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Brown Sugar

Brown Sugar
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Brown Sugar 

A sweetener that consists of sucrose crystals coveredwith a film of cane molasses. Molasses gives it the characteristiccolor and flavor. There are three grades: light, medium, and dark,which vary in sucrose content and color. It is used in baked goods,glazes, toppings, and fillings.

Brown sugar is crystalline sucrose combined with a small amount of molasses, which is responsible for its characteristic brown color and rich flavor. Depending on the variety of brown sugar, molasses is either added back to refined white sugar or left intact with the sugar crystals during the refining process.

Brown sugar is prized for its deep, rich flavor and color. Because molasses is hydroscopic, brown sugar and the baked goods made with it retain moisture well. Brown sugar also contains a slightly higher mineral content than regular refined white sugar due to the presence of molasses.

Uses for Brown Sugar:

Brown sugar is used very similarly to granulated white sugar but it provides a touch of extra flavor. Common uses for brown sugar include sweetening baked goods, beverages, sauces, and marinades. Some varieties of natural brown sugar are also used to make alcoholic beverages like rum. 

Brown Sugar Varieties:

Light Brown Sugar: This is the most common type of brown sugar used for baking. Recipes that call for brown sugar without specifying either light or dark generally require light brown sugar. Light brown sugar contains approximately 3.5% molasses by weight.

Dark Brown Sugar: Dark brown sugar is approximately 6.5% molasses by weight and is used when an extra rich flavor or color is desired.

Sugar in the Raw: This is a natural brown sugar, which still contains the residues of molasses left over from the refining process. The sucrose crystals are generally slightly larger and it is less moist in texture than regular commercial brown sugar. Other varieties of natural brown sugar include Turbinado, Muscovado, and Demerara.

Liquid Brown Sugar: Domino Sugar, a predominant sugar manufacturer in the United States, used to produce a liquid brown sugar product. Although the product is no longer available, many older recipes still include this ingredient. To make a substitute for liquid brown sugar at home, combine one part water with three parts light brown sugar. The mixture may need to be heated slightly for the sugar to fully dissolve.

Difference Between the Brown sugar and white sugar:

All sugars, both brown and white included, start as sap in tropical sugarcane plants. Those are crushed, and the juice is extracted. It is then heated– a process that yields molasses. That molasses contains very dark sugar crystals. Manufacturers spin that in a centrifuge and the molasses is removed. The final product is white sugar. 

Brown sugar can be purchased in a variety of colors ranging from light to dark brown. The flavor here is very strong and it seems soft and moist right out of the package. Decades ago, brown sugar was simply white sugar before all of the molasses was taken out. These days, though, brown sugar is white sugar where the molasses has been added back into the mix. The darker the sugar, the more molasses in the package. 

In most cases, you can use brown and white sugar interchangeably, but you may notice a real difference in the texture of your baked goods. Remember that brown sugar is naturally moister, so you can bet that your baked goods with be a bit softer and moister as well. What’s more is that your baked goods may come out slightly darker than you’d expected if you use brown sugar instead of the more traditional white sugar. The level of sweetness in your baked goods, though, won’t change even if you use them interchangeably.

For years, many have believed the urban legend that brown sugar is healthier than white sugar, but that’s simply not the case. The amount of nutrients in the molasses added back to the sugar is miniscule, so you’re not actually getting a healthier product. Moreover, though, these days, the molasses is added back in to make brown sugar, so you’re actually getting a more refined product than you were initially.

Tips:

If you do wish to substitute brown sugar for white sugar while you’re baking, there are several things you may want to do. First, remember, brown sugar contains more moisture, so you may need to decrease other wet ingredients in your recipe or increase some of your dry ingredients to compensate. Second, think carefully about texture. If you’re trying to bake a cake, you want it to be fairly dry, so stay with a white sugar. If you’re doing a fruit quick bread like a banana or a zucchini bread, you may want a moist, rich texture, so brown sugar can be the perfect way to go.

How to Make Brown Sugar

Brown sugar can be prepared at home by combining one tablespoon of molasses for every cup of granulated white sugar. Stir the sugar and molasses together until an even color and texture are achieved. Store the brown sugar in an air-tight container.

