Is Brown Sugar a Healthy Option?

People who are highly conscious about their health, weight and diet are always looking out for options that can minimize their calorie intake while offering a good amount of nutrients. Whenever we talk about healthy food, the first and foremost thing that you strike off from your palette is ‘Sugar’. However, no matter how hard you try, you tend to eat those sugars in some or the other form. Brown Sugar is the new muse amongst the health enthusiasts. However, before digging into its benefits and issues, let’s understand how exactly brown sugar is made!

The Manufacturing Process

White sugar manufacture procedure includes extraction of sugarcane juice which is followed by processes like boiling, filtration, and centrifugation. This results in sugar granules i.e. white sugar which is further refined using many chemicals. Brown sugar, on the other hand, is far less refined than the white sugar and has a small amount of molasses which is left intentionally in the product to eliminate chemical processing. This leaves certain minerals in the sugar which is almost negligible in white sugar, hence, it is considered as a healthy option.

Brown Sugar Vs White Sugar

A lot of debate has been in the market regarding a better option. While some believe that only white sugar can bring out the exact taste of the dish, some say that brown sugar is equally good when it comes to taste, appearance and nutritional value. Let’s compare the two to have a fair idea about which one is better and why!

• Mineral Content: Since brown sugar is made up of molasses, it is a rich source of minerals like potassium, calcium, magnesium, Vitamin B etc. Although, these are not enough to fulfill your daily mineral requirement but still offer you something which might be lacking in white sugar.
• Counting Calories: We are about to break a notion by letting you know that white sugar and brown sugar has almost equal amount of calories. Hence, it totally depends on your taste to choose amongst the two.
• Texture: White sugar is colorless, odorless and is generally paired with salt while making desserts and savories. Since brown sugar is acidic, it works wonders if paired with baking soda. Various chefs have revealed that while baking always uses white sugar if you are looking for a crispy texture and brown sugar can be used to achieve softness in the baked product.

Your cooking preferences might influence your purchase as brown sugar gives you a much rich texture as compared to white sugar which is plain. Brown sugar is the preferred choice of coffee and tea lovers worldwide. So brown i.e. demerara sugar is the definitely better sugar in your kitchen!