Sugar Vs. Sugar in the Raw
Last Updated: Jul 03, 2014 | By Denise Minger
Regular sugar and Sugar in the Raw offer similar nutrition profiles. Photo CreditVisage/Stockbyte/Getty Images
With refined sugar offering little beyond empty calories, many people are seeking healthier ways to sweeten their menu. Sugar in the Raw, a brand of turbinado sugar, is one option that -- per its name -- might seem like a natural and nutritious alternative. However, the differences between sugar and Sugar in the Raw are minor, and their effects on your health are largely the same.
Processing Methods
For most of their journey from field to table, refined sugar and Sugar in the Raw undergo similar processing methods. Both sweeteners begin as sugar cane, which is first harvested and then crushed to separate the cane juice from the fiber of the plant. To strain out the moisture and dark, flavorful molasses, the juice is purified through several stages of of filtration, evaporation, boiling and centrifuging. The resulting sugar crystals are considered turbinado or "raw" sugar -- the form sold as Sugar in the Raw. To transform raw sugar into refined table sugar, the product undergoes additional washing, filtering, processing and drying to remove impurities and strip away any remaining molasses color or taste.