Rotten Egg #1 - Brown Sugar vs. White Sugar

This week I present my first rotten egg out of many rotten eggs. The ‘rotten egg’ will be a series of posts where I attempt to bust current food myths, starting with the notion that brown sugar is somehow healthier than white sugar.

It seems everyone is telling us to eat brown rice and brown bread these days, so I can appreciate how we may extend this logic to brown sugar. Unfortunately, the science just isn’t there. Do you, or someone else you know justify the 5 teaspoons of sugar added to their coffee by saying “hey, it’s brown sugar”? If so, then this post is for you…

The main argument for brown sugar being healthier is that it’s less processed and therefore, more natural. Unfortunately, in most cases this isn’t true. To be cheeky, I can go so far as to make the argument that brown sugar is actually more processed because it requires additional steps to make the sugar brown…but we won’t go there. Sugar (white OR brown), is made from the same source: either sugar cane or sugar beets. The refining process removes the molasses from the sugar cane, leaving behind crystals. Most commercial brown sugars are made by adding molasses back into refined white sugar for coloring and flavor. Essentially, they’re the same product only differing by color and flavor…interesting.

Another argument is that the addition of molasses further enhances the nutrient content of brown sugar, as the former contains vitamins and minerals such as iron, magnesium, calcium and potassium. Although this is true, the amount of added vitamins and minerals are so minute it makes no apparent difference to your health. The significant amounts of brown sugar you must consume just to meet your daily nutrient requirements negates any health benefits from the nutrients in the first place. Just an FYI - all types of sugar contain 15 calories per teaspoon according to the Sugar Association. This makes brown sugar and white equal for calorie counters.

Final verdict – this myth is officially a rotten egg. As for me, I use white sugar for tea and brown for coffee…but there was a time when I tried to withhold myself from added sugar altogether, and boy, was it rough!

PS: be careful not to think you can easily just switch to honey. Honey is not necessarily a healthier alternative to white sugar because the fructose found in it is also readily converted into fat, which can lead to a raise in blood cholesterol levels.

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Image courtesy of Jasmine Li