Sugar is loved by adults and children, it improves brain function and improves mood. In Russia and the CIS countries, mostly white sugar was eaten, but not so long ago brown sugar was brought to our country. And many sweet tooth since then are interested in the question: cane sugar and regular - what is the difference between them? And does it exist at all?
How is beet sugar obtained?
To get everyone's favorite beet sugar, people use sugar beets. In the middle of the eighteenth century, the German chemist Andreas Marggraf published his numerous observations on how sugar was extracted from sugar beets. Records of a talented scientist have survived to our time.
The French commander Napoleon Bonaparte tried with all his might to improve the production of beet sugar in France in order not to buy sugar from Great Britain.
In 1802 Alexander Blankenagel opened the first white sugar factory in the Russian Empire. I. A. Maltsev, with the help of the counts of the Bobrinskys, improved the production of sugar in the Russian Empire. In 1897, more than two hundred sugar factories were operating in the Russian state.
How is cane sugar made?
Sugar cane is used to make cane sugar. At the end of the fifteenth century, the navigator H. Columbus brought to about. Haiti sugarcane. Over time, sugar cane began to grow in India and the United States. In the sixteenth century, a cane sugar factory began its work in Germany. But despite this, sugar for a long time remained an object of wealth and luxury.
It grows over several years. Sugarcane is harvested in two ways by hand or by agricultural machinery. The stems are cut into small pieces and taken to processing plants. At the factory, the sugar cane stalks are finely crushed and the juice is extracted with pure water.
First, the juice is subjected to maximum heat in order to destroy numerous enzymes. The resulting syrup is passed through several evaporators, after this procedure, all the water comes out. After the above procedure, sugar crystals begin to form. The resulting crystals have a brown tint and are completely ready for use.
What are the benefits of cane sugar?
Cane sugar is 88% sucrose. But in addition to sucrose, brown sugar also contains at least useful material:
- Potassium- improves heart function and strengthens blood vessels, lowers blood pressure. Promotes the absorption of proteins and fats. Cleanses the intestines and removes accumulated toxins from the human body;
- Calcium- improves the condition of bones and tooth enamel. Promotes blood clotting and has a beneficial effect on brain function;
- Zinc- preserves youthfulness of the skin and makes hair thick and shiny;
- Copper- improves the human immune system;
- Phosphorus- improves brain and heart function;
- Iron- strengthens blood vessels.
Brown sugar is extremely beneficial for the human body and should be included in your diet.
Harm of cane sugar
Unfortunately, sugar brings our body more disadvantages than advantages. However, it should be remembered that sugar harms the sweet tooth only if he consumes it in considerable quantities.
And eating even brown sugar can lead to such serious diseases as:
- Diabetes;
- Excess weight;
- Atherosclerosis;
- Allergic reaction.
If a person has diabetes, then he should try to completely eliminate sugar from his diet, or at least drastically reduce its amount. With pancreatitis, bronchial asthma and oncology, you should also limit the use of any sugar.
In the store, when buying cane sugar, give preference to sugar in a transparent package. So you can carefully consider its appearance. Carefully read the composition on the label, it should say that sugar unrefined.
Very often, tinted beet sugar is sold under the guise of cane sugar, of course, such a food product will not harm your body, but you will not get much benefit from this sugar. And pay for it like brown sugar, which is much more expensive than white sugar.
What are the benefits of beet sugar?
In our native white sugar, there are also many useful substances. Beet sugar contains useful trace elements, but manufacturers often do not write about this on the packaging. After the manufacture of beet sugar remains, dark molasses. And molasses is used to produce livestock feed and alcohol.
Beetroot juice contains not only sugar, but also a lot of other useful substances:
- Protein;
- Pectin;
- oxalic acid;
- malic acid;
- citric acid;
- Potassium;
- Sodium;
- Magnesium;
- Cesium;
- Iron.
But it is worth noting that the manufacturers of white granulated sugar are behind the times. In Soviet times, yellow granulated sugar was sold. If the enterprises did not have time to produce white granulated sugar, then the sellers put yellow sugar on the shelves of stores. Nowadays, brown sugar would cost more than white sugar, as it is enriched with organic elements.
