About the benefits of brown sugar in Lately You can hear a lot of debate among those interested in healthy eating. Some say that he has no special beneficial properties, which would distinguish it from white sugar. But there are also people who are sure that it is a real boon for those who want to avoid the harm caused by white beet sugar. That’s why it’s even included in the diet.

The raw material for this product is sugar cane. We don't grow it here. It is imported from America and South Africa. Since raw materials have to be brought from afar, this significantly increases the final cost of the product. Its price is several times higher than that of conventional beet sugar. Therefore, you can often encounter a fake. On the shelves you can find caramelized or simply colored white sugar. In this way, manufacturers profit from our ignorance. It costs them much less to produce such a fake. Externally, this product is no different from the original

On a note! In fact, cane sugar does not necessarily have to have Brown color. It can be light brown or golden. It depends on the type of product.

Let us consider in this article in more detail what methods for determining natural cane sugar exist.

Myths about cane sugar

1. The first myth is that once immersed in warm water, fake cane sugar will turn it dark. In fact, this method cannot be used. Colored beet sugar will make the water dark, but with real cane sugar the situation is exactly the same. Cane sugar contains molasses, which dissolves in water, causing it to darken.
2. The second myth says that sugar needs to be dissolved in water and then iodine should be added. If the product is real, then the water should turn blue. This method is also not true. Although it is a good chemical idea. But the fact is that if sugar was produced according to all the rules, then there will be practically no starch in it. This means that it may not turn out blue.
3. The third myth. “When cane sugar is dissolved in hot water, it emits a characteristic caramel aroma that can be used to identify the original product.” This myth is only partially true. If a person has tasted real cane sugar many times, he will know what it should smell like. But some cunning manufacturers add flavoring to the fake, which can deceive even sophisticated gourmets.
4. Another myth says that real cane sugar has never been sold on the shelves of our stores because its price is too high. This myth is also false. This product does have a fairly high price compared to the white one. Extraction of raw materials and processing are not overly expensive processes. This product must be sourced from countries such as Mauritius, USA, Cuba and others. But this is not a reason for a significant increase in price. The only reason cane sugar will cost more than regular sugar is the cost of transporting it. While white sugar is produced from domestic sugar beets, making it a fairly affordable product. Therefore, it can be said that it will be very difficult to distinguish the authenticity of a product by looking at its price. Moreover, inflating prices is a way of profit for unscrupulous manufacturers.

How to identify real brown sugar

Since almost all known methods for identifying a natural product turned out to be just myths, we can say that natural cane sugar is extremely difficult to distinguish. Therefore, the only way to determine a natural product is a combination of several characteristics.

Firstly, the price of the product will indeed differ significantly compared to beet sugar produced in our country. In addition, it is very useful to know in which countries sugar cane grows. If the information about the manufacturer that is indicated matches at least one of these countries, then most likely the product can be considered natural. If the box indicates a country where cane does not grow, then no matter how exotic it may be, you can be sure that the product is fake. Since the production of sugar in a country that is not the homeland of raw materials will be very expensive. Therefore, from this we can conclude that the product is most likely counterfeit. In addition, the taste of a natural product will still be slightly different. But in order to determine it, you need to be personally familiar with the taste characteristics of cane sugar.

Video: how to distinguish cane sugar from fake?

How to be sure that you have not been deceived? And did you buy real cane sugar? How can you tell the difference between infused brown sugar and colored sugar? Let's refute some myths or confirm their reality!

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Myth: Cane sugar is beet sugar colored brown.

Reality: this is wrong!

Cane sugar, or brown sugar as it is often called, is sugar made from sugar cane. In the production of cane sugar, sugar cane is subject to minimal industrial processing, as a result of which cane sugar retains sugarcane molasses and, accordingly, a number of valuable microelements such as calcium, iron, phosphorus, etc. The darker the sugar, the higher the concentration of molasses in it.

However, you should know that white cane sugar is also available on the market! It will not retain the sugarcane molasses, but has a mild flavor and a delicate tropical aroma.

