Being a tea drinker can lead to things like being a tea snob. It may sound harsh, but it’s actually an endearment. I am a tea snob and I’m very choosy about what goes into my teas. Including the sugars. Sugar comes into a lot of different forms. So, what are unrefined sugars and are they healthy? This article helps us decide if unrefined sugars are for us.
I’m not a fan of artificial sweeteners however monk fruit is a favorite. Unrefined sugar is healthier and better for you than any artificial sweetener.
Unrefined is still Refined
Unrefined sugars are straight from the harvested cane plant. They are actually partially refined. You will see many unrefined sugars considered natural. The natural part is the fact that they came from natural sources. But natural is not always a healthy choice, and natural.
It’s a process but a simple one. The cane plant is processed and the juice is collected. From here that juice is cooked down and concentrated. There is a dark syrup called molasses that develops. Those crystals that are surrounded the molasses are what is used to created the unrefined cane sugar.
Generally next comes centrifuged. Unrefined sugars are not centrifuged.
What is centrifuged? Centrifugation is when a product is separated. In this case it would be the molasses from the sugar crystal. BUT, unrefined sugars are NOT separated.
An unrefined sugar can also be organic as well.
Some of the unrefined sugars are artesian and created in small unique batches.
Known under different names in different areas of the world:
- Muscovado (Mauritius, Philippines)
- Piloncillo (Mexico)
- Jaggery (India)
- Pamela (Colombia)
- Kokuto (Japan)
- Rapadura (Brazil)
- Rock Sugar (China)
Other names that sugars go by are:
- Unprocessed sugar
- Whole can sugar
- Home style molasses
- Original molasses
- Honey
- Maple syrup
- Agave nectar
- Brown rice syrup
- Coconut sugar
- Date sugar
(There are so many more)
You will want to look for the unrefined marking on the package.
Do sugars contain benefits
Unrefined sugars contain beneficial natural ingredients such as calcium, magnesium and iron. They hold more minerals, antioxidants as well as other nutrients that are beneficial for your body.
There are approximately 11 calories per teaspoon and have a lower glycemic index.
Contain 8-14 % molasses and that is why it is brown in color
Typically these unrefined sugars contain around 90% sucralose and 5% invert sugars.
One of the better benefits is that unrefined sugars have a lower glycemic index. But this is not the total story. This is a positive and true statement. If we exam and look deeper into the way our body reacts to unrefined sugars we will see it’s not exactly an absolute truth. But again, healthier than refined.
When it comes to sugar – moderation
Why I think unrefined sugar is better than artificial sugars. It’s an interesting topic and one that needs dynamite to break through at times.
Because the sugar is not processed as much it does retain more of the minerals and nutrients. While unrefined sugars do contain minerals it would take an abundance to be beneficial. That is where moderation comes in. If we are going to consume sugars then we need to do so in moderation.
As with anything there is always moderation. The other thing to consider are medical conditions that allow for caution in using sugar or too much.
I am still against artificial sweeteners as they contain ingredients the body does not recognize as a nutrient. Some ingredients are even damaging. Instead I suggest a plant based sweetener like monk fruit and companies like Lakanto.
A note about artificial sweeteners
An artificial sweetener has zero calories. They are popular and you find them on every restaurant table in pink, blue and yellow packets. You would think these are the only artificial sweeteners in the world. But, they are artificial. It means they are not natural. Filled with chemicals and toxins they damage the body more than they help.
Artificial sweeteners are found in many things. So many are hidden under so many different names like:
- Saccharin
- Acesulfame
- Aspartame
- Neotame
- Sucralose
Thousands of products are filled with artificial sweeteners. While we all want to watch the amount of sweeteners we take into our system. We are all far better off with a natural vs an artificial sweetener.
Monk fruit is a natural sweetener not artificial and well worth the mention. Monk fruit is my go to sweetener and a favorite of many. Monk fruit is becoming very popular in the United States. Monk fruit is from a plant and first used by monks. It’s taste is far better than any other I have tasted.
When we are talking about sweeteners and tea I prefer none. I enjoy the taste of just the tea and sweeteners do change the taste sometimes for the better. Nothing makes a bitter tea taste more pleasant then the addition of a sweetener.
Drawbacks to unrefined sugars
While touted to be healthy and helpful there are few drawbacks to unrefined sugars. We must address them here.
Sugar levels – While zero sugar is attractive to diabetics. There are studies that have shown that the artificial sweeteners could reduce the way the body controls sugar levels. By reducing the sugar levels when you eat this can cause a substantial increase. After normal meals are consumed.
Heart disease / stroke – Consuming more then two or more artificially sweetened beverages a day increased the risk of stroke in women between the ages of 50-79. These women had no history of stroke risk or heart disease.
Dementia – I heard this before that aspartame actual puts holes into the brain. A study by the US National Library of Medicine found that people that consumed at least one artificially sweetened drink a day are 3x more likely to develop dementia
While we want to control our sugar consumption and those of us that worry about our sugar intake and levels. It seems that natural may (once again) beat out artificial products any day.
Conclusion
When we come down to it, I enjoy my tea plain, I used to say black but that bothered the tea community. I don’t like sweeteners, even natural ones. I like to taste the actual tea. Saying that, I do enjoy reviewing teas and adding some honey to see the change in the flavor. It is amazing to taste how the tea changes with just the addition of a sweetener.
Looking for some sugar choices?
Just Panela Unrefined and Organic
Anthony’s Organic Cane Sugar
Wholesome Organic Cane Sugar
And I can’t leave out my favorite choice:
Lakanto Monkfruit Sweetener (my favorite choice)
