Turbinado Sugar Substitute

Turbinado sugar is a less processed version of sugar, that retains much of the flavor of sugarcane or molasses. As compared to granulated sugar, it holds more moisture in it, and its crystals are larger than that of the granulated sugar. It is light brown in color and so, looks more like brown sugar. This sugar is often considered better than granulated sugar in terms of calories and nutrition. As it undergoes minimal processing, it is usually considered healthier than granulated refined sugar. For making turbinado sugar, sugarcane is first crushed to extract its juice, which is then allowed to evaporate. When the juice evaporates, the large crystals of turbinado sugar are left behind. For making granulated sugar, these sugar crystals are further refined and processed.

Turbinado Sugar Nutrition Facts

It is considered by many as a healthier alternative to the refined white sugar, due to its low calorie content. 1 teaspoon of turbinado sugar contains 11 calories, while the same amount of white granulated sugar contains 16 calories. Moreover, it is not highly processed, for which it retains much of the molasses, and some of the vitamins and minerals found in sugarcane juice. About 100 gm of turbinado sugar contains approximately 85 mg of calcium, 100 mg of potassium and 23 mg of magnesium. Its same amount also contains a small amount of iron and phosphorus.

Turbinado Sugar Vs Brown Sugar

Turbinado sugar and brown sugar can look a bit similar, but a lot of differences can exist between these two types of sugar. Brown sugar can be unrefined or partially refined sugar, and its brown color is due to the presence of molasses. Most often, brown sugar is produced by adding molasses to refined sugar, and bone char, which is produced from animal bones is used in the sugar refining process. On the other hand, it is the sugar crystals that are left behind, when the sugarcane juice is allowed to evaporate. For this reason, many vegetarians like to use turbinado sugar in place of white and brown sugar.

Replacing Turbinado Sugar

It is usually substituted with light brown sugar, raw sugar and demerara sugar. Light brown sugar looks a bit similar to turbinado sugar. There are basically two types of brown sugar, light brown and dark brown sugar. Light brown sugar contains about 3.5% molasses, while dark brown sugar contains 6.5% molasses. Usually, the light brown sugar is considered as a better substitute, though dark brown variety can also be used for this purpose.

Raw sugar on the other hand, is the unrefined sugar. It is made simply by extracting sugarcane juice and then allowing it to evaporate. The resulting sugar crystals are then separated and dried to produce the granules. Like turbinado sugar, it too retains molasses and hence, brown in color. Demerara sugar is a type of unrefined sugar. It is made by boiling sugar cane juice to remove water. The process yields sugar crystals, which are then separated from plant residues with the help of a centrifuge machine. The sugar crystals obtained thus are coarse, and light brown or golden in color. Demerara sugar is more commonly used in beverages and in baking goods.

Like turbinado sugar, its substitutes are also less processed and hence, contain the flavor molasses, which enhances the baked goods. They also retain the vitamins and minerals found in sugarcane juice, and so, generally considered much healthier than the regular refined granulated sugar.