Brown Sugar vs White Sugar
The distinction between Brown Sugar and White Sugar goes beyond just their colors. Sugar is a staple ingredient in many kitchens, used in everything from coffee to baked goods. While white sugar crystals are more widespread, brown sugar is also available and preferred by some. Brown sugar is better for baking, but white sugar is sweeter. There are other differences between brown sugar and white sugar as well.
One common myth is that brown sugar is healthier than white sugar, but the US Department of Agriculture states that brown sugar contains 17kcal per teaspoon, while white sugar contains 16kcal per teaspoon. This means there is not much difference in terms of health benefits.
What is White Sugar?
White sugar is produced from sugarcane plants, with molasses being separated and removed to give the sugar its white color. The production process involves pressing sugarcane and mixing it with lime, then evaporating the liquid to allow for crystallization. These light brown crystals are then spun in a centrifuge to separate them and left to dry, creating raw sugar. This raw sugar is then washed with hot water and goes through more centrifugation and filtration to produce white sugar. The white sugar crystals are crushed to create different sizes and types of white sugar, which is dry and free-flowing.
What is Brown Sugar?
Brown sugar is sometimes called raw sugar, but it is actually white sugar that has had molasses reintroduced to it. Manufacturers mix in 3.5% to 6.5% molasses by volume, turning the sugar brown and allowing for better control over sugar crystal shaping. The addition of molasses does give brown sugar trace amounts of minerals like calcium, iron, potassium, and magnesium, but the amounts are too small to offer significant health benefits. Brown sugar is essentially sucrose plus molasses and is moist and sticky. It dries out quickly if left open, and due to being unrefined, it contains more minerals than white sugar.
The different physical properties of brown and white sugar make them suitable for different uses. Brown sugar is better for recipes that require moist cakes and biscuits, while white sugar is preferred for tea or coffee due to its sweeter taste.
What is the difference between Brown Sugar and White Sugar?
- White sugar is made from sugarcane plants and beets, while brown sugar is made by reintroducing molasses to white sugar.
- White sugar is refined and free-flowing, whereas brown sugar is unrefined and moist.
- White sugar is sweeter than brown sugar.
- Brown sugar provides a richer flavor to baked goods, but white sugar is preferable for coffee, tea, etc.
- Brown sugar loses moisture and becomes dry when left open, while white sugar does not have this issue.
- White sugar undergoes less of a production process than brown sugar.
