Brown sugar vs. white sugar. The verdict is out!

Brown sugar vs. white sugar. The verdict is out!

We have been made to believe that brown is better than white; brown bread is better than white, brown rice is better than white.

And the same pattern has been extended to

sugar

too - but is brown sugar

really better than white or is it just an illusion or clever marketing gimmick. Allow us to break down the difference in composition between the two variants to help you understand whether switching to brown sugar will do you any good.

How is brown sugar made?

When white sugar is made from sugarcane plants, molasses is separated and removed from it. To tell you clearly, brown sugar is basically white (or unprocessed) sugar that still contain molasses (brown sugary syrup), giving it the brown colour. Unrefined brown sugar is the one that still has some molasses from the original process. Refined brown sugar is made by adding molasses to the refined white sugar.

Furthermore, sulphur is very commonly used to remove impurities from white sugar, and as a result, a small amount of sulphur is still present in sugar, which is very hazardous for health.

Health benefits of brown sugar

While both the variants of sugar differ greatly in taste, it is the presence of molasses that gives brown sugar added minerals including calcium, potassium, magnesium and iron. White sugar, on the other hand, is deprived of all these minerals, making the brown variant a slightly healthier alternative for day to day use.

Interestingly, there are several varieties of brown sugar available in the market,

1. Unrefined sugar

This is the most natural kind of brown sugar, which is known to retain nutrients including iron and magnesium. The sugar crystals are slightly larger than the white sugar and it is light gold in colour. What makes unrefined, raw sugar the ideal choice is that it is free of any kind of chemicals and tastes just like honey.

2. Demerara sugar

It is a light brown sugar and is most commonly used in baking. This variety of sugar is partially-processed and has a caramel-like taste.

3. Dark brown sugar

This variant lends extra flavour and taste to the sweet dishes.

Here's how you can make brown sugar at home

You can easily prepare brown sugar at home by mixing one tablespoon of molasses in a cup of white sugar. Stir the molasses and sugar together till the time sugar crystals are completely coated with molasses. Ensure that your store it in an airtight container.

The final verdict

While brown sugar may have some extra minerals, they are present in such a tiny amount that in the end they don't have any real health benefits.

Ultimately, the whole debate of brown sugar being healthier than white sugar is just a marketing gimmick because you are consuming the same amount of calories even if you are replacing white sugar with brown.