Benefits Of Brown Sugar
Brown sugar is a very popular sweetener used in many different baked goods and culinary applications, but it also has some health benefits that might surprise you!!!!!
What is Brown Sugar?
Brown sugar is a type of sugar (sucrose) that gains a brown color due to the presence of molasses. Brown sugar can either be commercially or naturally produced, with the former made by molasses being added to traditional white sugar, composing between 4% and 7% of the final product.
Types of Brown Sugar
There are multiple types of this sugar, including demerara, turbinado, dark brown sugar, and muscovado, among others.
- Light Brown Sugar: In some cases, molasses is simply added to regular white sugar, and in light brown variety, about 3% of the sugar, by weight, is composed of molasses.
- Dark Brown Sugar: Similarly, the dark brown variety has about 6% molasses by weight, giving it a slightly stronger flavor.
- Muscovado: This is the darkest variety, and the most potent in terms of flavor, mainly due to the slow-drying process, often done in full sun.
- Demerara: As mentioned, brown sugar is often made from sugar cane, and once the cane juice is extracted and boiled, it leaves behind raw crystals of a light brown color. These are then dried in a centrifuge, leaving behind a brown sugar that has a mild molasses flavor.
Brown Sugar Benefits
The unique health benefits of brown sugar include its ability to boost energy levels, prevent cold, treat uterine infections, improve digestion, reduce flatulence, and aid in weight loss, just to name a few. Let us discuss them in detail below.
Menstrual Cramps
In traditional medicine, some cultures have blended this variety of sugar and ginger into a healthy tea that can eliminate the discomfort of menstrual cramps.
Skin Health
Using brown sugar as a skin exfoliant is one of the unexpected uses of this sugar; the rough texture makes it ideal for eliminating dirt, grime, and dead skin cells from your body’s largest organ.
