Is there a difference between refined sugar and sugar?
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M$2 Answers
"The completely refined white sugar product is now over 99.9% sucrose and for all practical purposes contains no nutritional elements such as vitamins, minerals, proteins or fibers. This accounts for expressions such as 'empty calories' and 'junk food'."
Cane juice, syrup, molasses, and raw sugar are examples of "unrefined" or plain ol' sugar. These un refined sweeteners would usually be made up of mainly sugarcane. As opposed to white refined sugar that is much more pure, but derived from about half sugarcane and half sugar beets. "Raw Sugar" is not natural at all, this is still refined, and 95% sucrose. Still this "raw sugar" can be marketed as turbinado and not refined sugar.
The most obvious difference would be the color. To produce the white sand like sugar as we have come to know it, bleaching agents such as lime and carbon dioxide are added. Raw Sugar such as the brand "Sugar-in-the-Raw", has large yellow tinted crystals.
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M$
To avoid buying refined sugars, go to a health food store. Talk to the people there about sugar, and ask if they have any naturally sweetened foods. This day and age, it's not easy to find something that's all natural or 100% good for you when it's sweet. You just have to pick and choose in moderation.
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M$
I like your answer, one correction. "raw sugar" IS refined, just simply less refined. Raw Sugar is not a raw or natural product at all, but is a highly refined, nutritionally depleted, 95% sucrose product. The main point of skipping this last refining step is so "raw sugar" can be marketed as turbinado, and people think its somehow better for you. Still you are correct that raw sugar is not "processed" and this is generally confused with "refining"
Sugar refining is really just extracting out the sucrose from the plant materials and then removing other unwanted materials from the extracted raw sugar. Really the only unrefined sugar is sugarcane or fruits with natural sugar.
I wouldn't suggest raw sugars, i kind of think its a marketing scheme because aside from color there is little difference, also there's pretty much zero nutritional difference.
You are correct with honey, syrups, and other natural forms of sugar, these are WAY better for you than sugar, raw or not.