Harm of beet sugar
Beet sugar harms our body only if we eat in large quantities. Because granulated sugar, like any other food product, should be consumed in moderation.
Excessive consumption of beet sugar leads to serious consequences such as:
- Decreased immunity;
- Improper metabolism;
- Increase in cholesterol;
- Oncological diseases;
- Destruction of tooth enamel;
- Excess weight;
- Allergic reaction.
Now you know the pros and cons of cane sugar and beet sugar. Now you will be able to answer the question, "what's the difference between cane sugar and regular sugar"? Each of them has useful and harmful properties. The main thing is not to use them in large quantities. And what sugar to choose is up to you!
Video about the difference between cane and regular sugar
Fashionable products have been pushed aside: unrefined and underrefined cane sugar, caramelized crystals, etc. As a result, sugar in stores is offered at prices ranging from 40 to 300 rubles. for packing. Is it worth paying that kind of money for it?
twin brothers
About 30% of sugar in the world, according to the Union of Sugar Producers of Russia, is made from sugar beets. It is grown in Russia and Ukraine, as well as in European countries. The remaining 70% is cane sugar, which grows only in the tropics and subtropics (the leaders in production are Brazil, India, Cuba, Mauritius, and Thailand). Both sugars can be refined and. “If the sugar is white, refined, it doesn’t matter what plant - beets or cane - it was obtained from, it contains 99.9% pure sucrose,” said AiF. Marina Moiseyak, Associate Professor, Department of Technology of Sugar, Subtropical and Food Flavoring Products, MGUPP. Today, many claim that white sugar is dangerous because of the strong chemical purification. According to the expert, surfactants are indeed used in the manufacture of sugar - active detergents, but in order to avoid them in the finished product, the sugar is spun in a centrifuge and washed with clean artesian water.
Brown...poison
People leading a healthy lifestyle are switching to brown unrefined sugar. It is believed that it has fewer calories (377 kcal - versus 387 kcal of regular sugar), and it is also less likely that it was "washed" with chemistry. In addition, it takes longer to be absorbed by the body. “In fact, the fact that cane brown sugar is better than white is a myth, 
invented by manufacturers and marketers - I'm sure Aleksey Kovalkov, dietitian, specialist in proper nutrition. - Moreover, such sugar can be more dangerous than refined sugar. It is transported by ships from the countries of Latin America and Asia, and so that rodents do not spoil it, poison is laid between the bags. Sugar, having an excellent ability to absorb moisture, absorbs part of the poisons together with moisture from the air. Often in unrefined cane sugar, dangerous trace elements go off scale!
According to him, the benefits of molasses - dark brown molasses, which is condensed cane juice - are greatly exaggerated. Yes, it contains phosphorus, calcium, iron, provitamins and amino acids, but... no more than in a glass of water! To get the daily norm of nutrients, you need to eat 1-2 kg of sugar. The harm will be much greater than the benefit. It is better to drink vitamins in a tablet.
Expensive and fashionable
There is one more reason to think before buying expensive brown sugar. A year ago, "AiF" together with the Society for the Protection of Consumer Rights "Public Control". Without exception, all samples turned out to be cheap refined sugar, painted brown! "Refined sugar was 
covered with a thin film of molasses, it is not illegal, although dishonest, - explained Marina Tsirenina, expert who conducted the tests. “Less conscientious producers can color refined sugar with artificial sugar color.” At that time, almost all the producers of pseudo-cane sugar called the editorial office, lamenting that they had been slandered. But no one dared to go to court and prove the opposite.
By the way, in production, unrefined cane sugar is cheaper than refined. So the marketers who made the whole world buy it at exorbitant prices get a solid five for their work! Remember the yellowish beet sugar sold in Soviet times. It was cheaper than snow-white refined sugar and was considered a second-rate product. But this is, in fact, the same thing - sugar not refined from molasses.
Like caramel
Another sweet novelty is caramelized sugar, which is sold in the form of attractive crystals. Often on a stick. This is convenient to dissolve in a cup or use as a candy. But these crystals are made from melted at a high temperature ... the same refined sugar.
And often such sugar has an unpleasant bonus: when heated for a long time, hydroxymethylfurfural, a toxic mutagen, can form in it.
