They have pushed aside fashionable products: unrefined and unrefined cane sugar, caramelized crystals, etc. As a result, sugar in stores is offered at a price of 40 to 300 rubles. per packing. Is it worth paying that kind of money for it?

Twin brothers

About 30% of sugar in the world, according to the Union of Sugar Producers of Russia, is made from sugar beets. It is grown in Russia and Ukraine, as well as in European countries. The remaining 70% is sugar from cane, which grows only in the tropics and subtropics (production leaders are Brazil, India, Cuba, Mauritius, Thailand). Both sugars can be refined and. "If sugar is white, refined, it doesn't matter which plant - beet or cane - it was obtained from, it contains 99.9% pure sucrose," - told "AiF" Marina Moiseyak, Associate Professor of the Department of Technology of Sugar, Subtropical and Food-Flavoring Products, MGUPP. Today many people claim that white sugar is dangerous due to its strong chemical purification. According to the expert, surfactants are really used in the manufacture of sugar - active detergents, but so that they do not remain in the finished product, the sugar is spun in a centrifuge and washed with clean artesian water.

Brown ... poison

Healthy people are switching to brown unrefined sugar. It is believed to have fewer calories (377 kcal versus 387 kcal of regular sugar) and less likely to have been washed with chemistry. In addition, it takes longer for the body to absorb. “In fact, the fact that brown cane sugar is better than white sugar is a myth, invented by manufacturers and marketers, I'm sure Alexey Kovalkov, nutritionist, nutritionist... “Moreover, such sugar can be more dangerous than refined sugar. It is transported by ships from the countries of Latin America and Asia and, so that it is not spoiled by rodents, poison is laid between the bags. Sugar, having an excellent ability to absorb moisture, absorbs some of the poisons together with moisture from the air. Unrefined cane sugar often contains dangerous trace elements! "

According to him, the benefits of molasses - the dark brown molasses, which is the condensed juice of cane - are greatly exaggerated. Yes, it contains phosphorus, calcium, iron, provitamins and amino acids, but ... no more than a glass of water! To get the daily intake of nutrients, you need to eat 1-2 kg of sugar. In this case, the harm will be much greater than the benefit. It's better to drink vitamins in a pill.

Expensive and fashionable

There is one more reason to think before buying expensive brown sugar. A year ago, "AiF" together with the Society for the Protection of Consumer Rights "Public Control". Without exception, all the samples turned out to be cheap refined sugar, colored brown! “Refined sugar was covered with a thin film of molasses, this is not illegal, although it is dishonest, - explained Marina Tsirenina, test expert... "Less conscientious producers can dye refined sugar with artificial sugar colors." Almost all the producers of pseudo-cane sugar called the editorial office then, lamenting that they had been slandered. But no one dared to go to court and prove otherwise.

By the way, unrefined cane sugar is cheaper than refined sugar in production. So marketers who made the whole world buy it at exorbitant prices get a solid A for their work! Think of the yellowish beet sugar sold in Soviet times. It was cheaper than white refined sugar and was considered a second-rate product. But this is, in fact, the same thing - sugar underrefined from molasses.

Like caramel

Another sweet novelty is caramelized sugar, which is sold in attractive crystals. Often on a stick. It is convenient to dissolve this in a cup or use it as a candy. But these crystals are made from melted at a high temperature ... the same refined sugar.

And often such sugar has an unpleasant bonus: with prolonged heating, it can form oxymethylfurfural, a toxic mutagen.

“Any sugar, regardless of the raw material from which it is produced, in large quantities is an addictive poison,” sums up A. Kovalkov. - Today, without noticing, we eat a pound of sugar a day - with fruits, pastries, ketchup, soups and cereals, because sugar is put almost everywhere. In the entire history of mankind, people have never consumed so much sugar! 5-6 years of such a sweet life - and diabetes is guaranteed. "

If you really can't do without sugar, you can buy plain granulated sugar (see the infographic for how to choose it) - it is the cheapest, but far from the worst.

What to replace?

Jerusalem artichoke syrup. Sweet pomace from a root vegetable growing, including in Russia, is suitable for adding to any dish. Instead of sucrose, it contains fructose. Approved for diabetics. From 200 rubles. for 500 g.

■ Maple syrup. A famous Canadian sweet. They can sweeten everything you cook. From 350 rub. for 500 g.

■ Agave nectar. In Russia, this cactus does not grow, so nectar is expensive - from 500 rubles. for 500 g.

■ Stevia leaves. Natural sweetener - a special aster native to South America. Powdered leaves are 10 times sweeter than sugar, but have a flavor. From 1 thousand rubles. per 1 kg

How to choose sugar?

Unrefined cane sugar

Look for the word "unrefined" on the packaging, not "dark", "gold" or "brown", which say nothing.

