So many types of brown sugar are available in stores across the country, and you might wonder which one is best. All of them are as sweet as table sugar and offer a cane molasses flavor, but how to distinguish refined from raw and unrefined forms? This blog post is a guide to choosing brown
sugars. To start, you need to know that both unrefined and raw brown sugars can only be made from sugar cane. On the other hand, refined brown sugars—which are the most widely available on store shelves—can be produced from either sugar cane or sugar beet, or they might even be a blend of both. 1) UNREFINED BROWN SUGARAll brown sugars in stores are highly refined and processed, even the so-called "raw" and "unrefined," but unrefined brown sugars are the least refined of all. Most are traditional artisan sugars made on small scale for local markets using simple equipment and little capital. One type of unrefined brown sugar, called Sucanat, is produced by a more sophisticated drying method. Here are some quick facts about them:
Jaggery
Whole Cane Sugar => Hand Crafted Cane Sugar => Dark Brown Molasses Sugar => Light Muscovado => Dark Muscovado => Sucanat => Panela => Panela powder => Jaggery => Jaggery Powder => Okinawa Kokuto => Okinawa Kokuto Powder => Piloncillo => Piloncillo Granulated => Learn more about unrefined sugars on previous posts: The Ultimate Guide to Unrefined and Raw Sugars What is unrefined sugar, anyway? 2) RAW BROWN SUGARSCertified organic light and dark brown sugars we see in stores are raw cane sugars. Just like unrefined brown sugars, they come straight from the freshly harvested cane, but they contain fewer molasses. Organic light brown sugars have 3 to 4 percent molasses and dark brown sugars about 8 percent. Here is an overview of organic brown sugar:
Florida Crystals => Wholesome => Woodstock => Trader Joe's => Learn more by reading a previous post titled Raw Sugar: From Turbinado to Demerara, Find out Exactly What it is. 3) REFINED BROWN SUGARSThe most widely available brown sugars in grocery stores are not naturally brown. Regular (aka refined) brown sugars are simply a blend of white sugar crystals and cane molasses (or cane syrups). They vary in flavor and color based on the amount of cane molasses. Refined brown sugars are made from sugar cane, sugar beet, or they might be a blend of both. As I wrote in a previous post, blends of cane and beet sugars are common because many sugar producers do not sell their products directly to consumers. They have their sweeteners sold and distributed by sugar marketing organizations, which may blend beet and cane sugar, based on price and availability. From Sugar CaneThree types of brown sugar from sugar cane are sold in stores: — Light flavor and golden color: 2 to 3% molasses — Dark color and rich flavor: 6 to 8% molasses — Pourable: 2 to 3% molasses Domino Brown Sugars | Brown All The Way Through
Easy Pour Brown Sugar
C&H Dark Brown => C&H Golden Brown => Domino Dark Brown => Domino Light Brown => Bob's Red Mill Old-Fashioned => Domino Pourable Light=> C&H Pourable Golden => From Sugar BeetBrown sugars from sugar beet are produced in Sugar Factories by refining beet juice to white sugar and then adding a film of cane molasses via the painted method described above. Cane molasses is used as beet molasses — the by-product of beet sugar refining — is not palatable, has a strong, unpleasant odor, and is mostly used for animal feed.
For more about refined sugars, read my previous posts: Cane Sugar: Unrefined, Raw, and Refined What Is Refined Sugar? Cane vs Beet Sugar: A Difference? 4) MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT BROWN SUGAR
Truth: Our body can hardly distinguish between brown and white sugar as, chemically speaking, both are a blend of sugar (sucrose, fructose, glucose) and water. White sugar is made up entirely of sucrose but brown sugars contain sucrose and a small amount of invert sugar—a 1:1 mixture of glucose and fructose. Table sugar is 99.95% sucrose, but brown sugars have 88 to 95% sucrose and 2 to 7% glucose plus fructose (see image below for details). Because enzymes in our digestive tract quickly convert sucrose into glucose and fructose, when it comes to digestion and metabolism, our body will recognize both sugars like glucose and fructose. The cane molasses in brown sugars add trace amounts of nutrients, but it does not significantly increase their nutritional value, nor affects their metabolism. Both white and brown sugars provide 4 calories per gram, 16 calories per teaspoon, 48 calories per tablespoon, and about 770 calories per cup. As the image below shows, their glycemic index varies from 60 to 64 to compare brown sugars.
