Brown sugar is a form of sugar that has molasses added to it, giving it a brown hue.
It can be made commercially or naturally, with the former being made by adding molasses to typical white sugar and accounting for between 4% and 7% of the end result.
Brown sugar is a gift for people losing weight or suffering from sugar-related problems as it is very low in calories and consists of a huge variety of nutrients.
Hence before choosing the perfect sugar for your meals below are some of the information regarding its types and other health benefits.
Types of brown sugar
Light Brown Sugar: In some cases, molasses is simply added to regular white sugar, and in light brown variety, about 3% of the sugar, by weight, is composed of molasses.
Dark Brown Sugar: Similarly, the dark brown variety has about 6% molasses by weight, giving it a slightly stronger flavour.
Muscovado: This is the darkest variety, and the most potent in terms of flavour, mainly due to the slow-drying process, often done in full sun.
Demerara: As mentioned, brown sugar is often made from sugar cane, and once the cane juice is extracted and boiled, it leaves behind raw crystals of a light brown colour. These are then dried in a centrifuge, leaving behind a brown sugar that has a mild molasses flavour.
Turbinado: Very similar in its production to the demerara variety, turbinado bears more of a honey flavour and is popular in tea.
Natural Brown Sugar: It is made when there are some residual molasses left in the mixture when sugar is crystallized. This type of sugar has a sweet, slightly caramelized flavour, and is a more potent ingredient than traditional white sugar. [4]
Brown sugar benefits
The unique health benefits of brown sugar include its ability to boost energy levels, prevent cold, treat uterine infections, improve digestion, reduce flatulence, and aid in weight loss, just to name a few. Let us discuss them in detail below.
- Helps relieve menstrual cramps
In traditional medicine, some cultures have blended this variety of sugar and ginger into a healthy tea that can eliminate the discomfort of menstrual cramps.
- Helps improve skin health
Using brown sugar as a skin exfoliant is one of the unexpected uses of this sugar; the rough texture makes it ideal for eliminating dirt, grime, and dead skin cells from your body’s largest organ.
- May act as an energy booster
Like any other simple carbohydrate, this sugar does have an energizing effect on the body, making it a popular addition to morning coffee.
- May aid in weight loss
Eating an excessive amount of this sugar variety isn’t a good idea, but molasses is known to boost the metabolism and satiate hunger, which could help in weight loss efforts.
- May aid in pregnancy
Following the delivery of your baby, this sugar has been linked to helping speed the recovery, while also relieving some of the cramps and discomfort during pregnancy.
- May relieve flatulence
Some research has found that this sugar and the molasses it contains can help to suppress excess flatulence in the gut, which isn’t dangerous but can be embarrassing.