Myth: In order to determine the authenticity of cane sugar, you need to dissolve it in water.

It is believed that fake sugar can be detected by dissolving it in warm water. If the liquid turns the color of sugar, then most likely this is a useless fake.

Reality: it's a lie!

All cane sugar tends to color water. The molasses, which envelops the sugar crystals, dissolves first, coloring the water. This is due to the peculiarities of cane sugar production!

Cane sugar is produced by crystallizing molasses obtained from sugar cane juice. To start the growth of crystals, small slices of sucrose are added to the molasses. A sucrose crystal begins to form around these particles. Since sucrose has a dense crystalline structure, most of the cane molasses cannot be fixed inside the crystal, but only in its microcracks.

Since the outer part of the crystals has more microcracks, the overwhelming amount of cane molasses is fixed there. And, accordingly, when dissolved, unrefined cane sugar crystals, first of all, lose molasses and become discolored, and the solution becomes colored.

Myth: real cane sugar should “prove itself” when in contact with iodine.

There is an opinion that there is one effective way to figure out counterfeit sugar. You need to take iodine and drop it into sugar syrup. If the sugar has acquired a bluish tint, then this is natural cane sugar; otherwise, it is fake.

Reality: it is a myth!

This myth appeared due to the fact that saccharides (in particular, starch/bread) interact with iodine, turning bluish (previously, the presence of bread in cutlets was determined by dripping iodine onto their cracks). However, this only applies to polysaccharides such as starch (the main constituent of bread).

Cane sugar is predominantly a monosaccharide, which by its nature does not behave this way when in contact with iodine. That's why this method sugar authentication is not effective! Sugar will not turn blue - and it shouldn’t!

Myth: Real cane sugar can be distinguished by taste and smell.

Reality: This is true!

White sugar has only one taste and practically no smell, but cane sugar has a lot of nuances of taste and aroma. You can distinguish a genuine product by its characteristic taste and smell. Add a few pieces of cane sugar to a cup of tea or coffee, stir it and taste the drink - real cane sugar will highlight the taste of the drink without distorting it, adding an exquisite piquant note to a cup of tea or coffee.

Myth: To determine the real sugar, you need to carefully study the product packaging.

Reality: This is true!

In the store, before purchasing cane sugar, carefully study the information on the packaging. Pay special attention to the country of origin of cane sugar. Respectable sugar comes from Mauritius, Cuba, Brazil, USA, Costa Rica or Guatemala.

“The darker the cane sugar, the more natural it is.” “The fake is always lighter.” Is it really? How can you tell the difference between real and fake brown sugar? And what does "real" and "fake" mean? Let's figure it out together with Novaprodukt technologist Alexander Ivanov.

Fake brown sugar is white, refined sugar colored with molasses, the molasses that remains when sugar cane juice is boiled down. Molasses itself is not harmful or dangerous; it contains a number of useful trace elements, such as calcium, magnesium, iron, phosphorus, and potassium. All this is also found in unrefined brown cane sugar. During the refining process, raw sugar is cleared of impurities, but along with them, useful substances also leave the raw material. When we buy brown sugar at the store, we hope to get all the benefits of the nutrients it contains. What's wrong with molasses? In this case - by deception. The buyer pays much more for the same inexpensive and deprived useful components refined sugar.

It is difficult even for a professional to distinguish real brown sugar from a fake; only the smell of caramel helps. We ourselves go to the production facilities with which we want to establish cooperation, and personally see how, from what and under what conditions sugar is packaged or produced. A buyer in a store should pay attention to the packaging: it should say “unrefined cane sugar” - without any additions; Respectable manufacturers also indicate the country of origin of sugar on the packaging. Sugar can be either dark brown or light brown, so color, unfortunately, is not an indicator of the authenticity of cane sugar. The color depends on the molasses content in the sugar: the more molasses, the darker the sugar. In addition, the color of sugar depends on the region where the sugar cane is grown - this is about the same as with oranges.

