Ask the experts: Sugar

Is raw sugar better for me than white sugar?

“Is there any nutritional benefit in using raw sugar over white sugar? My husband insists on using raw sugar, saying it hasn’t had any of the minerals removed from it like white sugar has. Is this true?”

Joanne

Nutritionist Bronwen King responds:

“No. Sugar, in whatever form, comes from sugar cane or sugar beet plants, which are crushed to release their juice (just as we crush oranges to get orange juice). This juice is then heated to a thick, dark syrup which consists of sugar crystals and molasses. This is centrifuged (spun rapidly) to remove the molasses and granulated white sugar remains.

Raw sugar is granulated white sugar to which some of the molasses has been added back in. Brown sugar is the same, but the crystals are finer. While it is true that molasses has a little iron and calcium, it is a very poor dietary source; we would have to eat large quantities of it to get even small amounts. You would have to eat nine teaspoons of raw sugar to get the same amount of iron as that found in one slice of wholemeal bread – not something nutritionists would recommend!”