“Any sugar, regardless of the raw materials from which it is produced, in large quantities is a poison that causes addiction,” sums up A. Kovalkov. - Today, without noticing, we eat half a kilo of sugar a day - with fruits, pastries, ketchup, soups and cereals, because sugar is put almost everywhere. In the entire history of mankind, people have never consumed so much sugar! 5-6 years of such a sweet life - and diabetes is guaranteed.
If you really can’t do without sugar, you can buy simple granulated sugar (how to choose it - see infographic) - it is the cheapest, but far from the worst.
What to replace?
Jerusalem artichoke syrup. Sweet pomace from the root crop, which grows in Russia as well, is suitable for adding to any dishes. Instead of sucrose, it contains fructose. Approved for diabetics. From 200 rub. for 500 g.
■ Maple syrup. Famous Canadian sweet. They can sweeten anything you cook. From 350 rub. for 500 g.
■ Agave nectar. In Russia, this cactus does not grow, so the nectar is expensive - from 500 rubles. for 500 g.
■ Stevia leaves. Natural sweetener - a special aster native to South America. Powdered leaves are 10 times sweeter than sugar, but have an aftertaste. From 1 thousand rubles. per 1 kg
How to choose sugar?
Unrefined cane sugar
Look for the word “unrefined” on the packaging, not “dark”, “golden” or “brown”, which do not mean anything.
The type of cane sugar must be indicated on the package. For example: demerara (golden brown large crystals), muscovado (large crystals, dark brown), turbinado (partially refined in the turbine, golden yellow), black barbados (sticky, almost black).
Brown sugar has a strong specific aroma of exotic juice.
It has crystals of different sizes, the same crystals indicate that it has been processed.
Cannot be as loose as refined sugar. Its crystals are sticky due to molasses, sugar is wet, sticks together in lumps that turn to stone in the air.
Dip the spoonful of raw sugar into the glass, but do not stir. If the sugar is dyed, the water will turn brownish or yellow. Good sugar will keep the color and the water will stay clear.
white granulated sugar
Prefer packaged at the enterprise, not in the store. The name of a large manufacturer gives hope that the cleaning technology was carried out correctly and there were no household chemicals left in the sugar.
According to GOST R 53396-2009, there are two categories: extra and first. For the consumer, there is no difference in them, but manufacturers must indicate the category.
In addition, the following data must be indicated on the package:
Raw materials (beet or raw cane sugar);
The nutritional value,
Year of manufacture and date of packaging.
If the package says that the sugar contains sulfur dioxide (perhaps needed for sugar refining) or GM products are used (sugar beet is often modified), it is hardly worth buying it.
White lumpy
It can be instant (dissolution time - up to 10 minutes) and strong (more than 10 minutes). This does not characterize the quality of sugar, but indicates how strongly the crystals are compressed into pieces.
The package of lump sugar must contain the same data as on a pack of granulated sugar.
Powdered sugar
Don't buy it, better make it yourself. The fact is that the composition of the powder always contains anti-caking agents: corn starch, tricalcium phosphate, magnesium carbonate, silicon dioxide, calcium silicate, magnesium trisilicate, sodium aluminosilicate or calcium aluminosilicate. Without them, the powder will clump during storage.
| Infographics by Yana Laikova |
surprisingly, brown sugar, extracted from sugar cane, appeared much earlier than white. First, he conquered India, then went to travel around Europe, and only then, together with Christopher Columbus, crossed the ocean to stop at the beautiful Hispaniola, now better known as the Dominican Republic. It was there that the largest sugar cane plantations were set up in order to establish regular supplies for the European nobility. Accessories were immediately invented for the new favorite: sugar bowls, tongs and stirring spoons.
Brown sugar is useful due to the content of black molasses in it, the so-called molasses - a thick liquid with a specific aroma. It is in molasses that the palette of such vital trace elements as potassium, calcium, zinc, magnesium, copper, phosphorus and iron is full. Potassium cleanses the intestines and removes toxins from the body, it regulates blood pressure and is involved in the metabolism of proteins and fats. Without potassium, normal cardiac activity would not be possible.
Calcium is known to strengthen bones and teeth. And it is extremely important for the blood coagulation system, and is necessary for the normal functioning of the nervous system. Also, without calcium, the muscles will not contract properly.
