7 types of sugar: differences and which is best for your health

There are several types of sugar, which vary according to their origin and manufacturing process, acquiring different nutritional characteristics. The most natural options are brown, demerara and coconut sugar, which are not refined and therefore contain more minerals.

Regardless of the type of processing, sugar is a type of simple carbohydrate that should be avoided and consumed only in small quantities. Excessive consumption of any type of sugar can cause inflammation in the body, generating problems such as excess weight, diabetes and Alzheimer’s disease, for example.

Furthermore, there are some healthier products that also sweeten and can replace sugar, such as honey or stevia, for example. Discover some natural sweeteners to replace sugar.

See below 7 types of sugar and their characteristics:

1. Crystal sugar

Crystal sugar has large and irregular crystals, which are transparent or slightly yellowish, easy to dissolve. During its manufacture, sugarcane juice goes through a process of purification, evaporation, crystallization and drying, which leads to the loss of minerals and vitamins.

Although most crystal sugar is white, it is also possible to find it in different colors, being used mainly to decorate cakes and birthday sweets. To obtain pink, blue or orange sugar, for example, the industry adds artificial colorings during its preparation, which makes the sugar even less healthy and nutritionally poorer.

2. Icing sugar

Icing sugar has very fine grains, making it ideal for making preparations such as whipped cream, toppings and more homogeneous icings, as well as being used to decorate cakes and pies. This type of sugar has a talc or fine snow appearance, it dilutes much more easily than crystal sugar, and during its manufacture starch is added to the formula, so that the super small grains do not come together again.

3. Brown sugar

Brown sugar is obtained from cooking sugar cane syrup, retaining much of its nutrients, such as iron, folic acid, calcium, zinc and magnesium. Because it is unrefined, it also has larger, darker grains, which do not dilute easily like refined sugar, and which have a flavor very similar to sugar cane.

Despite being one of the healthiest versions, it is also rich in calories and should only be consumed in small quantities.

4. Demerara sugar

Similar to brown sugar, demerara differs in that it goes through a light purification and refinement process, but without the use of chemical additives. It also maintains the minerals present in sugar cane, and dilutes more easily, in addition to having a milder flavor than brown sugar.

5. Light sugar

Light sugar is obtained from a mixture of refined sugar and artificial or natural sweeteners, such as sodium cyclamate, saccharin or sucralose, making the final product have a greater sweetening power than regular sugar, but with fewer calories. as it does not contain a large amount of sucrose. However, it should be consumed in moderation and use by people with type 1 or 2 diabetes should only be done after advice from a nutritionist.

6. Organic sugar

Organic sugar has the same calories and nutrients as regular sugar. The main difference is that during the production of this type of sugar, no artificial ingredients, fertilizers, chemical fertilizers or pesticides are used.

7. Coconut Sugar

Coconut sugar is obtained from the sap of the coconut tree and is not extracted from the coconut fruit. It is a minimally processed food, containing no preservatives and not undergoing refinement processes, as happens with common sugar. It has a lower glycemic index than common sugar, helping to not alter blood sugar too much.

In addition, it contains minerals such as iron, zinc, potassium and magnesium, and B vitamins.

It is important to remember that as it is a simple carbohydrate, all types of sugar should be avoided in cases of diabetes, and should only be consumed in small quantities to maintain balanced health and weight.

How to choose the best sugar

The best sugar is the one that goes through fewer types of processing, as this means it is possible to obtain a greater amount of minerals, as is the case with coconut, brown and demerara sugar.

However, even though they are considered healthier compared to other types of sugar, it is important that consumption is not excessive, as they can promote weight gain or the occurrence of blood sugar spikes, for example.

Therefore, to choose the best sugar, it is important to pay attention to the food label, checking the number of calories, the list of ingredients and the nutritional composition.