Brown sugar has been labeled as the healthier sugar for ages, but is there truly a difference that makes it superior? When it all boils down to it, sugar is sugar. Much like white cane sugar, brown sugar is derived from sugarcane or sugar beet plants. But what else is in there, and can gluten-free folks use it for all of their baking needs?
Brown sugar is gluten-free. The baking staple is simply granulated sugar mixed with molasses to give it moisture, richer texture. If you are gluten-intolerant, be sure to opt for a certified gluten-free brand of brown sugar such as Wholesome. The best healthier gluten-free alternatives to brown sugar include Madhava Coconut Sugar, Swerve Sweetener Brown, and Wholesome Yum Monkfruit Brown.
If you love baking pies, cakes, or glazing meats, you’ll want to read up on our breakdown of brown sugar so you can understand what you’re putting in your baked goods. Let’s dig in!
Contents
Is Brown Sugar Healthier Than White Sugar?
The color that distinguishes brown sugar from white sugar is created from the small amount of molasses added to the sugar. The molasses also gives it a unique flavor when compared with white sugar, often less sweet and slightly less flavorful.
Common belief circulates that brown sugar is superior to white sugar because it is somehow “healthier”. However, the nutritional content in both brown and white sugar are fairly similar. The main difference between the two is that brown sugar contains a slightly higher amount of minerals, but not enough to make a substantial difference. Thus, the health benefits–or lack thereof–are the same. Of course, a high sugar intake won’t be healthy for anyone, but those who are diabetic or predisposed to diabetes should be especially careful when it comes to moderating their sugar intake.
Let’s take a closer look at the nutritional content of Brown Sugar for different brands to see which are the “healthiest” of the bunch.
Nutritional Content of Brown Sugar
Domino Dark Brown Sugar
Domino is a pantry favorite used in some positively delicious chocolate chip cookie recipes and baked pies. None of Domino’s sugars contain gluten. While they are not gluten-free certified, you shouldn’t worry about contaminants seeing as their other products don’t have gluten either.
Ingredients:
- Brown Sugar
Nutritional Facts (Per 1 Tsp/4g):
- Calories 15
- Total Fat: 0g, 0% DV
- Saturated Fat: 0g, 0% DV
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Polyunsaturated Fat: 0g
- Cholesterol: 0mg, 0% DV
- Sodium: 0mg, 0% DV
- Total Carb: 4g , 1%
- Dietary Fiber: 0g 0%
- Sugars: 4g
- Protein: 0g
Wholesome
Wholesome is Organic Fair Trade. Their soft and moist dark brown sugar is the perfect addition to your morning coffee or to add a mild sweetness to a fluffy cake. The rich flavor can also be used to accentuate barbecue sauces or meat glazes as well. This product is naturally vegan and gluten-free.
Ingredients:
- Organic Brown Sugar
Nutritional Facts (Per 1 Tsp/4g):
- Calories 30
- Total Fat: 0g, 0% DV
- Saturated Fat: 0g, 0% DV
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Polyunsaturated Fat: 0g
- Cholesterol: 0mg, 0% DV
- Sodium: 0mg, 0% DV
- Total Carb: 8g , 1%
- Dietary Fiber: 0g 0%
- Sugars: 8g
- Included 8g added sugars
- Protein: 0g
Gluten-Free Brown Sugar Alternatives
There are, of course, many natural sweeteners out there that are deemed phenomenal and healthier substitutes if you are trying to cut back on your sugar intake, or simply want to switch it up now and again. We’ve highlighted a few below–don’t be shy, give them all a try!
Madhava Coconut Sugar
Simple ingredients, rich in flavor with hints of coconut. Madhava is pesticide free, unrefined, gluten-free, and vegan. Madhava is just like traditional sugar but low glycemic.
Ingredients:
- Organic Coconut Palm Sugar
Nutritional Facts (Per 1 Tsp/4g):
- Calories 15
- Total Fat: 0g, 0% DV
- Saturated Fat: 0g, 0% DV
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Polyunsaturated Fat: 0g
- Cholesterol: 0mg, 0% DV
- Sodium: 0mg, 0% DV
- Total Carb: 4g , 1%
- Dietary Fiber: 0g 0%
- Sugars: 4g
- Protein: 0g
Swerve Sweetener Brown
Swerve considers its sweeteners to be “the ultimate sugar replacement,” which will take your chocolate chip cookie recipe to the next level. Get a little crafty in the kitchen and try using swerve sweetener to make a honey-baked ham for the holidays.