But zinc is involved in the processes of hematopoiesis, helps to normalize fat metabolism. It is necessary for the growth of skin cells, hair and wound healing.
Copper helps the growth and development of the body, participates in the construction of many proteins and enzymes, and also takes part in the activity of the immune system.
Magnesium speeds up metabolism, prevents the process of stone formation. In addition, magnesium helps the body adapt to the cold.
Phosphorus, which is contained in cane sugar, is involved in metabolic processes. This mineral is found in cells, especially cell membranes, and is vital for strong bones because, in the form of calcium phosphate, it is the main structural component of bones and teeth. Phosphorus is simply necessary for the functioning of the brain, heart muscle and skeletal muscles.
A lack of phosphorus can cause energy problems and metabolic disorders. Iron is very useful for the circulatory system.
Since this product is a complex complex carbohydrate, its absorption is slow, and brown sugar is useful for anyone who is losing weight. It is actively used in healthy eating, diets, recovery after training. In addition, due to its specific properties and high quality, cane sugar is indispensable in baby food, as well as in the nutrition of people prone to allergies.
It is not for nothing that various types of brown sugar are an integral ingredient in Japanese cuisine, which is the standard for a balanced diet.
In fact, it's just amazing, but on the streets of Tokyo it's hard to meet not only obese, but overweight Japanese women.
It is the Japanese who have long been leading the world in terms of average life expectancy. Experts believe that this is due to the consumption of healthy natural products and brown sugar.
Cane brown sugar is ideal for coffee and tea. It not only adds sweetness to them, but enhances their flavor. No wonder in European countries cane brown sugar is called "tea sugar".
A few years ago, few people in our country knew about brown sugar. But the fashion for health and diet has done its job. There was a need to replace the usual sugar for something else, tasty and healthy.
Brown sugar came to the rescue. Suffice it to say that for us brown sugar is a new product, but all over the world it is ordinary sugar that they have been using for decades. Brown sugar is also sold and bought there, just like our favorite granulated sugar.
Brown sugar is made from sugar cane. But unlike ordinary cane sugar, it does not undergo such cruel processing and all useful substances remain in it. So brown sugar can be a source of potassium and calcium for your body, brown sugar also has copper and iron. Moreover, the number of these trace elements is quite large. Brown sugar gets its color from molasses. It is black molasses that is a storehouse of vitamins and microelements.
Brown sugar can be of different shades, depending on how much molasses it contains. Different types of brown sugar have different flavors and smells. Some people may find the smell of brown sugar unpleasant. But by adding brown sugar to coffee or tea, you get a delicious aroma with a unique touch.
Brown sugar is great for baking. There are special recipes with brown sugar, and if you replace it, then the dish simply does not work out. It's like replacing wheat flour with rye flour. Brown sugar made specifically for baking comes in a variety of flavors, such as brown sugar with cinnamon or brown sugar with mint.
Brown sugar is not as widespread in our country as in Europe and America. Brown sugar is worthy of standing in our kitchen, poured into a sugar bowl. Time will pass and brown sugar will occupy a worthy niche in the domestic market. This is due to the fact that people are becoming more and more concerned about their nutrition and health. And brown sugar, like no other, has a positive effect on health and general tone.
The love of sweets, instilled by centuries of consumption of beet sugar, will not disappear. Therefore, those who think about themselves and their families will use brown sugar, at least in half with beet sugar.
Brown sugar is neither exotic nor rare. In many countries, this is a common product. We're just not used to it. The only truly healthy brown sugar is cane sugar. There are several varieties of brown sugar.
Golden Granulated - These light golden granules are ideal for coffee, tea, fruit salads and cereals.
Demerara - sugar, which has a specific rich aroma, can cause some shock in people who are used to the fact that sugar does not smell at all. The first thought is that something was added there. In fact, it smells like molasses released during the processing of sugar cane, that is, the most natural product that is. Connoisseurs add demerara to coffee - this gives the taste of the drink an additional piquancy.
Muskovado - in light molasses less, in dark, respectively, more. The first has a delicate aroma and taste, reminiscent of cream fudge. It is good for baking and making creams. Dark Muscovado has a dark brown, almost black color and a very moist texture. Some gourmets eat this sugar in its pure form. And it is also perfect for making original sauces, seasonings for dishes, mousses and mulled wine.
