Sugar is an essential ingredient in many popular recipes. Whether you’re baking or cooking, chances are you’ll probably add sugar at some point. It’s also important to understand the differences between different types of sugars. Although there are several types of sugar, we’ll focus on two most prominent ones: turbinado sugar vs brown sugar.
What is Turbinado Sugar
Turbinado sugar is a type of cane sugar that is more coarsely granulated than regular white sugar. It is also known as “Sugar in the Raw.” Turbinado sugar has a mellow sweetness with a hint of molasses flavor.
Turbinado Sugar vs Brown Sugar
The Difference Between Turbinado Sugar and Regular White Sugar
What is Brown Sugar
Brown sugar is simply granulated sugar that has been partially or completely melted. This process can be done by heating the sugar in a water bath or by baking it in an oven.
The result is a more intense flavor, which makes brown sugar more suitable for use in recipes that call for a caramelized flavor, such as baked goods. Brown sugar also tends to have a darker color and softer texture than granulated sugar.
Brown sugar is sometimes called “light” brown sugar because it contains more molasses than dark brown sugar (which has no molasses).
Nutritional Value of Turbinado Sugar
Turbinado sugar is made from raw sugar cane that has been spun in a centrifuge to remove molasses. It’s light, dry and granular, with a distinctively coarse texture.
Brown sugar is made from cane sugar that has been processed in a way that leaves behind some of the molasses. This makes it darker and moister than turbinado sugar.
Turbinado sugar is less processed than brown sugar, so it retains more nutrients. A 1/2-teaspoon serving provides 4 calories, 0 grams of protein and 0 grams of fat — compared to 4 calories, 0 grams of protein and 1 gram of fat for the same amount of brown sugar.
Turbinado sugar also contains vitamins B1 (thiamine), B2 (riboflavin) and B3 (niacin) — all essential nutrients your body needs to convert food into energy. Brown sugar doesn’t contain any vitamin Bs at all!
Uses for Turbinado and Brown Sugar
Brown sugar and turbinado sugar are two types of sugar that are used in many recipes. Both are made from sugar cane, but they have different textures and flavors. Turbinado sugar is less refined than brown sugar, so it has more molasses flavor. While both sugars can be used interchangeably in some recipes, there are some differences between them that you should know before using them in your cooking.
Turbinado sugar is less refined than brown sugar, which makes it a bit coarser and lighter in color. It has more molasses flavor than brown sugar, but less than raw cane juice. Turbinado is also called “Sugar in the Raw” because it still has some natural moisture, which gives it an appealing crunchy texture when sprinkled on top of cookies or fruit salad.
Brown sugars are made by refining white granulated cane sugar with molasses added back into the syrup before packing the crystals into bags or boxes for sale to consumers. The amount of molasses added varies from manufacturer to manufacturer, but all brown sugars have about 3% molasses content by weight (4% by volume).
Nutritional Value of Brown Sugar
Brown sugar is made from white sugar crystals that have been caramelized with molasses and then de-fatted. It’s not nearly as sweet as white sugar, which has no nutritional value, and it contains about 3 grams of fiber per serving. Brown sugar also contains iron and calcium, both of which are essential for good health.
Turbinado sugar is a type of cane sugar that has been partially refined through a centrifugal process. The result is a light brown crystalline syrup with a unique flavor profile that’s slightly less sweet than white table sugar. Turbinado sugar contains iron and calcium, but it also has trace amounts of vitamins B1 (thiamine), B2 (riboflavin), niacin and folic acid.
Conclusion
Turbinado sugar is slightly more expensive than brown sugar, it is less refined, and therefore is a bit more nutritious (and has different nutritional content as well). In the end, both are natural and tasty sweeteners that can be used to enhance the delicate flavors of desserts.