There are four main types of cane sugar: demerara - has a golden-brown color, which is what can most often be found in Russian stores; muscovado, also known as Barbadian, has a very dark color and a strong caramel aroma; soft molasses sugar - has a slightly moist appearance and a very dark color; Turbinado, also known as raw sugar, is lighter in color because it is partially separated from the molasses using water and steam, but is not refined.

In Russia, sugar is produced from sugar beets; after refining the raw sugar, we get the white sugar we are used to. Unrefined beet sugar has an unpleasant taste and smell. Brown sugar (we are not talking about fake sugar here) is made from sugar cane and is not refined, as it initially has a very pleasant vanilla-caramel taste and smell. In our country, it is more profitable and cost-effective to produce beet sugar, since sugar cane does not grow on our territory, hence the higher price of cane sugar on the shelf.

illustration: Olya Volk

Brown sugar has already become the talk of the town among the diverse discourse about healthy eating. We have already written about the varieties and properties of brown sugar earlier. Someone insists that there is nothing healthy in it and is no different from white sugar, while others claim that brown sugar is salvation from the “white death” and an indispensable product in the diet menu.

However, today we will not talk about the dangers or benefits of this amazing product, but about the myths that accompany another popular topic so often discussed on the Internet...

How to distinguish real cane sugar from fake?

“Put it in warm water. If it darkens, then this sugar is just colored refined sugar.” This method of testing for authenticity, unfortunately, does not work, since cane sugar will color the water in the same way as “colored refined sugar.” The fact is that molasses, which collects in the microcracks of sugar crystals, gives sugar a pleasant honey-like hue. When it comes into contact with water, it quickly washes out of the crystals and colors the water.

“Drop a couple of drops of iodine into water with sugar. If the water doesn’t turn blue, it means the sugar is fake.” And this cunning method from the arsenal of the young chemist also, alas, does not work, although the idea was completely justified. The problem is that if all standards for processing cane sugar are observed, it contains practically no starch, and therefore there is nothing for iodine to color.

“Cane sugar has a caramel flavor that is very noticeable when it reacts with hot water.” Of course, once you try tea or coffee with cane sugar, you will no longer confuse its light aroma and pleasant aftertaste, which accompany the drink and give it a slightly “candy” note. However, white sugar with caramello additives, in principle, can give the same effect when in contact with hot water. The most important thing in this case is not to confuse unrefined cane sugar with regular caramel sugar, which was simply boiled and formed into caramel crystals.

“Real cane sugar costs exorbitant amounts of money, so it was never actually on store shelves.” In fact, this is not true. Yes, cane sugar costs a little more than white sugar, but the production and processing of sugar cane is not so expensive that it is unaffordable for our customers. Real cane sugar must come from Mauritius, Guatemala, Brazil, Costa Rica, the USA and Cuba, but the “exoticism” of these countries is also not reflected in its cost, as is the technology of its production. Therefore, it is quite difficult to determine the authenticity of sugar based on the price tag. The Agro-Alliance holding company also offers its own version of brown sugar.

What is the difference between brown sugar and regular sugar?

Obviously, distinguishing counterfeit from real cane sugar is quite difficult, simply because almost all detection means are, in fact, not as effective as they are said to be. In order to purchase a natural product from sugar cane, you need to wisely combine the characteristics of real, “pure” products. For example, you need to take into account that cane sugar is actually a little more expensive than regular white sugar; you need to check the country of origin, because no matter how good the crystals are in appearance, no one will produce sugar in a country where it simply does not grow - it is too expensive and therefore implausible. In addition, the taste of cane sugar is slightly different from the taste of regular refined sugar.

We wish you good luck in your search for a real reed treasure! And remember: as long as we believe in myths, they continue to live.

Sugar - common name chemical element sucrose, which is a carbohydrate that is considered valuable nutrients, providing the human body with the necessary energy. There are a huge number of types of sugar, depending on the territory and methods of production, the nature of processing, shape and much more.

White sugar

In Russia, the most common is white sugar, produced from domestic raw materials - sugar beets. It's important to know that Such sugar is edible only in refined form. White sugar is sold in the form granulated sugar, widely used among housewives for preparing various dishes, as well as in the form of refined sugar in pieces.