Origin, production.
Probably, Nero also knew sugar, saccharum (from the Sanskrit sarkura). Brown sugar grains were prepared from sugar cane juice and imported to Europe from India. Egypt, at that time a province of the Roman Empire, was an intermediary in trade with India. Later, the Romans cultivated sugar cane in Sicily and southern Spain, but this tradition was lost with the fall of the Empire.
The first crusaders, having arrived in Lebanon, learned about a wonderful plant that reached 7 meters in height and gave sweet juice. It was called honey cane. Soon, plantations of this plant appeared in Spain, southern France, on the island of Madeira, as well as on the Mediterranean islands - Rhodes, Crete, Cyprus, Sicily. However, Venice remained the center of the sugar trade, buying it in the East.
For a long time, sugar was considered a drug: they were sold in pharmacies. Everything changed with the discovery of America. Through Antwerp and Hamburg, Caribbean sugar was imported to Europe. It was a luxury, a symbol of wealth. It was kept in silver boxes, locked with a key. They were traded for their weight in gold. At the courts of kings and princes, table vases made from brown sugar were in vogue.
For the sake of "brown gold" fierce wars were fought. In 1520, the Netherlands attacked one of the most important Portuguese colonies - Brazil and destroyed all sugar cane plantations. So they dealt with their main competitor: after all, “honey cane” was also grown on the island of Java, which belonged to the Netherlands. In the XVII - XVIII centuries. a number of Spanish colonies that supplied sugar to Europe were taken from the weakened power. The islands of Barbados and Jamaica went to England, while Martinique and Santo Domingo (now the Dominican Republic) went to France.
After the decline of the Spanish Empire, Great Britain became the main supplier of sugar to the world market. The British made it fashionable to sweeten tea with sugar.
in continental Europe in the eighteenth century. sugar was consumed in moderation. Other sovereigns were still trying to find a replacement for overseas sweets. Thus, the famous Prussian monarch Frederick the Great (1712 - 1786), sparing money on importing sugar, cherished the hope that the German land could also give birth to honey plants. He commissioned the chemist Andreas Marggraf (1709 - 1782) to find "a breadwinner in his own country". In 1747, the scientist's attention was drawn to beet roots, where he discovered sugar crystals. However, only half a century later, Marggraf's student, Franz-Karl Arhad (1753 - 1821), managed to breed beets with a high sugar content and developed a method for extracting valuable raw materials from them. The news of "German sugar" quickly reached London and caused a stir among the dealers in sweet luxury. Arkhad was soon offered 50,000 thalers on the condition that he curtail his production. However, he refused even the 200,000 thalers offered to him in the end.
At the end of the nineteenth century. the time of the monopoly on sugar is irrevocably over. It has become a public commodity. The era of affordable white beet sugar has arrived. However, brown sugar has not completely disappeared, it has become a special elite product, and an integral part of secular tea parties.
The appearance of sugar in Russia was first mentioned in the annals of the 13th century. Before that, our ancestors delighted their lives with other means: honey, sweet sap of maple, linden, birch. They even managed to make marshmallows from these products. However, in those days, there was nothing special to use sugar with: our ancestors did not know coffee or cocoa, and they drank tea only from the infusion of various herbs. Sometimes pieces of sweet white beets, which grow in almost every garden, were added there.
You can find any sugar in the store now. And instant, and candy, and such that only with tea in a bite. Both white and brown... You can't cook porridge with brown, by the way. Very expensive ... But coffee or tea is another matter. The aroma of brown sugar promises to set off the taste of any drink ... Which sugar is still sweeter, healthier and how much can you eat?
Why is brown so expensive?
Brown sugar is not produced in Russia. It is imported from Sweden and England. Sugar cane does not grow there either, but there are production facilities for the processing of raw sugar.
This long transcontinental journey - from a cane plantation in Brazil to a Russian stall - explains the high price of brown sugar only in part. The main reason, according to manufacturers, is expensive production. and small production volumes.
Sugar cane is processed freshly cut, within a day, which makes it possible to preserve natural microelements and even vitamins in sugar. The manufacturer writes on the boxes: "Organic brown sugar." And it hits every lover of a healthy lifestyle not in the eyebrow, but in the eye.
