Muscovado Sugar: Everything You Did Not Know About It

Along with panela, muscovado sugar is  one of the least refined types of sugar that we can find in the supermarket. With a slightly moist texture and marked taste, its reputation as a healthy alternative has caused its production and consumption to rise sharply.

Today we’ll tell you eight things you may not have known about muscovado sugar.

Muscovado sugar is a type of cane sugar

There are different products we can get from sugar cane which take different forms: Raw sugar, refined sugar, syrup and molasses. The difference in them comes from the level of moisture, the size of the crystals and the amount of sucrose.

The Food and Drug Administration  (FDA) distinguishes between cane sugar and cane syrup. The other types of sugar such as muscovado are recognized as “other types of cane sugar by common names”.

All brown types of sugar are characterized by their brown colors  with colors ranging from yellow to dark brown. That is the case with the product that we are analyzing in this article.

2. There are many types of sugar

But they are all different. Demerara, turbinado, panela, rapadura, jaggery. Although they may seem similar to us, they have some character traits that distinguish them from each other.

They come from the evaporation of cane sugar and  retain a part of the molasses which does not evaporate completely. But the final amount of molasses is different in each type. That is why they have different textures and tastes.

Demerara sugar and turbinado are lighter and have drier crystals. Rapadura sugar usually looks like fine sand as it passes through a sieve during the production process. And panela can be found in the form of medium-sized solid blocks.

3. The production process has different phases

Muscovado sugar cannot be created quickly, nor is it a waste product. Production must go through certain stages including the following:

• Get juice from the sugar cane.
• Purification of the liquid and evaporation to obtain the first concentration of the solid parts.
• Cooling leads to sugar crystals.
• Preservation of molasses that emerges during processing to reach the final product, which is not refined.

4. It comes only from sugar cane

In general  , producers can only obtain sugar from two raw materials: sugar beet and sugar cane. The process they go through before they get the final product is always the same no matter what plant it comes from.

The geographical area is crucial, especially because of the climate. Colder places such as Europe grow most sugar beets. In contrast, they grow sugar cane in tropical climates.

In the case of muscovado sugar, it can only come from sugar cane. Regardless of the area in which production takes place, there is no way to get it from sugar beet.

Muscovado sugar has a characteristic taste

Muscovado sugar tastes different than white sugar, honey and syrup. It tends to have a more characteristic taste  depending on the presence of molasses, which remains in the final product.

It might remind you of licorice or caramel with a slightly bitter undertone. Its consistency is also different where it is a more moist form of sugar.

6. One can use it as a sweetener and in cooking

You can use muscovado sugar as an alternative to white sugar: in tea, coffee and yogurt. But it can also be used in cooking. It is actually highly valued in confectionery as  it gives products a stronger flavor and a more attractive color.

While it works well in recipes for cookies, cake and pudding, it is not only useful to use in sweet dishes. You can also use it in sauces such as vinaigrette or in a marinade to marinate meat.

It works differently when you cook it, and you should keep that in mind if you want to replace one product with another. At the end of cooking, muscovado sugar gives a fresher and sweeter taste and a more moist texture.

7. It has the same nutritional value as refined sugar

Although some people consider it healthier than white sugar, muscovado sugar has virtually the same nutritional value. Both provide four calories per gram and are almost 100% carbohydrates.

While it is true that when one preserves some of the juice from the tube, muscovado sugar has traces of some minerals such as magnesium, potassium and calcium, however, we cannot see it as a valid source of these nutrients. It is better to get them from healthier foods such as vegetables, nuts and whole grains.

For the same reason,  even though it is less processed than regular sugar, it is still added sugar. So one should control his intake and not exceed 25 grams a day according to the recommendations.

8. The market is growing

Today, interest in health and environmentally friendly foods is markedly increasing. Especially among younger people, who dedicate more time and effort to finding and buying less processed, local products and those whose production has a smaller impact on the environment.

It also leads to an  increase in the consumption of unrefined cane sugar,  with muscovado sugar being among them. India, Colombia and Pakistan are the primary producers of these products today.

Muscovado sugar is natural, but it is also an additive

Unlike white sugar, muscovado sugar is not refined. Its production process naturally preserves the molasses. That is why it contains some minerals and plant nutrients and has a characteristic taste and texture.

While it may be a better choice than refined sugar, one should not overconsume it because  it is after all added sugar which can end up causing health problems. It is important to know the daily recommendations and incorporate them into your diet.