Raw sugar, the most commonly sold form of which is Turbinado sugar in the United States, is the material that remains after processing sugar cane to remove molasses and refine white sugar. Raw sugar is then refined a second time to remove impurities to make it acceptable for sale. The sugar has a brown color, but is not brown sugar, which is granulated sugar combined with molasses.
Calories
A 100-g serving of raw sugar--about 0.4 cup-contains 399 calories. If you use raw sugar in your coffee, you likely use this sugar in 1-tsp. measurements. One tsp. of raw sugar contains approximately 188 calories. Including too many calories from sugar in your diet may result in weight gain.
Carbohydrates
All of the calories in raw sugar come from carbohydrates. A 100-g serving contains no protein and zero g of fat. This portion of raw sugar provides you with 99.8 g of carbohydrates, which is then broken down into blood glucose that your body uses for energy. The Institute of Medicine recommends consuming 130 g of carbohydrates daily to sustain your energy levels.
Minerals
Raw sugar has very little nutritional content. A 100-g serving provides 12 mg of calcium, 0.37 mg of iron, 2 mg of magnesium, 1 mg of phosphorus, 29 mg of potassium, 3 mg of sodium, 0.03 mg of zinc, .009 mg of copper and .046 mg of manganese. Supplement your diet with nutritious foods to obtain the recommended daily value of these minerals.
Controversy
A February 2006 report from ABC News notes that many people assume that raw sugar offers more nutritional benefits than granulated white sugar. Cathy Nonas, director of obesity and diabetes programs at North General Hospital in New York City, notes that "There's no more nutritional value in raw sugar than there is in white sugar or brown sugar."
Process
Sugarcane plants produce a sap--the substance that yields sugar. The cane is crushed to release sap and juice, which is heated. This creates a dark molasses mixture that is then placed in a centrifuge. The centrifuge removes the molasses, leaving only raw sugar.
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