Yet fashion - that's what dictates the high price in fact. Fashion goods are always sold and bought more expensive.
Is unrefined healthier than refined?
In fact, people have been eating brown sugar since antiquity. The darker the sugar, the more organic impurities from the juice of the plant. The whiter - the more thoroughly the sugar is refined.
It's like vegetable oil. About 20 years ago, everyone sacredly believed in the benefits of refined oil. It’s more useful to fry on it - it doesn’t smoke in a frying pan, it doesn’t poison with carcinogens, there is no smell. But today, unrefined oil is already in fashion. Only in it the most valuable biologically active substances are preserved.
So it is with sugar. 150 years ago, the Dutch ambassador begged the Russian emperor to reduce duties on brown sugar imported from the Dutch colonies, since the Russians did not want to buy such sugar, and even at exorbitant prices. But they willingly took white granulated sugar imported from Cuba. White sugar is the sweetest, the purest! - was out of competition.
Today, brown cane sugar from the Dutch colonies would sell with a bang. Brown - means not purified from the so-called black molasses. Yesterday, molasses was considered a waste of sugar production and was used to produce rum. Today we realized that black molasses is awfully useful, because it contains a lot of trace elements: potassium, calcium, iron ...
Such is the paradox. They have been killed for centuries to achieve the whiteness of sugar. But it turned out that the horse was not fed. A refined product is always less useful than one that is closer to nature, more natural.
What are the benefits of beet sugar?
Against the background of foreign brown sugar, white sugar obtained from beets has its own advantages.
Firstly, it also contains microelements, it's just that we somehow don't usually declare this on the label. There are not as many of them as in cane sugar, but still there.
Secondly, sugar beet production also has molasses in its waste. It has traditionally been used in the production of alcohol and for livestock feed - as a valuable nutrient. Still would! Indeed, in addition to sugar, beet juice contains pectins, proteins, useful organic acids - oxalic, malic, citric, as well as potassium, sodium, magnesium, cesium, iron ...
However, beet sugar producers are somewhat behind the times. More precisely, from fashion. Remember, brown sugar was often sold in the Soviet era? If the factories could not cope with the production of first-class white sand - at 84 kopecks per kilogram, second-class yellow sand - at 78 kopecks - went on sale.
Today, that yellow sugar would be much more expensive as a rich source of organic matter.
How much sugar should you eat?
Sugar is needed by the body for normal metabolism. It provides living cells with energy.
One hundred years ago, the British were the champions in sugar consumption - 40 kg per capita per year. A resident of Russia at that time ate only 5 kilograms, and an Italian even less - 2.7 kg.
Since then, sugar consumption in the world has been steadily increasing. And today, the World Health Organization considers the norm of sugar consumption - harmless to health - 38 kg per person per year. Russian nutritionists recommend 30-35 kg. True, the most strict advocates of organic nutrition - nowhere is healthier! - insist on a minimum: 2 kg of pure refined sugar per year - and no more. Radicals believe that this is quite enough for the normal functioning of the brain. It is better not to argue with the radicals, but decide for yourself how much there is.
Napoleon was the godfather of sugar
Cane sugar appeared long ago, at the turn of the first and second millennia. And sugar began to be made from beets only a century and a half ago.
Napoleon I is considered the godfather of beet sugar. It was like this. Constantly at war with England, the French emperor decided to put another stick in the enemy's wheel - to create competition for the goods that the British imported to Europe from their colonies.
They remembered the report of the Berlin academician Andreas Margraf, in which the scientist casually mentioned the possibility of extracting sugar from beet roots. Connected their scientists. And soon beet-sugar factories began to grow like mushrooms all over France. Napoleon did not skimp on bonuses and free distribution of land for construction.
The Germans followed. So the two powers - France and Germany - remain the most "sugar-beet" in Europe until now. But offended England to this day does not have sugar beet production, buying sugar in other countries.
What can replace sugar?
Ever since humanity has been fascinated by the fight against obesity and artificial sugar substitutes have been included in food, disputes about whether they are harmful to health or not have not stopped.
