Raw Sugar vs. Refined Sugar: Are They All That Different?

When shopping for sugar distributors such as food ingredient supplier Bell Chem, many customers are confused concerning the difference between raw and refined sugar. How do they differ? Does the body treat them differently? Bell Chem presents the following information to ensure its customers have all the knowledge possible to make an educated decision. 

Origin of Sugar

Sugar is generally derived from one of two sources, sugar cane or sugar beets, since these sources contain the highest percentage of sucrose in any form of vegetation. The processing of both types of sweetener is identical to a specific point, where raw sugar ends its process and refined sugar is subjected to additional steps to create the sugar most consumers recognize as table sugar. Raw sugar is harvested from a field and sent to a sugar mill, where the stalks are cleansed and shredded.

Raw Sugar

At this point the juice is extracted, clarified, concentrated, and crystallized. This form creates a sugar encased in a liquid – molasses. If the molasses is not desired, the product is placed in a centrifuge to bleed the molasses from the sugar crystals. The end result is raw sugar with a sucrose content of 96%-98%. 

Benefits of Raw Sugar

The less processed the sugar, the higher the mineral content (which may have a more favorable antioxidant effect than refined sugar) and color variation. Raw sugar varies in color from off-white to dark brown, depending on the amount of molasses remaining in the final product. The crystal size is larger than table sugar, generally from medium to coarse. Raw sugars may be marketed as turbinado, demerara, evaporated or dried cane juice, washed or natural cane sugar, to name a few. 

Refined Sugar

If the sugar is to be further refined, the raw sugar is transported to a cane sugar refinery where it is melted, filtered to remove all traces of molasses and any other impurities, crystallized a second time, and dried. This final product is considered white refined (table) sugar. Further processing to finer grains leads to fine granulated, extra fine granulated, superfine, ultrafine, powdered, or fondant grade. 

Coarsely Refined Sugar

Coarsely refined sugars are also available, including sparkling sugar or rock sugar. The sucrose content of refined sugar is higher than raw sugar, often as high as 99.96% pure sucrose. For brown sugar, molasses is added to refined sugar in varied amounts, depending on whether the final product is light, dark, or “pourable” brown sugar. As molasses is added, the amount of sucrose drops to an average of 96%, according to the Western Sugar Cooperative. 

Regardless of the form, all sugars derived from sugar cane or sugar beets are easily digestible and quickly utilized within the body. 

Bell Chem is a food ingredient supplier based in Longwood, FL (just north of Orlando) with hundreds of products stocked in their 50,000+ square-foot warehouse, including raw and refined sugars. You can expect the highest quality products, expedited shipping options for maximum efficiency, and unrivaled personalized customer service. Let our knowledgeable and friendly customer service representatives and accounting staff personalize all your needs by either calling 407-339-BELL (2355) or by sending us an online message.