brown cane sugar obtained from the juice of the sun-loving plant Saccharum officinarum (sugar cane). This bamboo-like plant (see photo) was originally from India. However, the soldiers of Alexander the Great could not fail to notice such a delicious curiosity and took it with them, which gradually led to its spread. It began to grow farmers in the Middle East, the Mediterranean. And the century of great discoveries and world travel helped to establish cane plantations on the territory of the American continents.

The overseas product came to us with the permission of Peter I, who initiated the construction of the first sugar factory in St. Petersburg, as well as the organization of a special department of the “sugar chamber”. Prior to this, sugar was a rather expensive delicacy and was available only to a select few.

All cane sugar has several varieties, depending on the area of ​​​​growth and the content of a special molasses substance in the composition of the final product:

Many people wonder about the need to use this product, replacing it with more familiar beet sugar. What is the difference between a brown sweet product and a white one? The advantage of the first is undeniable already by the fact that it undergoes a minimum of processing by various chemical "bleaching" agents. So brown can be considered a more natural and environmentally friendly product.

Beneficial features

All the energy qualities of the product from cane juice are similar to beetroot. Its calorie content is 387-400 kcal. However, as already mentioned, it contains unique substances - molasses and molasses, which give saturation to the color. They are also a source of minerals and elements - calcium, magnesium, potassium, phosphorus, zinc and even a small amount of proteins. So the answer to the question "why is brown cane sugar better?" quite obvious.

It helps to regulate metabolism, strengthen bone and joint tissues, stabilize the work of the circulatory and nervous systems, and also normalizes the work of the stomach.

The benefits of brown cane sugar, consumed in adequate doses, is undeniable. Therefore, you should not completely abandon the use of sweets, but replace it with a more healthy unrefined cane product.

Moreover, it is brown cane sugar that is allowed for nutrition in a training regime, due to the large number of useful qualities and the absence of allergic reactions.

How to distinguish a fake?

However, you will be able to use all the properties of the product only if you purchase this product. Beware of fakes! Poor quality brown cane sugar can be recognized in two ways, but only at home:

• check for a reaction with iodine, for which dilute sugar in a glass of water and drop a couple of drops of an alcohol solution - a blue color will become a sign of the original product;
• just dissolve cane brown sugar in clean water- the appearance of coloring indicates that the product is only caramel.

The use of this product will bring you benefits and unusual taste qualities of familiar products.

Use in cooking

The use of brown unrefined sugar is increasingly found in culinary recipes. This is not surprising, because as a sweetener and food component, cane sugar is preferable, because. gives a richer taste and aroma. The scope of the product is very extensive:

• additive to hot drinks - coffee, tea, tinctures, compotes, carbonated drinks, etc.;
• milk products;
• salads, soups, cold dishes, sauces;
• bakery pastries, desserts - sweets, ice cream, glazes.

Sugar is a natural preservative, so the preparation of jams, marmalades, candied fruits cannot do without it. Especially relevant in the preparation of these dishes is healthy brown cane sugar.

Thanks to another unique property to enhance the action of yeast, which leads to an increase in volume and improve the consistency of the dough, sweetness is used for baking, as well as in winemaking and brewing.

Brown Cane Sugar Benefits and Treatment

The benefits of a brown cane product are due to the presence of minerals, vitamins and plant fibers in its composition. In addition, it can be attributed to slow carbohydrates, which perform the main function - saturating the body with energy and does not affect the appearance excess weight. This quality is fully appreciated by the inhabitants of Japan, whose cuisine is based on the use of cane sugar.

However, it should be borne in mind that, as with other products, it is necessary to observe the measure. Just 50-60 grams per day will provide the required amount of energy. The excess will be deposited on your sides due to the fact that it does not have time to be used up, especially among people leading sedentary image life.

Recently, researchers from the International Sugar Organization have proven that cane brown sugar, used in prescribed measures, can and should even be used in diabetes.

Sugar and the energy it produces are very important for some aspects of human life - work nervous system and also prevents atherosclerosis. And sucrose in its composition regulates the work gastrointestinal tract and liver activity.

Cane brown sugar can also be used as an ingredient in beauty recipes. It is one of the main components of body and face scrubs, for skin tightening, nutrition and hydration.

