Author: Joe Fowler
Time for reading: ~2
minutes
Last Updated:
August 08, 2022
Learn how to cook "Is there a difference between white and brown sugar". Delicious recipe.
We have been told for years that white sugar is harmful , and its useful alternative is brown sugar . Of course, it has many varieties, some of which are characterized by many health benefits, but here we will talk about the mass brown sugar that we find in stores and looks like a crystal, but with a caramel hue.
Given that white and brown sugar come from the same plant (sugar cane or sugar beet), they have a very similar composition.
In most cases, brown sugar is a mixture of white sugar and molasses (a residual product of sugar production). Molasses is responsible for darker color and increased nutritional value.
A small difference between them is that brown sugar has a higher content of calcium, iron and potassium . But anyway, the amount is minimal, and on the other hand, sugar is not a good source of vitamins and minerals.
Brown sugar also has fewer calories than white sugar - something we choose it for. In fact, the difference is negligible - 1 teaspoon of brown sugar has 15 calories, and the same amount of white - 16.3 calories.
The method of production of white and brown sugar is identical - both are extracted from the same plant, and then go through processing to form crystals. When white refined sugar is obtained, it is colored with a small amount of molasses and veil - you have brown sugar, at a higher price, with almost identical nutritional value and taste. In fact, in the process of processing, one of the tasks is to remove the molasses from the sugar ... so that it can be colored with it later ?! Here it is important to remember that this is the ordinary brown sugar that we buy, and not the various types that are obtained without refining, such as cane, muscovado and others.
In cooking, brown and white sugar are used differently. Brown still has some moisture from molasses, so its use is not preferred for fluffy desserts, which aim to swell and air. But it is very suitable for fragrant biscuits and heavy chocolate cakes.
If you're wondering which sugar is better to use, it doesn't really matter. Choose the one that tastes better to you, sugar anyway, in any form, do not expect it to bring you health benefits. As you know, it is one of the main culprits for obesity, so it is good to limit its consumption as much as possible.