar. The FDA says these sweeteners are “generally regarded as safe,” which means they are safe to use for their intended purpose.
The worst of the worst culprits include aspartame (found in Equal and NutraSweet), sucralose (found in Splenda), and Saccharin (found in Sweet 'N Low). Many people who cut artificial sugars out of their diets report the improvement of many health problems including migraines, depression, IBS, weight gain, and more.
Is raw sugar healthier than honey? ›
"Honey's advantages over sugar include a slightly lower glycemic index (i.e. it doesn't affect your blood-sugar levels as much)," Dr. Dixon says. 10 "It also contains more vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, such as calcium, potassium, vitamin C, zinc, phenolic acids, and flavonoids."
Is raw sugar better for diabetics than regular sugar? ›
While people with diabetes should take care not to consume excessive amounts of natural sugar, these sweeteners can impact blood glucose less than granulated sugar. Some natural sugar products come with additional health benefits, as well.
Is raw sugar less processed? ›
Turbinado sugar is often called “raw” sugar. This only means that it has been refined enough to make it safe to eat while leaving in the natural molasses flavors and color. Keep in mind that raw sugar is still sucrose. In fact, raw sugar is about 96% to 98% sucrose after the refining process.
