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Sugars
Recently there have been a lot of questions
about sucanat, also called dehydrated or crystallized cane sugar.
Questions such as "what the heck is crystallized cane juice
if not sugar?". Products like Florida Crystals are on the Co-op
selves and in some of our deli products. We sell several types of
"sugar" in our bulk bins, and now people are beginning
to ask why. One member claims that it "sounds close enough
to sugar to be sugar." This member is right…sort of.
It takes a lot of labor to produce standard
white sugar. Various other types of sugars are created first as
part of that process. Cane is harvested and ground into small pieces
which are dehydrated. At this point, crystallized cane juice, also
called sucanat, is formed. Then the sugar is milled. After the first
couple millings, the end product is called Turbinado sugar. Florida
Crystals is a brand name of turbinado sugar. The sugar is milled
again—up to ten times total—and bleached to create white
sugar. In addition, white sugar is crushed with animal bones to
get those "perfect" crystals, which is the reason products
made with sugar are not considered vegan. Often, processed brown
sugar is white sugar to which molasses has been added. Maple sugar
is not from sugar cane at all; it comes from crystallized maple
syrup. Similarly, date sugar comes from grinding up crystallized
dates.)
The nutrition levels of the different sugars
vary with their degree of processing. Sucanat ranks the highest,
containing less sucrose than white sugar. This means it metabolizes
at a slower rate. White sugar enters the bloodstream quicker, giving
you a more drastic sugar high and corresponding sugar low. Turbinado
rates within the two, although closer to white sugar. And brown
sugar, ranks the same as white sugar both in terms of metabolism
and nutrition.
Unmilled or partially milled sugars have become very popular in
recent years due to their increased use in diet centers and cookbooks,
especially whole foods cookbooks. Also, many strict vegetarians
choose to use alternatives. The substitutes can be used in any recipe
that calls for white sugar.
However, while sucanat and turbinado are healthier
than white sugar, they are still not health food. Sucanat contains
only trace minerals and is not a significant source of any nutrient.
Sugar contains no nutrients of note and adds only empty calories
to the diet.
Information from "Stop the Sugar Blues"
by Melissa Diane Smith
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