White Sugar, also called ‘granulated sugar’, ‘table sugar’, or ‘regular sugar’ is made of cane sugar or beet sugar. One of the most common types of sugar, there are many types of varieties under this popular sweetener. The short process of this sugar start from the liquids extracted from sugarcane or beets, boiled till it dries up and crystallizes, cooked till it loses the molasses which is what turns brown sugar its nice coffee color, these crystals are washed till it’s refined and white in appearance. Find out which one to use and if this type of sugar will suit your dishes better in this article.
A short Introduction
White granulated sugar is washed and/or refined sugar that has no molasses whatsoever and has a neutral flavor. Making it a great option for some cooked dishes and baked goods, as well as dishes that you don’t want to add any color into. These come from sugar beets or cane sugar, crushed by machines to extract the juices, these juices are then boiled till it crystallizes or look like loose crumbs, refined till the molasses are taken out then refined further without or sometimes with bone char (black porous blocks of charred animal bones typically used for filtration) depending on the sugar refinery, then produces the white colored sucrose we all know. Like many sugars it does contain some form of minerals like iron, magnesium, calcium, and potassium but these are in very small doses.
These also have other forms, what comes out from this type of sugar are; white caster sugar which is basically finely grounded granulated sugar, powdered sugar or confectioner’s sugar (icing sugar) that is more finely ground than caster sugar similar to powder where it got its name. Depending on what recipe you’ll be making, make sure to use the sugar that best matches the dish, for example should you use white or brown sugar in baked goods? This depends on if you need the moisture which brown sugar that has a high moisture content can give, while the whiter sugar options are best for fluffy or airy desserts like meringue where the less moisture the more air can be added. All in all choose the best sugar or check out the substitutes below for more help!
White Sugar substitutes
Don’t have this white sweetener on hand? These are some alternatives to use:
- Cane sugar vs white sugar – very identical, cane sugar also called ‘natural sugar’ or ‘granulated sugar’ very much the same thing.
- Caster sugar vs white sugar – almost the same just with different texture, caster sugar has a finer texture and dissolves faster. Best used for whipping cream or dishes without the need for heat.
- White sugar vs raw sugar – Raw sugar is less refined and has a slight brown tint meaning it still has a bit of molasses compared to white granulated sugar that is more refined as it has none. It can be substituted in a 1:1 ratio.
- White sugar vs brown sugar – Can I substitute brown sugar for white or cane sugar? Not exactly, it will be easier to exchange the sugars when cooking. Brown sugars add a more natural caramel flavor due to the molasses content which makes the flavors richer and stronger, while if you do not want any other flavor added, opt for white or cane sugar if you just need some sweetness. The biggest difference is in baking? Brown sugar is more moist and makes the baked goods more dense, while white granulated sugar adds air/gas or makes it fluffy especially when creaming with butter or egg whites.
- Coconut sugar vs white sugar – similar in calories, though coconut sugar is just a bit coarser and dark brown in color which you might need to blend or grind a bit finer if added into dishes to avoid clumps.
White sugar Questions :
White sugar calories
For a serving of 100 grams, it has around 385 calories. While it is not all bad unless it’s being used regularly and in large amounts. Eating too much can cause white sugar side effects like weight gain, diabetes, chronic problems, and even heart disease.
Is white sugar vegan?
It mostly depends on the sugar refinery or factory. Not all sugars are vegan, check the ingredients list if one would like to be sure. Sugars made of beets are vegan as it will not be refined using the bone char. Bone char is made of animal bones and most sugars made of sugarcane might use bone char to help filtrate and decolorize the sugars to a lighter or white color. Contrary to what people believe, this sugar is not bleached/there are no bleaching agents whatsoever but a filtration process used to get to the white color.
Is brown sugar healthier than white sugar?
In one standpoint all sugars are the same. These have no upper advantage of one sugar to another, the most difference these have are how much minerals are left. The refined sugar has the molasses extracted out which is the reason why sweeteners still have minerals like calcium or iron and many more. Which makes brown sugar just a tiny bit healthier.
How to soften white sugar?
- Place the sugar in a bowl.
- Lightly spritz with water and heat in the microwave for 3 to 5 minutes.
- Then use a fork to mash or break it.
- If it needs a bit more help, repeat after the sugar has cooled down completely.
- Another option is if you don’t have much time, use a food processor and blend till the large chunks have broken up.
Yummy recipes we recommend:
There are a lot of sugary and savory sweets that sugar gives an extra boost in. From drinks to baked goods, sauces, appetizers to main courses, and even breakfast to dinner recipes. Here are some Yummy Kitchen recipes we’re sure you’ll love :
For drinks we have refreshers like:
- White Buko Salad or Buko Salad drink
- Mango Jelly Drink
- Milo Jelly Drink
- Dalgona milk tea or the colorful Ube milk tea
- Instant Coffee drinks 2 ways
Baked goods
- 5 ingredient White Chocolate Cheesecake
- Low-carb Bibingka or the No Oven Bibingka
- Peanut Butter Brownies
- Pineapple Upside Down Cake
- No oven Ube cake (or Ube Cake ala Red Ribbon)
Filipino Snacks
Savory dishes
- Adobong talong with giniling (Adobong eggplant with pork)
- Homemade skinless longganisa
- Tuna Tofu Sisig
- Homemade Pizza
- Egg Burrito