This also applies to aspartame, the most common artificial sweetener today. In most countries, it is declared a safe food supplement, but scientists are far from final clarity. Supporters and opponents, with varying degrees of success, extract arguments "for" (there is no caries from aspartame!) and "against" (it is impossible to get a healthy organic product by chemical synthesis!). Meanwhile, it is becoming more and more difficult to get away from aspartame: juices, sweet carbonated drinks, marshmallows, yoghurts, chewing gum - manufacturers add aspartame everywhere.
The food industry also uses xylitol instead of sugar. The presence of artificial substitutes in the product can be recognized by the consumer by the attractive warning: "Manufactured without sugar."
By the way, if we talk about how to replace sugar, do not forget about honey. This natural sweetener is more diverse and valuable in composition - glucose, fructose, organic and mineral substances.
Many people involuntarily believe that brown sugar is one of the healthiest foods. It is possible that the reason for this is its natural light brown color. Indeed, brown sugar has a color that is closer to natural, but this does not indicate that it is more beneficial than white sugar. The difference between brown and white sugar is expressed in the purification process: the former is not as long as the latter. Thus, brown sugar can be considered as a transitional product, without which the production of white sugar is impossible.
Due to the shorter processing time, sufficient to obtain brown sugar, it retains a greater amount of vitamins and minerals useful for the body. However, in general, this does not make it healthier: their number is so negligible that it does not allow us to consider such sugar a valuable nutritious product.
Brown sugar contains the same amount of calories as traditional white sugar. Even that brown sugar is better for teeth remains a myth: when consumed in excess, it "helps" the development of cavities, just like white sugar.
Distinctive features of the two types of sugar
What characterizes brown sugar? Both white and brown sugar are based on raw sugar. It can be obtained from both sugar cane and sugar beets. At the initial stage of processing, it thickens into a syrup - the so-called molasses, dark brown molasses, is obtained. Commercially available household sugar is obtained by further processing, that is, after decolorization and purification. When brown sugar is obtained, syrup residue remains, giving the sugar a brown color and a slightly malty smell. In terms of their chemical composition, white and brown sugars do not differ from each other.
Brown sugar contains more water due to the low degree of purification. It provides an ideal habitat for microorganisms and becomes unusable faster than refined sugar.
Which sugar is preferred is a matter of taste and appearance.
Brown sugar gives cakes and gingerbread a slightly caramelized flavor and appeal. In addition, when stored in a jar on the kitchen shelf, it looks more beautiful.
In stores, white cane sugar and brown sugar candy or caramel are more common. In its production, sugar cane juice is first filtered, then concentrated, dried and crushed. If the refining process is skipped, more nutrients are retained.
Brown sugar candies are obtained by crystallizing and caramelizing sugar syrup, which turns into a solid mass. Typical lollipops are obtained when the mass is crushed. The candy looks like a clear crystal and is delicious with any kind of tea.
Both brown and white sugar have nothing to do with healthy sweeteners. Therefore, you should not get carried away with them: enjoy sugar in moderation.
Brown sugar has long been in high demand among health conscious people. What is the secret of this product, how does it differ from the usual white sugar, and what benefits does its use promise for the body? Let's figure it out.
Brown sugar - what is it?
Brown sugar is a product of sugar cane processing, which retains the color and taste of the molasses included in the cane juice. A distinctive feature of brown sugar is that it does not go through the bleaching stage during the production process.
A bit of history
In ancient times, brown sugar crystals extracted from cane were the first sugar that people began to enrich their diet with. The first mention of this wonderful plant dates back to the time of Alexander the Great. India is considered to be the birthplace of cane sugar, from which this product spread throughout Europe. In the 16th century brown cane sugar was a symbol of luxury and wealth. This product, which became the cause of wars of conquest, was an integral guest of the royal table. In modern times, brown sugar is not something unusual and outlandish, because everyone can afford to buy it.
White and brown sugar: what's the difference?
Brown sugar has a number of undeniable advantages over its white counterpart. White sugar is a refined product obtained from the chemical processing of brown sugar. To obtain it, various bleaching agents are used, some of which, “settling” in white sugar, penetrate the human body with it. Brown sugar, the recipe for which does not provide for this kind of cleaning, is more natural and environmentally friendly.
