While you should
generally limit your intake of both brown and white sugar, you may have heard
that brown sugar is better for you. While brown sugar may contain slightly more
essential nutrients than white sugar, it isn't necessarily healthy.
What is Brown Sugar?
Brown sugar is simply
white sugar mixed with molasses. Therefore, brown sugar can hold its shape like wet
sand, while white sugar cannot. Raw sugar is also generally brown in color, and
forms when the juice of sugar cane evaporates. However, many people refer to
brown sugar as granulated white sugar with molasses added to it.
Is Brown Sugar Really Better?
Molasses and brown sugar do contain more
essential nutrients that white sugar,
so choosing brown sugar over white is technically healthier. For example, a
tablespoon of molasses is a good source of dietary potassium -- and provides small
amounts of calcium, magnesium and B vitamins. However, the amount of these
essential nutrients you'd be getting from brown sugar is very small and won't
do much to meet your daily nutrient needs. Furthermore, just like white sugar, molasses and brown sugar are added sugars that
should be limited in your diet as much as possible to avoid unwanted weight
gain and increased chronic disease risks.
Calorie Content
Brown sugar and white
sugar both contain about the same number of calories per serving. A teaspoon of packed brown sugar provides 17 calories and 1
teaspoon of white sugar contains 16 calories, notes the U.S. Department of
Agriculture National Nutrient Database. So, if you're looking for ways to
cut calories, choosing brown sugar over white sugar won't be beneficial.
How Much Sugar is Too Much?
To maximize your health
and lower risks for unwanted weight gain and chronic diseases, limit added
sugars -- including white sugar, brown sugar, and molasses -- as much as possible, suggests the American Heart Association (AHA). The AHA
recommends most women limit added sugars to 100 calories or less per day, and
men eat no more than 150 calories from added sugar daily. One gram of sugar
provides 4 calories.
No comments:
Post a Comment