Sugar in the raw. Is it worth the extra money?

I don’t think it’s any more healthy than refined sugar, but I do prefer raw sugar in my teas and lattes.

We don’t buy Sugar in the Raw in my office, though. We use Wholesome Sweeteners Fair Trade raw cane sugar. It’s half the price of Sugar in the Raw. ($30 for 1000 packets vs. $27 for 400)

The way I understand it raw sugar has some nutrients that are stripped away when it is processed further to be white. I think it is a few minerals that are present. Also, the process used to get the sugar to white has some additives or some sort of chemicals used so I guess some people might think that is a bad thing. Possibly there are various ways to process the sugar and not necessarily white sugar uses chemicals? But, either way I am pretty sure the nutrient part holds true.

…Sugar in the raw? But…it doesn’t cost anything to take your clothes off to eat it.

Raw sugar is regular sugar which is less processed, which means it has a small amount of what would become molasses if it were separated out.

A very, very small amount. There are some nutritional benefits to molasses: it’s got some minerals and a bit of vitamin B6. Eat a tablespoon of molasses, and you’ll get 20% of your iron.

Raw sugar, though, is mostly sugar. There’s so little of anything else in it that the packets declare it “Not a significant source of calories from fat, saturated fat, cholesterol, dietary fiber, vitamin A, vitamin C, calcium and iron.” That’s why it tastes like sugar, with a slight molasses-y tang, rather than like molasses.

The web site for one version of raw sugar hedges, “Some nutritionists believe that these very small amounts of nutrients contribute to the advantages Sugar In The Raw over refined white sugar.” They’re vague on details because they don’t stand up to any particular analysis, and the FDA won’t let them make any health claims on the packaging. There’s just not enough concentrated cane juice to make a difference unless you eat far, far more sugar than is good for you.

If you like raw sugar, by all means, use it. But the stuff is still pretty significantly processed, and the packages make no health claims because there aren’t any it.

If you’re looking for some health from your sweetener, try substituting molasses.” Source

I completely agree with @gailcalled on this. (which must be some sort of historic event. lol)

I have often wondered why raw sugar or even whole, roasted coffee beans are more expensive than their more processed or ground counterparts. Buying them basically unfinished should be cheaper, right? I am saving the manufacturer the extra bother, so I should be charged less, right?? Is it just me or do more people feel this way?

@cazzie That’s how I feel. I didn’t even know raw sugar is more expensive. I never buy it and in many places both white and raw packets are offered as sweeteners. The only thing that might make sense is if the molasses and white sugar can be sold for money separately than combined as raw, and so the raw is priced higher? I’m guessing.

I sprinkle “Sugar in the Raw” on my vanilla sablee cookies before baking them because it has more texture than regular granulated sugar but I don’t think it’s healthier.

I don’t think sugar has any health benefits, does it? I mean, I think you could cut sugar completely out of your diet and not suffer any ill effects. But I could be mistaken. (for the second time in my life.)

I use ¼ t. of white sugar in a daily mug of tea, now that I have stopped using milk. I consider it benign.

@Dutchess_III I don’t think of sugar as having health benefits, but less than a teaspoon here and there I feel the same as @gailcalled, basically benign. I don’t even consume table sugar daily, but there is sugar in the fruit I eat and carbs, and I think of it all as basically the same in terms of glucose in my system. Obviously, better to consume the carb/sugars in a complex or whole form as they tend to be absorbed into the system slower and come along with more nutrients. But, when a packaged product boasts it isn’t sweetened with sugar, but instead fruit juices, to me that is just a marketing ploy that doesn’t mean much of anything nutritionally.

@JLeslie Seriously – Apple juice is basically liquid candy.

@Seek_Kolinahr yep, and I would LOVE to ween my step son off of it, but his mother lets him drink a liter of it in one sitting, so I have little power there. At least he knows he won’t get chocolate bread spread at my house.

Well, the talk of “nutrients” popped up. I don’t think sugar has any nutrients.