Other types of white sugar: baker's sugar, ultrafine sugar, confectioners' sugar, casting sugar, liquid sugar, candy sugar.

candy sugar

Candied or candy sugar is a sugar crystallization product that is used to make candy. It happens the most different forms and colors, because it is produced from both white and brown sugar.

To obtain candy sugar, supersaturated saccharine syrup is boiled to a light sample and, while hot, left to crystallize on threads stretched in vessels at a temperature of 50 - 60°. After some time, large crystals of candice sugar appear to be strung on the threads. The syrup is drained, the crystals are washed with lime water and dried. You get caramel “pebbles” irregular shape, which can be used as candy, and in 16th-century England such sugar was even used as a cough medicine and throat irritation.

Cane (brown) sugar

Researchers believe that real brown cane sugar can only be unrefined. Like any other unprocessed product, it contains more useful substances (calcium, phosphorus, iron, etc.) than refined ones. Plus, it has a brighter taste and aroma, for which it is highly valued by high-level confectioners.

Brown sugar consists of sugar crystals coated with cane molasses, which has a natural flavor and color. Molasses (or blackstrap molasses)- this is feed molasses, which is a by-product of sugar production; It is a syrupy liquid of dark brown color with a specific odor.

How to choose cane sugar?

• Demerara(Demerara) is the type of brown sugar that is most often sold in our stores, the product is golden brown in color. Demerara can be either natural unrefined or white refined sugar mixed with blackstrap molasses, a by-product of sugar production (so you need to read the label carefully!);
• Muscovado(Muscovado sugar) - produced with varying amounts of molasses. The more black molasses, the darker it is. Muscovado crystals are smaller than Demerara and are sticky with a strong caramel aroma. Dark muscovado, black in color, with a very strong black molasses scent;
• Turbinado(Turbinado sugar) - dry large crystals from golden to brown color. This natural raw cane sugar is produced by partial refining of molasses using steam and water;
• Soft molasses sugar(Soft molasses sugar) or Black Barbados sugar - natural unrefined raw cane sugar containing a large number of molasses. It is a soft, moist, very dark sugar with a very strong flavor.

Choosing cane sugar look for the word “unrefined” on the label. Only in this case, benefits will be added to the sweetness. You can understand in more detail how to choose sugar, what signs to distinguish a fake and decide whether to give preference to white or brown by watching the following video:

Palm sugar

Palm sugar is obtained in India from the sap of the Arenga sugar palm. Its color can vary from golden brown to dark brown. Such sugar contains minerals, mainly represented by iron, calcium, potassium and phosphorus, as well as vitamins A, C, B1, B2, B6. Palm sugar in India even used for medicinal purposes, helping with menstrual pain and stomach pain, treating genitourinary system disorders in men, and also improves blood circulation and digestion.

Coconut sugar

Coconut sugar is produced in Asian countries, mainly in Thailand and Indonesia. Consumers are attracted by its naturalness, untouched by industrial production. After all, like many centuries ago, workers extract it with their own hands. Minimal heat treatment preserves all useful microelements. The product contains B vitamins, as well as zinc, iron, potassium, magnesium. This sugar is small and contains beneficial amino acids and antioxidants, and also has a pleasant coconut taste.

Sweeteners

There are many natural sugar substitutes. The healthiest sweet alternatives, in our opinion, are:

• Natural honey;
• Date syrup;
• Agave syrup;
• Jerusalem artichoke syrup;
• Maple syrup;
• Stevia, which is a natural sugar substitute and contains no calories.

How to choose sugar?

To choose a quality product, you need to carefully study the label: find out from what raw materials this or that type of sugar is produced, correlate the country of origin on the label with the region of production of this product, and also pay attention to nutritional value, dates of manufacture and packaging.

When asked which sugar to choose, each consumer, of course, will answer himself based on his preferences, but we personally recommend giving preference raw sugar, containing more nutrients, as well as natural alternatives to sugar.