Is Brown Sugar Healthier Than White? The Truth Behind the Viral Video

Brown sugar is a common ingredient found in kitchens around the world but a viral video shows brown sugar being rinsed in water, revealing white crystals underneath. Is this a surprising discovery, or a known characteristic of a processed product?

What Is Brown Sugar?

Brown sugar is made from sucrose, which is extracted from sugarcane or sugar beets. The only real difference between brown and white sugar is molasses — a thick, dark syrup that gives brown sugar its color and rich flavor. There are two main types of brown sugar:

• Natural brown sugar: Molasses is left behind during partial processing.

• Refined brown sugar: Molasses is added back into fully processed white sugar.

When processed brown sugar is rinsed, the molasses coating washes away, revealing white sugar crystals underneath.

How Brown Sugar Is Made

The production process begins with extracting sucrose from plants and separating it from the molasses. In natural brown sugar, some molasses remains naturally, whereas in the processed version, it is added back in after refining. This means processed brown sugar is almost identical in composition to white sugar.

Is Brown Sugar Healthier?

Nutritionally, brown sugar contains trace amounts of minerals like calcium and iron, due to the molasses. However, the health differences between brown and white sugar are minimal. Both have similar calorie counts, and excessive consumption of either can contribute to weight gain, diabetes, and other health issues.

Cooking and Baking with Brown Sugar

Brown sugar’s moist texture and caramel flavor make it a favorite for cookies, breads, barbecue sauces, and hot drinks. However, a common challenge is that it tends to harden over time. To keep it soft, store it in an airtight container or place a slice of bread inside to retain moisture.

Choosing the Right Brown Sugar

Always check the label. Natural brown sugar typically has larger, uneven crystals, while processed brown sugar may be labeled “white sugar with added molasses.” Understanding what you’re purchasing helps ensure you choose the right product for your needs.

The viral video may have revealed a truth about refined brown sugar, but it doesn’t represent all types. While brown sugar is often seen as the healthier option, in fact, the nutritional difference is negligible. The key to a healthy lifestyle isn’t which sugar you choose, but how much of it you consume.