@Seek_Kolinahr Pretty much all juice. I guess maybe the nectors have some additional properties? Not sure, I never looked at a label, but it seems like they might have a gram of fiber? Still, tons of sugar. I went to a nutritionist when I was a teen (I was just talking about this on another Q). I went because my triglycerides and choesterol were high. I admitted to drinking a lot of coke and she said that is probably pushing up my triglycerides, so I asked if I should switch to juice, and she said just as bad. So, I learned fairly young and many years ago juice was a problem. I consider myself lucky I was referred to the nutritionist at such a young age. I was a very thin kid. I have been far from perfect with my diet, but I always was kind of aware since then what each bite did to my health.

@Dutchess_III Yes, there are some nutrients in raw and brown sugar, but I would think minuscule as @gailcalled pointed out. The dark part of sugar, the molasses, when separated out has the nutrients. It surprised me how much iron is in molasses with the information @gailcalled provided.

Edit: Here is a link with nutritional info for raw sugar.

I remember when I was pregnant, anemic and hyperemetic, my midwife recommended eating a spoonful of molasses, or mixing it in my tea, at least once a day. Couldn’t hold that down, either, but hey, maybe a little bit helped. ^_^

I might buy some molasses now. I was thinking about buying a cast iron pan, but they are so heavy.

And it makes your food taste weird.

I have some in my pantry that I keep for baking projects. It’s for texture, as @janbb also mentioned. Tops of certain kinds of pie, things like that. It’s been there for years, and will probably still be there for years, so the cost isn’t prohibitive. I wouldn’t use it for much else – sugar is sugar.

the price of raw sugar here is negligible in comparison to highly refined, I buy it because it looks nicer has a better consistency and we don’t use much anyway. for cooking cakes etc i love dark brown sugar it really does taste amazing.

Thanks and GAs all. I can get the raw sugar at Costco in 10 pound packages for about the same price as 25 pounds of white sugar. Just wondering which to opt for.

I have read that raw sugar is more like brown sugar in baking. It has more moisture in it, so it makes baked goods more moist—sometimes too moist. You may have to adjust the liquid you add to a recipe if you use raw sugar where white sugar is called for. Another approach is pay half as much and don’t worry about adjusting recipes.

I think the price difference is due to the massive volume that refined sugar is produced in compared to the relatively low volume production of the less refined product—and of course the perceived benefits of “natural” products.

I lived in the middle of thousands of acres of sugar cane. The burn offs were like living in a bottle of molasses. I know that is irrelevant to the question I just thought I would add it. Sugar cane fields are beautiful and so much fun to rip through on a quad bike! There are even song written about it. Again not really related but I always think of this song when I see or talk about sugar cane fields. And here is a pic, see how gorgeous, that is why I love them.

Anyhow as @Arewethereyet said, raw sugar here is very inexpensive. I use mostly honey for sweetening but I do keep raw sugar on hand for when a tea drinker who likes it white and sweet shows up for a visit.

I am now getting my sugar hit from 1 can of A & W root beer a day. I am off cokey cola and onto root beer. I am hopeless!

Good thing this question is in social, I have taken it all over the place, sorry @ETpro

@rooeytoo That was a wonderful digression. I’d never heard that song before, but instantly took to it. So the leaves of the cane aren’t razor edged? They look in the picture almost like they would cut you.

@ETpro – There are many different varieties of sugar cane. But none I have come in contact with were razor edged. But when you go ripping through it, it can give you a pretty good slap along side your head! Mostly though when on a quad bike we ride the edge (and sometimes in) the irrigation ditches. The cane itself is planted very densely. It is difficult to get between the stalks on a 4 wheeler. Glad you liked Graeme Connors. He lives in northern Queensland and most of his songs are about that area. He and John Williamson are the aussie troubadours and of course if you like Country Western Slim Dusty is the man. They are all on youtube.

So…can you steal some stalks and make your own sugar? How would you do that? Around here we can steal corn cobs out of the fields and make our own corn except it’s already made….

Well it is easy enough to steal all the stalks you want. I bet if you look on youtube there is info about how to make sugar from them. It is good just to suck on the stalks, they are super sweet but good. I like to be self sufficient but I have never tried to make my own sugar!

Isn’t sugar more of a tropical plant?

yes