Brown sugar vs. white sugar: what’s the difference? 

Sugar is a fundamental ingredient in food and beverage production, providing sweetness, texture, and functional benefits that enhance a wide range of products. But when it comes to brown sugar vs. white sugar, what sets them apart? Is one better than the other, and how do they differ in terms of production, flavour, and application? 

In this article, we explore the difference between brown and white sugar, from their production processes to their functional benefits in food and beverage applications. This guide will help you understand which type best suits your needs. 

There are many types of brown sugars, but most are defined by distinctive colours, flavours, textures, grain sizes and moisture content, most of which come from the presence of molasses. While often associated with a deeper, more complex sweetness, brown sugars can vary significantly in terms of refinement and composition. 

Brown sugars can be produced in two main ways: 

Unrefined or partially refined sugar: Some brown sugars, such as muscovado or demerara, retain their natural molasses content after minimal processing. These sugars are only derived from sugarcane. 
Refined white sugar with added molasses: Many commercial brown sugars are made by blending a controlled amount of molasses back into refined white sugar. This allows for consistency in colour and flavour while offering different moisture levels and functional properties. 

There are several varieties of brown sugar, each with unique characteristics: 

1. Soft brown light and dark sugar – A refined white sugar with added molasses, commonly used in baking and sauces to provide spread, colour and richer flavours, the ‘light’ or ‘dark’ describes the level of molasses. 

2. Demerara sugar – A minimally refined sugar with large golden crystals and a mellow, light flavour. Often used in beverages, where its mellow notes complement bitter beverages such as coffee, and as a finishing ingredient for baked goods, porridge and desserts to add texture, crunch and sweetness 

3. Dark cane muscovado sugar – A dark, moist cane sugar that retains a high level of molasses, offering a deep toffee-like flavour, ideal for marinades, sauces and baked goods. Ragus also manufactures a light cane muscovado sugar, providing more options for bakers, confectioners and food scientists when creating recipes.  

Brown sugar’s flavour profile is richer and more complex than white sugar due to the molasses content. Each of the many types of brown sugar has complex flavours and other functional properties, making it a popular choice for a range of applications, such as baked goods, marinades and sauces. Due to the presence of molasses, brown sugar contains minerals such as calcium, potassium and iron. 

White sugar, also known as refined or table sugar, is the most commonly used sugar worldwide. It is prized for its neutral flavour, uniform crystal size, and versatility in a wide range of applications. It forms the basis for many sugar syrups, such as liquid sugar and invert sugars. 

White sugar is produced from either sugarcane or sugar beet and undergoes a complete refining process to remove all the molasses and impurities. The process includes: 

1. Extracting sugar from sugarcane or beet 

2. Purifying the juice through filtration and crystallisation 

3. Separating the molasses from the crystal through centrifugation 

4. Removing the remaining colour through carbon exchange, leaving behind pure sucrose crystals 

5. Further refining (if necessary) to produce different grades of white sugar.

Different types of white crystalline sugars are used in food and beverage production: 

1. Granulated sugar – The most common form, used for baking, sweetening beverages, and a variety of other applications 

2. Caster sugar – A finer sugar that dissolves quickly, often used in baking and confectionery 

3. Icing sugar – A powdered sugar used for icing, glazes and dusting baked goods 
 

White sugar has a neutral sweetness, making it ideal for products where the sugar should not alter the overall flavour profile. Unlike brown sugar, it does not contain molasses and therefore lacks the caramel-like depth of flavour. 

Nutritionally, white sugar is nearly 100% sucrose, with no significant vitamins or minerals. Its primary role in food and beverage production is as a sweetener, preservative, bulking agent and texture enhancer. It is also used for syrups such as invert sugar syrups, partial inverts, liquid sugar and in blended syrups. 

Both the range of different brown sugars and white crystalline sugar ingredients serve distinct functions in food and beverage production. The choice between them depends on the desired level of sweetness, flavour, texture, colour, mouthfeel, bulking requirement and application. 

Ragus manufactures high quality crystalline sugars for the food and beverage markets. Explore our full range of pure sugar ingredients to find the product for your needs. 

1. Processing: White sugar undergoes full refinement, while brown sugars retain or are blended with molasses, either naturally or through reintroduction 

2. Flavour: Brown sugars offer a deeper, caramel-like sweetness, whereas white sugar provides a clean, neutral taste 

3. Texture and moisture: Brown sugars add moisture and chewiness, and crunchy toppings; white sugar keeps baked goods crisp 

4. Application: Brown sugars are ideal for rich, moist products, while white sugar are well suited to recipes where neutral sweetness is required 

5. Ragus’ expertise: We supply a range of pure sugar ingredients to meet the needs of food and beverage manufacturers. 

For expert guidance on selecting the right crystalline, syrup or treacle for your product formulations, contact our Customer Services Team today. For more sugar insights, explore SUGARTALK or follow Ragus on LinkedIn.