The brown color of sugar is associated with the presence in its composition of components such as molasses or molasses, which have a lot of useful minerals. Therefore, brown cane sugar in terms of biological value is largely ahead of white.
Brown sugar: benefits and chemical composition of the product
Cane sugar for 85-98%, depending on the country of origin, consists of sucrose. In addition, the constituent components of this product are a number of trace elements useful for the human body.
So, potassium, which is part of brown sugar, helps cleanse the intestines, removes accumulated toxins, regulates blood pressure and is an active participant in the process of fat and protein metabolism. Without this mineral, normal heart function is impossible.
As you know, calcium, which is also present in unrefined cane sugar, is responsible for the condition of teeth and bones, helps to strengthen them. It is also of great importance for the full functioning of the nervous system and the blood coagulation system.
Zinc is called to normalize fat metabolism. In addition, this mineral, which is an integral component of brown sugar, takes part in the processes of hematopoiesis, promotes the growth of skin and hair cells, and is also necessary for wound healing.
Copper is called upon to improve the activity of the immune system, activate the body's defenses, and magnesium is called upon to speed up the course of metabolism and prevent the process of stone formation. Phosphorus, which is also rich in brown sugar, is necessary for the normal full functioning of the heart muscle and brain. It also participates in metabolic processes, being an integral component of cells and, above all, cell membranes.
Iron, which is also part of cane sugar, is necessary for the functioning of the circulatory system. By the way, in brown sugar, compared to white, purified, the concentration of iron is almost 10 times higher.
Thus, brown sugar, the benefits of which are undeniable, must be included in the diet of every person who is not indifferent to their health.
Scope of application
Cane brown sugar belongs to complex, complex carbohydrates, therefore, the process of its assimilation by the body proceeds at a slow pace. For this reason, such sugar will benefit all those who are struggling with extra pounds. Moreover, according to modern nutritionists, this product can be safely used on salt-free, low-fat, and protein-free diets, but this should be done in moderation. So, without harm to the diet, you can consume about 50 grams per day. brown sugar.
Also, unrefined cane sweetness is widely used for recovery after training, in a healthy diet. Due to the mass of its useful properties and high quality, this product is an indispensable element of baby food, and should also be included in the diet of people prone to allergic reactions.
Brown sugar is used as an additive to hot drinks. So, it will not only add sweetness to tea or coffee, but also give them an incomparable aroma. Cane sugar is also added to canned food, marinades, bakery products, desserts, sweets, ice cream.
calories
Cane brown sugar has about the same calorie content as its counterpart, white beet sugar. If a modest measure of its consumption is not observed, this product can also quickly go into body fat.
So, if the calorie content of 100 gr. white refined sugar is 387 kcal, then unrefined brown sweets - 377 kcal. As you can see, the difference is insignificant. However, if desired, you can find brown cane sugar on sale, the calorie content of which is 200 times less. A similar effect is achieved by adding aspartame, which is an artificial sweetener, to the product.
Beware, fake!
Unfortunately, in modern times, it is highly likely that when buying cane sugar, you will encounter a fake. There are two ways to recognize a low-quality product, but, unfortunately, this can only be done at home.
So, method number 1. To carry it out, you need a bottle of iodine. Brown sugar should be diluted in a glass of water and put a couple of drops of iodine into it. Real brown cane sweetness, reacting with iodine, acquires a blue tint. If this does not happen, then this is not a real product, but a fake.
Method number 2. For the second experiment, as in the first case, it is necessary to dissolve cane sugar in warm water. If it is high-quality sugar, then the water will remain colorless. If you have ordinary caramel on your hands, then the liquid will turn brown.
Among consumers, brown sugar "Mistral" is in special demand. This brand has established itself exclusively on the positive side, since the goods produced under its brand are always distinguished by their high quality.
Alternative to brown sugar
Many people tend to completely eliminate high-calorie sweets from their diet. In this regard, the question of how to replace brown sugar is very relevant. There are several options here.
- fresh sugar cane juice, which contains brown unrefined sugar, however, in an organic, absolutely safe form;
- natural honey;
- vegetables and fruits, which contain a high level of glucose (apples, apricots, bananas);
- dried fruits (raisins, banana chips).
Thus, brown cane sugar is a very useful product, the use of which has a beneficial effect on the work of all organs and systems of the body.
