Doctor: Is brown sugar better than white sugar?

What is the difference between white sugar and brown sugar?

According to Dr. Chau Thi Anh, Head of the Nutrition Department at Xuyen A General Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City, although both white and brown sugar originate from sugarcane or sugar beet and their main component is sucrose, they have very distinct differences in nature and flavor.

White sugar is a type of sucrose that has been almost completely refined, removing all impurities to produce pure white sugar granules with a sharp sweetness. In contrast, brown sugar is essentially white sugar but retains or is blended with molasses. This thick molasses layer gives brown sugar its characteristic dark color and subtle caramel aroma. Thanks to this molasses content, brown sugar also contains small amounts of natural minerals such as calcium, potassium, iron, and magnesium.

PHOTO: LC CREATED FROM GM

Are the minerals in brown sugar significant?

Although brown sugar contains calcium, potassium, iron, and magnesium thanks to its molasses coating, the amounts are extremely insignificant. For example, a teaspoon of brown sugar contains only a very small amount of these minerals, often less than a few percent of the body's recommended daily intake.

"To give you an idea, if you wanted to get a 'significant' amount of iron or magnesium from brown sugar, you would have to eat hundreds, even hundreds of grams, of it every day. At that point, the harm from the empty calories and excessive sugar intake (causing obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular problems) would far outweigh the small benefits from those minerals," explained Dr. Chau Thi Anh.

In other words, brown sugar does contain more micronutrients than white sugar, but the amounts are too small to produce any real health benefits.

PHOTO: LC CREATED FROM GM

Are there differences in calories and glycemic index?

In terms of calories and weight gain potential, there is almost no difference between white sugar and brown sugar, with each gram of both providing approximately 4 kcal. Because the calorie difference is negligible, the most important factors for dieters remain the total amount of sugar consumed, total energy intake, and the frequency of daily consumption of sweets.

Similarly, the glycemic index of these two types of sugar differs very little. Although brown sugar sometimes has a slightly lower glycemic index due to its molasses content, this difference is not significant enough to make a noticeable difference in weight management, insulin management, or reducing the risk of diabetes.

Which sugar should dieters choose?

If your goal is weight loss, blood sugar control, and a healthy lifestyle, then reducing your total daily sugar intake is far more important than simply switching from white sugar to brown sugar. Think of brown sugar as a personal taste choice, with its distinctive caramel flavor and suitability for baking or making drinks, but it's definitely not a truly "healthy version."

"Therefore, instead of worrying about the color of sugar, a much more effective strategy for dieters is to focus on controlling overall portion sizes: proactively reducing sugary drinks, limiting ultra-processed foods, and prioritizing natural sources of fiber-rich carbohydrates," Dr. Anh shared.