Harm of cane sugar and contraindications

The harm of sugar from cane juice is caused by its high calorie content. Having become available to the entire population, it began to be used in very large quantities, which caused a large number of diseases and the development of addiction.

With uncontrolled use of it in food, the risk of acquiring diabetes, cancer and atherosclerosis. The pancreas may not be able to process a large amount of sugary food, which leads to a long list of problems.

Sweet teeth, who still cannot refuse desserts, can replace sugar with other substances:

• organic sugarcane juice;
• natural honey;
• fruits with high glucose levels (bananas, apricots, apples);
• dried fruits (raisins, dried apricots, etc.).

So, eat right and be healthy!

How to learn to distinguish real cane sugar from a fake? Very simple - you just need to know a number of key points. Which ones? FeelGood will tell you!

Test it right in your drink

It seems to many that sugar in any of its forms has exactly the same taste. In fact, one of the main differences between cane sugar and beet sugar is that it manifests itself in a completely different way in drinks and dishes. That is why real cane sugar can be distinguished by taste and smell. White - beet - sugar has practically no smell and only one taste. As for brown - cane - sugar, it has a lot of nuances, including a characteristic taste and aroma.

Chanclos_shutterstock

Add some cane sugar to a cup of coffee or tea, stir it and taste the drink - real cane sugar will emphasize the taste of the drink without distorting it, and add an exquisite savory note to tea or coffee.

Read the description on the package carefully

Still, the main source of information for a buyer who does not have a laboratory for analysis at hand is, first of all, packaging. Carefully read all the notes and inscriptions on the label. A very important factor is the country producing cane sugar. Authentic and, more importantly, high-quality cane sugar comes to us mainly from the island of Mauritius, Argentina, Colombia, Malawi, Brazil, Paraguay, South Africa.

Also pay attention to the calorie content of the product - cane sugar is more dietary than regular sugar (about 375 kcal per 100 g).

We advise you to give preference to trusted sugar producers, such as, for example, unrefined cane sugar TM Sladov.

The products of TM "Sladov" are noticeably different from their average market analogues. Firstly, it is, of course, a wide range of goods, which cannot but rejoice. Secondly, for sugar TM "Sladov" only selected varieties of sugar beet and sugar cane are used, and the design of the product pleases with ergonomic packaging.

Moreover, it was at the sugar production of TM "Sladov" that the Food Safety Management System Certification 22000 (FSSC 22000) was developed, implemented and certified. It is an audit and certification scheme for the food safety management system in the food supply chain based on ISO standards and internationally recognized.

An effective food safety management system, which operates at the sugar production of TM "Sladov", guarantees the quality and safety of the food products produced.

TM "Sladov" cares about your health, offering only high-quality products that have all the supporting documents.

Myths about how to recognize real sugar

There are two most common myths about how to authenticate cane sugar: using iodine and using warm water.

According to the first belief, you need to drop iodine into sugar syrup, and if the sugar becomes bluish, then it means it is real. Accordingly, if there is no reaction, you have a fake.

Such a myth arose due to the fact that saccharides (in particular, starch / bread) interact with iodine, staining in a bluish color (and earlier, using a similar experiment, the presence of bread in cutlets was determined). However, this only applies to polysaccharides like starch (the main ingredient in bread).

Cane sugar, on the other hand, is predominantly a monosaccharide, which by its nature does not manifest itself as such when in contact with iodine. Simply put, sugar - real or not - in any case will not turn blue.

Jiri Hera_shutterstock

The second myth, involving the use of warm water, is related to the fact that sometimes beet sugar is simply colored with caramel, passing off as cane sugar. Caramel in water tends to wash off and color the liquid brown. It seems that at first glance everything is simple: if the water has changed color, then the sugar is not real.

However, in fact, cane sugar can also color water. The fact is that it is produced by crystallization of molasses obtained from sugar cane juice. To start the growth of crystals, small slices of sucrose are added to the molasses. They have a dense crystalline structure, and therefore most of the cane molasses cannot be fixed inside the crystal, but only in its microcracks, which are the vast majority on the outer part of the crystal. When dissolved in warm water, unrefined cane sugar crystals lose their molasses and become discolored, and the solution, accordingly, is colored. From which we summarize that it is simply impossible to verify the authenticity of sugar with warm water.

FeelGood wishes you to always be vigilant and consume only the highest quality products!

