Brown Sugar – Health Benefits, Uses, Nutritional Value, and Side-effect
Sugar is a natural sweetener that has been a major ingredient in food since ancient times. Recently most health-conscious people have started avoiding white sugar and switching to brown sugar as a healthy alternative. The adverse effects of consuming excessive amounts of white sugar have been widely publicized and all of these negative effects make brown sugar, its close associate, a better choice and healthier. Brown sugar is considered to be the best sugar for its health benefits and various properties over regular crystallized white sugar. Brown sugar has a different chemical structure and the human body reacts to it slightly differently.
What is a Brown Sugar?
Brown sugar is a type of sugar that has a brown color due to the presence of jaggery. It can be made commercially or naturally. Most brown sugar contains about 5% molasses by weight. It has a soft consistency and toasted flavor and tends to be sweeter than regular sugar. This article discusses the health benefits of brown sugar.
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Types of Brown Sugar
- Demerara
- Turbinado
- dark brown sugar
- muscovado
Nutritional value per 100g of Brown Sugar
Nutritional value per 100 g (3.5 oz)
| Energy | 1,576 KJ (377 kcal) |
| Carbohydrates | 97.33 g |
| Sugars | 96.21 g |
| Dietary fiber | 0 g |
| Fat | 0 g |
| Protein | 0 g |
Nutritional value of vitamins per 100 g
| Vitamins | Quantity% DV + |
| Thiamine (B1) | 0.008 mg |
| Riboflavin (B2) | 0.007 mg |
| Niacin (B3) | 0.082 mg |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.026 mg |
| Folate (B9) | 1 μg |
Nutritional value of Minerals per 100 g
| Minerals | Quantity% DV + |
| Calcium | 85 mg |
| Iron | 1.91 mg |
| Magnesium | 29 mg |
| Phosphorus | 22 mg |
| Potassium | 133 mg |
| Sodium | 39 mg |
| Zinc | 0.18 mg |
Other nutritional values of brown sugar
| Other constituents | Quantity |
| Water | 1.77 g |
Benefits and uses of Brown Sugar
1. Relieves Menstrual Cramps
Brown sugar has been mainly used in traditional medicine to reduce menstrual problems. The richness of potassium in brown sugar helps fight muscle contraction. All you have to do is drink fresh tea made with brown sugar and ginger to reduce stomach pain and calm the pain.
2. Boost skin health
Brown sugar with skin-friendly nutrients such as vitamin B6, niacin, and pantothenic acid saturated which helps to regenerate and repair skin cells. The brown sugar scrub works well to clear dead skin cells, clearing dirt and unclogged pores resulting in blemish-free and radiant skin.
3. Support weight loss
If you are trying to lose extra kilos, you should monitor your calories. Brown sugar is low in calories which kicks off metabolism, keeps you satiated, and controls hunger pangs which can help with weight loss efforts, Helps with weight loss – brown sugar has fewer calories than white sugar. Brown sugar molasses is known to increase metabolism. It also contains other micronutrients. Therefore, you can say that brown sugar helps in weight loss.
4. Improve digestion
Brown sugar helps with common digestive problems. The richness helps in controlling bloating and indigestion. Also, if you are suffering from constipation drink a glass of warm water with ginger and brown sugar support for regularizing weapon circulation.
5. Treating Asthma
The power of antiallergic effects of brown sugar can help suppress asthma-related symptoms. Mix brown sugar with warm water and drink it daily to improve your respiratory health.
6. It has antiseptic qualities
Brown sugar contains anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial ingredients that can help fight bacteria and infection.
7. Beneficial For Pregnant women
Brown sugar is considered very good for the faster recovery of women after childbirth. Some women take quite a while to recover from childbirth, therefore eating brown sugar helps in a faster recovery.
8. Provides relief from cold
Brown sugar has been used as an effective remedy to treat colds. If you are suffering from a cold then boil some water with a few pinches of ginger and some brown sugar and drink it for instant relief from the cold.
9. Help in the Treatment of Uterine Contractions
Since ancient times, brown sugar has been considered very beneficial for women suffering from uterine contractions as eating brown sugar is considered to be a very effective remedy for treating painful contractions.
10. Boost energy naturally
Brown sugar will provide you with a natural energy boost for a short period of time. It will give you temporary strength and help you recover when you feel weak. Hence, if you feel tired and low on energy add brown sugar to your tea or coffee.
11. Free of chemicals
Brown sugar is completely free of chemicals, unlike white sugar. This is because brown sugar contains molasses which is composed of essential minerals like calcium, iron, magnesium, potassium, and phosphorus. It provides your body with important minerals.
12. Acts as an instant power booster
Brown sugar is a simple carbohydrate that breaks down into glucose. Therefore, if you need an immediate energy boost, you can add brown sugar to your diet.
Uses of Brown Sugar
Brown sugar is used for dense baked goods, including bread and cookies. Its is included in barbecue sauce. Brown sugar is used in different ways in different food dishes.
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Side effects of Brown Sugar
Brown sugar in limited amounts is generally considered safe for health. However, excessive consumption can lead to dental problems. The American Dental Association (A.D.A) recommends that people limit their added sugar intake to less than 10 percent (4) of their total calorie intake each day. In addition, people with type 2 diabetes should watch their brown sugar intake to avoid raising their blood sugar levels.
Brown sugar in limited amounts is safe for most healthy adults. However, if taken in large quantities, it can increase the risk of weight gain, yeast infections, and diabetes. Frequent consumption of brown sugar can increase the risk of weight gain, heart problems, cancer, inflammation, diabetes 2, and other chronic conditions.
Therefore, considering the benefits and harms of brown sugar, it should be used in the right amount as excessive use of any product can harm your health. The above information is provided for general knowledge purposes only. It is recommended that you consult your doctor before using brown sugar for healing.
Conclusion
The information discussed in this article has introduced you to the health benefits of brown sugar. In this article, you have learned about the benefits and harms, uses, and other information on brown sugar. I hope the information mentioned in this article will be useful to you. Thank you!
FAQ
1. What effect does brown sugar have on your body?
Ans: Brown sugar contains multiple micronutrients such as iron, calcium, potassium, zinc, copper, phosphorus, and vitamin B6, which are essential for a healthy functional body. It is derived from jaggery, which makes it a healthy choice. Brown sugar helps with digestive problems.
2. Does brown sugar cause weight gain?
Ans: Yes, because of its lower calorie content, brown sugar will not make you gain weight like white sugar. Therefore, you can consume dishes made with brown sugar. It is also a type of sugar so it is better to limit the intake to stay healthy and well.
3. Does brown sugar have side effects?
Ans: In general, brown sugar has the same side effects on your health as white sugar. Frequent consumption of brown sugar can increase the risk of weight gain, heart problems, cancer, inflammation, type 2 diabetes, and other chronic conditions.
4. Is brown sugar good for blood pressure?
Ans: No, it is not good for people with high blood pressure. The fact about sugar is that it makes the body vulnerable to many diseases like high blood pressure, obesity, and heart problems. Therefore, excessive consumption of either brown sugar or white sugar can be dangerous to your health.
5. Can diabetics eat brown sugar?
Ans: Brown sugar and white sugar have somewhat similar nutritional profiles. Therefore, a person with diabetes is not recommended to eat brown sugar regularly. They can definitely have limited amounts of it in their favorite sweets and drinks.