Ingredients:
- Erythritol
- Prebiotic Oligosaccharides
- Vegetable Glycerin
- Fruit Juice Concentrate (for Color)
- Natural Flavors
Nutritional Facts (Per 2 Tsp/8g):
- Calories 0
- Total Fat: 0g, 0% DV
- Saturated Fat: 0g, 0% DV
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Polyunsaturated Fat: 0g
- Cholesterol: 0mg, 0% DV
- Sodium: 0mg, 0% DV
- Total Carb: 4g , 2%
- Dietary Fiber: 0g 0%
- Sugars: 0g
- Included 0g added sugars
- Allulose: 4g
- Protein: 0g
Wholesome Yum – Nature’s Besti Monkfruit Brown
Bake deliciously chewy gooey cinnamon rolls or drop this delectable monk fruit into a spiced chair for some extra punch. This brown sugar replacement contains zero calories and is a natural keto sugar replacement.
Ingredients:
- Erythritol
- Prebiotic Oligosaccharides
- Vegetable Glycerin
- Fruit Juice Concentrate (for Color)
- Natural Flavors
Nutritional Facts (Per 2 Tsp/8g):
- Calories 0
- Total Fat: 0g, 0% DV
- Saturated Fat: 0g, 0% DV
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Polyunsaturated Fat: 0g
- Cholesterol: 0mg, 0% DV
- Sodium: 0mg, 0% DV
- Total Carb: 4g , 1%
- Dietary Fiber: 0g 0%
- Sugars: 0g
- Included 0g added sugars
- Protein: 0g
Brown Sugar Chicken Recipe
Brown sugar can be a game-changer when it comes to making homemade sauces and marinades. Store-bought sauces can be very high in sugar and lack nutrients, but when you make it homemade, you can monitor how much sugar is used. Zesty brown sugar chicken is a lovely way to incorporate a bit of sweetness but in a sparing way. This recipe via Jo Cooks is protein and vitamin-packed.
Ingredients:
- 1 pound of Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast
- 2 Juiced Lemons
- Lemon Zest
- ½ cup of Almond Flour
- Paprika
- 1 tsp Sea Salt
- 1 tbsp. Olive Oil
- 2 tbsp. Light Brown Sugar
- 1 tbsp. Dijon Mustard
- 1 cup of Chicken Broth
- 1 tsp Garlic Powder
- 1 tsp of Onion Powder
- 1 tsp Cumin
Now, for the cooking…
- Pound out the chicken breast until it is thin
- Whisk together all seasonings and flour and season the chicken – leave 1 tablespoon of the seasoning aside to use for the sauce.
- On a large skillet, heat to medium-high and add olive oil
- Place chicken fillets and cook 4 minutes per side and remove from heat
- In the same skillet, add a tablespoon of seasonings with the chicken broth and lemon juice, whisk, then bring sauce to a simmer
- Dress your chicken with this delicious sauce and throw some lemon zest on top for garnish
- Voila! You’ve got a tangy tasty slightly sweet brown sugar chicken recipe to add to your recipe book.
Make Your Own Brown Sugar
If you’re a baker, you likely use brown sugar quite a bit in your baked goods recipes. Believe it or not, it’s extremely simple to make brown sugar at home! The traditional recipe for homemade brown sugar is simply mixing white cane sugar with blackstrap molasses, but it’s not the healthiest.
Instead, we recommend you use coconut sugar, turbinado sugar, or sugar-free sweeteners and combine with some blackstrap molasses. You’ll be surprised how delectable and authentic it is when you make it from scratch.
How to Use Sweeteners Sparingly
Natural sweeteners can be a lovely way to infuse flavor into more bland meals. A great idea is adding a teeny bit of sweetener to chia pudding with gluten-free oat milk and some sliced fruit. If you’re trying to stay away from sugary drinks like syrupy lattes, you can also use small amounts of natural sweeteners to alter the potency of coffee.
But of course, some of the best sweeteners out there are ones you can find in our environment, like honey. When it comes to gluten-free healthy sweeteners, there is something out there for everyone. Which sweetener do you think takes the cake?
Related Questions
Does Brown Sugar have molasses?
Yes, Brown sugar and white table sugar both have the same number of calories, but molasses is what distinguishes the two, giving its dark brown color.
Why does Brown Sugar get hard?
When moisture in the sugar evaporates, brown sugar hardens. Make sure to store in an air-tight container to avoid clumping.
Is Brown Sugar Vegan?
It depends on the brand. Brown sugar is made from refined sugar with molasses added in. Refined sugar can be manufactured at refineries that use bone char to process their sugar, which eliminates them from being an option for vegans. It’s always best to check the labels.