Brown sugar has already become the talk of the town in the diverse discourse about healthy eating. We have already written about the varieties and properties of brown sugar earlier. Someone insists that there is nothing useful in it and it is no different from white sugar, who claims that brown sugar is a salvation from the "white death" and an indispensable product in the diet menu.

However, today we will not talk about the dangers or benefits of this amazing product, but about the myths that accompany another popular topic that is so often discussed on the Internet ...

How to distinguish real cane sugar from a fake?

“Dip it in warm water. If it darkens, then this sugar is just colored refined sugar. This method of testing for authenticity, unfortunately, does not work, since cane sugar will color the water in the same way as “colored refined sugar”. The fact is that molasses, which is collected in microcracks of sugar crystals, gives sugar a pleasant honey shade. When in contact with water, it is quickly washed out of the crystals and colors the water.

“Drip a couple of drops of iodine into the water with sugar. If the water doesn't turn blue, then the sugar is fake." And this tricky method from the arsenal of a young chemist also, alas, does not work, although the idea was fully justified. The problem is that, subject to all the processing standards of cane sugar, it practically does not contain starch, and therefore, there is nothing to color with iodine.

“Cane sugar has a caramel flavor that is very noticeable when reacted with hot water". Of course, once you have tasted tea or coffee with cane sugar, you will no longer confuse its light aroma and pleasant aftertaste that accompany the drink and give it a little “candy” notes. However, white sugar with caramello additives, in principle, can give the same effect when in contact with hot water. The most important thing in this case is not to confuse unrefined cane sugar with ordinary caramel sugar, which was simply boiled and formed into caramel crystals.

“Real cane sugar costs sky-high prices, which is why it has never actually been on store shelves.” Actually, it is not. Yes, cane sugar is a little more expensive than white sugar, but the production and processing of sugar cane is not so expensive as to be beyond the reach of our buyer. Real cane sugar must come from Mauritius, Guatemala, Brazil, Costa Rica, the USA and Cuba, but the "exoticism" of these countries does not affect its value just as much as the technology of its production. Therefore, it is rather difficult to determine the authenticity of sugar by the price tag. The Agro-Alliance holding also offers its own version of brown sugar.

What is the difference between brown sugar and regular sugar

Obviously, distinguishing fake from real cane sugar is quite difficult, simply because almost all detection tools are not really as effective as they are made out to be. In order to purchase a natural product from sugar cane, you need to wisely combine the features of a real, “clean” product. For example, you need to consider that cane sugar is indeed a bit more expensive than regular white sugar; you need to check the country of origin, because, no matter how good the crystals look, no one will produce sugar in a country where it simply does not grow - this is too expensive and therefore implausible. In addition, after all, the taste of cane sugar is slightly different from the taste of ordinary refined sugar.

We wish you good luck in your search for a real cane treasure! And remember: as long as we believe in myths, they live on.

The benefits and harms of sugar have already been said and written countless times, disputes on this topic flare up with enviable constancy. Nevertheless, we used and will continue to use sugar on a daily basis, as it is not only a pleasant addition to or coffee, but is also part of many products (confectionery and bakery products, sweet soda, ready-made breakfasts and even semi-finished meat products).

In order to protect your body from unpleasant consequences, it is important not only to comply with the norm of sugar consumption (no more than 50 grams per day), but also to make sure that the product purchased in the store is of high quality and does not contain impurities. Unfortunately, a fake or a product damaged as a result of non-compliance with storage conditions can be encountered quite often. Such sugar can cause harm to health even in small quantities, as it can contain a variety of impurities and be a breeding ground for mold and fungus.

How to check quality

In order not to become a victim of scammers and unscrupulous sellers trying to sell fake or damaged goods, you need to know what to look for when choosing sugar. It is possible to distinguish a fake from a quality product on your own without the help of special expertise.

Packing check

First of all, when buying, it is necessary to inspect the packaging, it should not be damaged (sand should not spill out) and traces of smudges, sugar should easily pour inside the package, not stick together and not form lumps, it should also be uniform in color and structure.

• the product's name;
• what raw materials it is made from (beets or sugar cane);
• name, legal address of the manufacturer and telephone number;
• country and location of production;
• nutritional value and calorie content;
• Net weight;
• date of production and packaging;
• best before date;
• storage conditions.

