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Some resort to dispensing with white sugar and replacing it with brown sugar, arguing that the second is healthier and lower in calories. How true is this claim? Is brown sugar really better for health and helps with weight loss? What is the difference between white sugar and brown sugar?
White sugar “Sucrose”
White sugar – also known as sucrose, table sugar and granulated sugar – is a type of carbohydrate, a disaccharide – that is, a disaccharide – made of equal parts of the monosaccharides: glucose and fructose.
Where does white sugar come from?
Sucrose is a natural sugar found in various amounts in plants such as fruits, vegetables, and nuts.
Sucrose is also commercially produced from sugar cane and sugar beet. For example, according to the USDA, the most sugar beet producing regions in the United States are western Minnesota, eastern North Dakota and Idaho.
Is white sugar natural sugar or added sugar?
Sucrose can be natural sugar or added sugar depending on its source; It is considered a natural sugar when we consume it directly from whole plant foods, while it becomes an added sugar when we consume it from canned foods and drinks to which sucrose has been added during manufacturing.
How is white sugar digested?
When we consume sucrose, it is broken down into equal parts glucose and fructose. The glucose is eventually absorbed by the body by the cells with the help of insulin, while the fructose is handled in the liver and does not need the insulin to be absorbed. Regardless of its source, sucrose provides 4 calories per gram, and the human body processes it in similar ways.
Brown Sugar
Brown sugar is processed white sugar to which molasses has been added, to obtain a product with a homogeneous consistency in texture and color.
Does brown sugar help lose weight?
No, brown sugar does not help you lose weight, and it is no different from white sugar.
Does brown sugar raise blood sugar?
Yes, brown sugar raises blood sugar like white sugar.
How is brown sugar digested?
Brown sugar is digested in the same way as white sugar.
What are the nutritional differences between white sugar and brown sugar?
As mentioned, brown sugar is a mixture of white sugar and molasses (a syrup derived from sugar). Molasses is responsible for its dark color and slightly increases its nutritional value.
The most obvious nutritional difference between the two is that brown sugar has a slightly higher percentage of calcium, iron and potassium, according to a report in Healthline.
However, the amounts of these minerals in brown sugar are minimal, so it is not a good source of any vitamins or minerals.
Brown sugar also contains slightly fewer calories than white sugar, but the difference is minimal. One teaspoon (4 grams) of brown sugar provides 15 calories, while the same amount of white sugar contains 16.3 calories.
Which is better for health .. brown sugar or white?
From a health point of view, both types of sugar carry the same risks, as they cause tooth decay; The bacteria in the mouth digest brown sugar and white sugar and secrete acids that attack the surface of the teeth and lead to the formation of cavities in them.
Brown sugar and white sugar also increase the risk of malnutrition and a person’s access to empty calories, that is, energy from food without nutrients such as vitamins, minerals and fiber.
Although brown sugar contains more minerals than white sugar, the amounts of these minerals are so small that they will not provide any health benefits.
For its part, the Consumer Protection Center in the German state of Bavaria confirms that brown sugar is not better for health than white sugar; As their energy content is equal, as well as it leads to decay as well. So which one is preferred over the other is a matter of taste.
False allegations about brown sugar
- It contains fiber. The brown color is caused by molasses and does not mean that it contains bran or dietary fiber.
- It has undergone less refining. Brown sugar is refined white sugar to which molasses has been added, so it is not less refined or processed.
- It does not raise blood sugar in diabetic patients. The truth is that it is not at all different from white sugar.
- Suitable for weight loss. And we said earlier that it does not help in slimming.
- It contains fewer calories. We have mentioned that its calories are slightly lower than white sugar.
Source : Al Jazeera + agencies + Russian press + Websites + Health line