What is the turbinado road?
Turbinado sugar is the sugar obtained from the first sugarcane pressing, only going through a light processing process to remove impurities, retaining part of the natural sugarcane honey. Therefore, it has a characteristic yellow-brown color and a light caramel flavor.
According to nutritionist Anshul Singh at HealthifyMe Nutrition Center (India), "because it retains a part of its natural molasses, turbinado sugar has a characteristic flavor and light brown color".
The difference between turbinado and brown sugar
Many people are easily confused between turbinado and brown sugar, but they are not actually the same. Singh explained, "brown sugar is usually a refined white sugar supplemented with sugarcane, which is darker in color and has a darker flavor. Natural turbinado sugar contains molasses at a lighter level, less industrial intervention".
Is turbinado sugar really good for health?
Unlike many people's expectations, the nutritional value of turbinado is not too different from regular white sugar. Dr. Dheeraj Kapoor, an endocrinologist at Artemis Hospital (India), commented: "A teaspoon of turbinado sugar contains about 16 calories and 4 grams of carbohydrates - equivalent to white sugar. Although they retain small amounts of minerals such as calcium, potassium and iron from sugarcane, these minerals remain too low to bring significant health benefits".
Studies, including works published in the International Journal of Preventive Medicine, also show that consuming too much of any sugar, whether natural or refined, increases the risk of obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure and cardiovascular disease.
Dr. Kapoor warns: "Even under-refined sugar like turbinado increases blood sugar and contributes to tooth decay and weight gain if consumed in excess."
How to use turbinado properly
With a light caramel flavor and large crystals, turbinado is popular in many dishes. Users can sprinkle muffins before baking to create crispiness, sweetening coffee, caramelized fruit or coating grilled meat dishes. Anshul Singh recommends: "Turbinado sugar is suitable for those who love natural flavors and want to minimize chemicals, but remember to use it at a reasonable level".