Preference should be given to sugar of the first category, it is also worth paying attention to the mark of compliance with GOST. If the sugar is refined, this must be written on the package.

You should not buy granulated sugar, which is marked "sweet", as it additionally contains a sweetener that enhances the taste of the product several times.

Water test

Both white and brown sugar are easy to check with a regular glass of water - a spoonful of high-quality sugar without impurities will dissolve in it without residue. If during this small experiment the color of the water has changed or sediment has appeared at the bottom of the glass, you should not eat such a product, as it is most likely a fake and contains impurities that are harmful to health.

Testing with fire

If 2-3 tablespoons of sugar are dissolved in a small amount of water, and the resulting mixture is put on fire, in just a couple of minutes the liquid should thicken and turn into caramel. If this did not happen, the water changed color, turned cloudy, turned into gruel, this is a clear indicator that sugar is a fake and you should not use it either.

Brown (cane) sugar test

It is necessary to dissolve a tablespoon of cane sugar in a glass of water, and then add a few drops of ordinary iodine. If the product is of high quality, the water will acquire a blue tint.

Taste, smell and color

Sugar easily absorbs odors and moisture, so it is very important to maintain the integrity of the package and observe the conditions for its storage, otherwise the product may be spoiled. To make sure that sugar does not contain a foreign odor, a small amount of it must be poured into the palm of your hand, squeezed, held for a minute, and then smelled. The presence of an uncharacteristic odor can also affect the taste of the product; in this case, it is not recommended to eat it, since violation of storage conditions can lead not only to a change in taste and smell, but also to the development of various pathogens.

The color of sugar is also an indicator of its quality. Depending on the type and degree of purification, it can range from crystal white to dark brown, the main thing to pay attention to is uniformity and the absence of impurities.

Roscontrol

In December 2016, Roskontrol carried out its inspection of five samples of granulated sugar. The results can be found at the link.

Finally

Complete rejection of sugar is a radical measure, because glucose contributes to correct work brain, improves our body's ability to resist stress and is able to give the necessary boost of energy and good mood. But, as in the case of other products, only a product of high quality, produced and stored in accordance with all the rules, can bring benefits.

Actually, it's possible. First, look for the word "unrefined" on the packaging; if sugar is designated as “brown refined”, it means that it is a product containing dyes and extraneous additives. Second, flavor cane molasses quite characteristic, and it is not difficult to distinguish it from the smell of burnt sugar, which fakes tint. Thirdly, natural cane brown sugar is always quite expensive. It is more expensive to produce (in particular, sugar cane must be processed within a day after it has been cut), and because it is produced abroad (in Russia it can only be packaged in bags, and large producers never hide this), And shipping costs money too.

Buy sugar from producers who have been on the market for a long time. They value their name and monitor the quality of products.

To determine if you bought real brown sugar and fake, you can do this: dip a spoonful of sugar into a glass of warm water. If the water is colored and the crystals lose color, then the sugar is fake.

No, it's not. Brown sugar has its color because it contains molasses. However, it is concentrated in the upper layers of the sugar crystal, and when it enters the water, it dissolves faster than the sugar itself - and this is more noticeable on larger crystals. This is explained by the fact that each brown sugar crystal is formed separately during synthesis, and does not break off from a larger monolith. In this crystal, sucrose molecules are located very tightly, leaving no room for other molecules, and as the crystal grows, the molasses is pushed into the upper layers.

The picture as a whole is this: the sugar crystal is transparent inside, and colored with molasses on the outside - and this coloring occurs naturally, with the growth of the crystal.

Brown sugar is less caloric than white sugar and therefore more beneficial.

Yes, brown sugar is healthier than white sugar, but for a different reason. In addition to calories, it contains various minerals that are extremely useful for the human body. As for the calorie content of brown sugar, it is almost the same as that of white.

Brown sugar can be made from any raw material, you just need not to refine the raw sugar.

No, you can't make brown sugar from everything, only from sugar cane. More precisely, it will work, but it will be very expensive. For example, raw beet sugar is practically inedible - the mass enveloping its crystals smells unpleasant and also tastes disgusting. Therefore, to make brown sugar from beets, you must first make beet sugar, then clean it completely, whiten it, and then color it with cane molasses. Obviously, the game is not worth the candle.