Read more about Brown Sugar 
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Brown Sugar 
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Nutrition Data for Sugars, brown (19334)

Proximates
NutrientNutrient value per 100 gm1 tsp unpacked1 cup packed1 cup unpacked1 tsp packed1 tsp brownulated
Water1.34 g0.0402 g2.948 g1.943 g0.06164 g0.04288 g
Energy380 kcal11.4 kcal836 kcal551 kcal17.48 kcal12.16 kcal
Protein0.12 g0.0036 g0.264 g0.174 g0.00552 g0.00384 g
Total lipid (fat)0 g0 g0 g0 g0 g0 g
Carbohydrate, by difference98.09 g2.9427 g215.798 g142.2305 g4.51214 g3.13888 g
Fiber, total dietary0 g0 g0 g0 g0 g0 g
Sugars, total97.02 g2.9106 g213.444 g140.679 g4.46292 g3.10464 g
Minerals
NutrientNutrient value per 100 gm1 tsp unpacked1 cup packed1 cup unpacked1 tsp packed1 tsp brownulated
Calcium, Ca83 mg2.49 mg182.6 mg120.35 mg3.818 mg2.656 mg
Iron, Fe0.71 mg0.0213 mg1.562 mg1.0295 mg0.03266 mg0.02272 mg
Magnesium, Mg9 mg0.27 mg19.8 mg13.05 mg0.414 mg0.288 mg
Phosphorus, P4 mg0.12 mg8.8 mg5.8 mg0.184 mg0.128 mg
Potassium, K133 mg3.99 mg292.6 mg192.85 mg6.118 mg4.256 mg
Sodium, Na28 mg0.84 mg61.6 mg40.6 mg1.288 mg0.896 mg
Zinc, Zn0.03 mg0.0009 mg0.066 mg0.0435 mg0.00138 mg0.00096 mg
Vitamins
NutrientNutrient value per 100 gm1 tsp unpacked1 cup packed1 cup unpacked1 tsp packed1 tsp brownulated
Vitamin C, total ascorbic acid0 mg0 mg0 mg0 mg0 mg0 mg
Thiamin0 mg0 mg0 mg0 mg0 mg0 mg
Riboflavin0 mg0 mg0 mg0 mg0 mg0 mg
Niacin0.11 mg0.0033 mg0.242 mg0.1595 mg0.00506 mg0.00352 mg
Vitamin B-60.041 mg0.00123 mg0.0902 mg0.05945 mg0.001886 mg0.001312 mg
Folate, DFE1 µg0.03 µg2.2 µg1.45 µg0.046 µg0.032 µg
Vitamin B-120 µg0 µg0 µg0 µg0 µg0 µg
Vitamin A, RAE0 µg0 µg0 µg0 µg0 µg0 µg
Vitamin A, IU0 IU0 IU0 IU0 IU0 IU0 IU
Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol)0 mg0 mg0 mg0 mg0 mg0 mg
Vitamin D (D2 + D3)0 µg0 µg0 µg0 µg0 µg0 µg
Vitamin D0 IU0 IU0 IU0 IU0 IU0 IU
Vitamin K (phylloquinone)0 µg0 µg0 µg0 µg0 µg0 µg
Lipids
NutrientNutrient value per 100 gm1 tsp unpacked1 cup packed1 cup unpacked1 tsp packed1 tsp brownulated
Fatty acids, total saturated0 g0 g0 g0 g0 g0 g
Fatty acids, total monounsaturated0 g0 g0 g0 g0 g0 g
Fatty acids, total polyunsaturated0 g0 g0 g0 g0 g0 g
Cholesterol0 mg0 mg0 mg0 mg0 mg0 mg
Others
NutrientNutrient value per 100 gm1 tsp unpacked1 cup packed1 cup unpacked1 tsp packed1 tsp brownulated
Caffeine0 mg0 mg0 mg0 mg0 mg0 mg
U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. 2013. USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, Release 26. Nutrient Data Laboratory Home Page
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