Truth: Brown sugars are not a significant source of nutrients other than calories from sugars. Unrefined brown sugars contain minuscule amounts of micronutrients, such as minerals, vitamins, and antioxidants per serving. They might be perceived as more nutritious or healthier than refined sugars, but we would have to eat a truly unhealthful amount of them (100g or even a cup) to get our daily micronutrients requirement or the positive health effects from them. The calories and sugar content in brown sugars outweigh the advantages of antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals.
Truth: All, except two, brown sugars tend to dry out after we open the original package. Even when we think we properly store in an airtight container or resealable plastic bag, they often clump, cake, or harden. That does not mean they have gone bad. Brown sugars have an indefinite shelf life as they do not support microbial growth and become hard simply because they have 2 to 5% moisture, which evaporates. Hardened brown sugar can be softened by returning the moisture to it as I wrote in a previous post titled Never Toss Harden Brown Sugar. Learn How to Keep it Soft Indefinitely.
Truth: Any brown sugar—be it refined, raw, or unrefined— can be used as a substitute for table sugar in cookies and some cakes, but not for fine-textured and fancy cakes and desserts. Brown sugars are used mostly to give color and a molasses flavor to recipes. White and brown sugars have the same sweetness but different tastes. That means brown sugar is a one-to-one replacement for granulated sugar in regards to the sweetness but not to taste and color. Recipes made with brown sugar will have a distinct molasses flavor. Experiment to find the appropriate replacement level, but consider that table sugar and brown sugar have different moisture content. White sugar contains less than 0.03% water and brown sugars have 2 to 4%. Cookies will be less crisp, but chewier, whenever we remove a dryer sweetener and substitute it with another with higher moisture. Brown sugars contain a small amount of invert sugar—which is fructose and glucose in equal proportions— and table sugar doesn't. But those small amounts have little, if any, effect on baked goods. To help dissolve and incorporate unrefined sugars in recipes, grind them and sift the firm clumps of syrup-coated sugar they might have. If you have any brown sugar in your pantry and a recipe that calls for table sugar, try an equal amount of firmly packed measure of brown sugar and slightly reduce the liquid content by one to two tablespoons. If you don't have brown sugar but have table sugar and molasses, you can combine them for an easy substitute for store-bought brown sugar. To make light brown sugar, pulse one cup (7 ounces or 200 grams) of table sugar in a food processor with one tablespoon of dark (or blackstrap) molasses or a quarter of a cup of light molasses. For dark brown sugar, pulse two tablespoons of dark (or blackstrap) molasses or half a cup of light molasses instead. If a recipe calls for brown sugar, add the amount of molasses along with wet ingredients and table sugar along with the dry ingredients. 5) UNBOXING VIDEOS9 TAKEAWAYS1. If you're looking for a less processed sweetener, unrefined and raw sugars are for you 2. Unrefined cane sugars offer a more complex flavor and boost to your recipes 3. Unrefined, raw, and regular brown sugars can be used interchangeably 4. All brown sugars will give a molasses flavor to your recipe 5. One does not necessarily taste better than the other 6. Nutritionally speaking, one is not better than another 7. All brown sugars provide about 16 calories per teaspoon and a GI of 62±2 8. Unrefined and organic brown sugars cost much more than refined ones 9. Choose unrefined sugars for their unique taste, aroma, culinary benefits, and satisfaction. WhatSugar Blog is reader-supported. When you buy through amazon links, this blog may earn an affiliate commission, at no cost to you. Affiliate links help keep this website ads-free. When you make a purchase, you support our work. Share Your Experience and the Sweeteners You Love Here! Share anything you'd like. Point out pros or cons. What is your favorite brand? How does it taste? How does it look? Any good or bad experiences? What do you like about it? What drove you to purchase it? What is your favorite way to eat it? Why do you like to eat it? How is the taste? It goes well with some specific foods? How much did you pay ($ and size)? #unrefinedsugar #refinedsugar #brownsugar #canesugar #muscovadosugar #sucanat #sweetenerreview #bestsweetener How much sweeter is brown sugar than white?Comparison chart. Which sugar is healthier brown or white?If we consider calorie content, brown sugar has comparatively fewer calories than white sugar, making it a better option for weight loss. However, there are alternatives that can be an excellent choice if you are looking to cut down on sugar. Stevia, jaggery, honey or maple syrup are great options and aids weight loss.
Is brown sugar more sweet?White sugar and brown sugar have the same degree of sweetness, so you can exchange the two. But. As we mentioned above, brown sugar has a little different flavor than white sugar, so you might notice a change in the flavor of your recipe.
Which sugar type is the sweetest?Of common sugars, fructose is the sweetest, especially at low concentrations. Sugar concentrations above 0.2% are generally required to exhibit perceptible sweetness.
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