White Sugar vs Brown Sugar: Difference and Comparison

Sugar is one of the most used components all around the world which basically refers to dispersible carbohydrates. The pH value of sugar is 7, sometimes it may be more or less than 7 depending on the type used. White sugar and Brown sugar are two types of sugar.

Key Takeaways

1. White sugar is processed refined sugar with all molasses removed; brown sugar has some molasses content.
2. Brown sugar has a moist, clumpy texture; white sugar has a dry, coarse texture.
3. Brown sugar has a distinct caramel-like flavor; white sugar has a neutral sweetness.

White Sugar vs Brown Sugar

The difference between White sugar and brown sugar is that White sugar is generated through a filtering process that removes a brown syrup or fluid named molasses whereas Brown sugar is produced by retaining molasses which makes it brown in colour.

White sugar is also referred to as table or granulated sugar, and it is processed out of cane sugar which has gone through a refining process in order to remove the molasses content from it. It has a less intense flavor but also lacks important nutrients like Calcium, Iron, and potassium.

Brown sugar has a typical brown color due to the non-removal of molasses. It is either not refined at all or refined to a limited degree, and it may also be produced by just adding molasses content to the White sugar.

The nutritional value of Brown sugar is more than White sugar due to the presence of essential minerals.

Comparison Table

Parameter of Comparison	White Sugar	Brown Sugar
Definition	White sugar is the sugar that has been processed from beet sugar or cane sugar by removing the molasses.	Brown sugar is the sugar that is basically processed from cane sugar without eliminating molasses from it.
Taste	White sugar is neutral and does not have any sort of essence except the sweet taste.	Due to the presence of molasses, it has a caramel-like flavour.
Nutrient Value	It does not possess minerals like Calcium, Iron and Potassium.	It possesses vital minerals like Calcium, Iron and Potassium.
Water content	White sugar does not or contain a slight amount of water.	Brown sugar on the other hand holds more water than White sugar.
Culinary uses	White sugar is used for making baked cooking items.	Brown sugar is used for preparing dense baked items like cake and bread.

What is White Sugar?

The process of making White sugar is quite similar to the production of Brown sugar, where the sugarcane plants have to undergo an extraction method where a sugary juice from the plant is extracted, filtered, and heated to produce a brown fluid called molasses.

Subsequently, it is further processed to eliminate left-out molasses, and then it is converted into tiny crystal-shaped substances.

The nutrient value of White sugar is almost negligible, and it is also said to be a reason for the rising problem of Obesity in human beings and a major contributing factor to the diseases like type 2 diabetes and heart disease.

The prominent health benefits of White sugar are that it provides energy, reduces Hypertension, and also helps in treating depression. One should avoid eating excessive sugary food as it might increase the blood glucose level and also give rise to Alzheimer’s.

The various types of White sugar include Granulated sugar, Superfine sugar, and Fruit sugar. The pH level of White sugar should be 7, anything less or more indicates that the sugar is not pure and chemicals have been treated on it.

What is Brown Sugar?

The process of making Brown sugar is almost the same as the production of white sugar, and the only difference is that after all the process has been done, the molasses content is added to the white sugar to make it Brown or during the entire processing of sugarcane the content of molasses is not filtered out.

There is not much difference in the nutritional value of both the sugar but some experts argue that just like brown rice is better than white rice, brown sugar has some extra health benefits as compared to white sugar due to the presence of useful minerals.

Brown sugar is of great use when it comes to baking. It adds more spirited color and essence to cakes and biscuits. It is also used for making marinades. The best brands of Brown sugar are Conscious Food, SRI SRI TATTVA, and others.

It has a higher quantity of moisture in it. There are two types of brown sugar: Light Brown sugar, which contains 3.5% of molasses, and Dark Brown sugar, which contains 6.5% of molasses.

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Main Differences Between White Sugar and Brown Sugar

1. The content of Sucrose in White sugar is 99%, whereas the content of Sucrose in Brown sugar is 94%.
2. The cost of White sugar is far less than the price of Brown sugar. This is because of the limited supply of Brown sugar, which makes it expensive.
3. The Calorie content of White sugar is slightly more than Brown sugar, per 100g, Brown sugar has 377 calories, whereas per 100g, White sugar has 387 calories.
4. Brown sugar is moist and is less sweet hence considered better health-wise, whereas White sugar is dry and is sweeter hence considered less healthy.
5. White sugar is completely white is color, whereas Brown sugar is brownish in color and texture.

References

1. https://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=PxrLBAAAQBAJ&oi=fnd&pg=PP1&dq=White+sugar+and+brown+sugar&ots=ZhF7hxDrgM&sig=R0ejHv_BkpdxX83BOYDFjdLVcQM
2. https://openresearch-repository.anu.edu.au/handle/1885/130113