The type of cane sugar must be indicated on the package. For example: demerara (golden brown large crystals), muscovado (large crystals, dark brown), turbinado (partially refined in a turbine, golden yellow), "black barbados" (sticky, almost black).

The brown sugar has a strong specific flavor of exotic juice.

Has crystals of different sizes, the same crystals indicate that it has been processed.

It cannot be as free-flowing as refined sugar. Its crystals are sticky due to molasses, the sugar is moist, sticks together in lumps that turn to stone in the air.

Dip the spoonful of unrefined sugar into the glass, but do not stir. If the sugar is colored, the water will turn brownish or yellow. Good sugar will retain its color and the water will remain clear.

White granulated sugar

Prefer prepackaged in a business over a store. The name of a large manufacturer gives hope that the purification technology was carried out correctly and there are no household chemicals left in the sugar.

According to GOST R 53396-2009, there are two categories: extra and first. For the consumer, there is no difference in them, but manufacturers must indicate the category.

In addition, the following data must be indicated on the pack:

Raw materials (beet or raw cane sugar);

The nutritional value,

Year of manufacture and date of packing.

If the packaging indicates that the sugar contains sulfur dioxide (maybe needed for sugar refining) or GM products are used (sugar beets are often modified), it is hardly worth buying it.

Lumpy white

It can be instant (dissolving time - up to 10 minutes) and strong (more than 10 minutes). This does not characterize the quality of the sugar, but indicates how strongly the crystals are pressed into pieces.

The lump sugar package should contain the same information as the granulated sugar pack.

Powdered sugar

Do not buy it, but rather do it yourself. The fact is that the composition of the powder always contains anti-caking agents: corn starch, tricalcium phosphate, magnesium carbonate, silicon dioxide, calcium silicate, magnesium trisilicate, sodium aluminosilicate or calcium aluminosilicate. Without them, the powder will clump during storage.

The harm and benefits of this product are not known to many, although more and more often, fans of a healthy diet buy it. It is believed to be less nutritious and less harmful. After all, sugar has long been called the "white death" because of its ability to cause various diseases. Many people try to give up this product altogether, because they monitor their health. But doctors warn that the body needs glucose. It is very important for the functioning of the brain. Therefore, unrefined is an essential product on the table for those people who want to be healthy. Moreover, you can buy it in any supermarket.

What is brown sugar

How it differs from the usual beetroot - few know. Refined white sugar is more readily available because it is cheaper to produce, and the sugar beet from which it is made grows everywhere. But in order for sugar to become usable, it undergoes a complex process of refining and bleaching. That is why it is considered so harmful. And its brown variety is made from sugar cane.

Its homeland is India, and many hundreds of years ago it became popular in Europe. This sweetness is obtained by boiling, and it does not need bleaching at all. The brown mass has a pleasant molasses smell and is ready for use without additional processing. But it still costs more than regular sugar. The price of overseas sweets is more than 100 rubles per kilogram.

Why brown sugar is good for you

Thanks to the gentle processing method, this sweetness is not only tasty, but also healthy. It retains all the vitamins and minerals contained in the cane. How is it different from regular cane sugar? The harm and benefits of it are the subject of much debate. But it has been proven to have the following benefits:

Could this product be harmful?

Healthy food advocates try to buy only it. They believe that reed is best suited to maintain health and a beautiful figure, and the benefits of this product are in many cases exaggerated. After all, for example, its calorie content is not much lower than that of a regular one. Therefore, those who want to lose weight should also reduce the rate of consumed sweetness, even if it is because it, when consumed in large quantities, contributes to obesity. This is because the glucose found in cane sugar immediately enters the bloodstream and gives the body energy. If a person does not spend it, then it is put aside. Therefore, the opinion that cane sugar can be consumed in large quantities is incorrect. Like white, it can cause metabolic disorders, a disorder in the work of the pancreas, decreased immunity, diabetes mellitus and atherosclerosis.

What is cane sugar

It is given by molasses. The more it is, the darker the product. Therefore, some manufacturers who want to make money dye regular sugar brown. Its price turns out to be much higher, but there is no benefit - only harm.

Unrefined sugar is considered to be the best, since more nutrients are stored in it. It is he who is popular with fans of healthy eating. There are several types of brown sugar:

• The Demerara variety comes from South America. It is distinguished by sticky, moist crystals of golden brown color. This sugar is the mildest in action and is considered the most beneficial.
• Muscovado variety has a pronounced caramel flavor. It is moist and sticky in consistency, dark in color.
• Turbinado variety - with large dry particles. During production, it is partially purified.
• Barbados black is the most prized. It has a very dark color and a damp, sticky consistency.

Why is cane sugar so popular?

After this product was brought to Russia several centuries ago, it was available only to the rich. And in recent years, it has appeared on the shelves of our stores. But not everyone now knows what cane sugar is. The harm and benefits of it are still the subject of controversy. But experienced chefs add only it to baked goods, because it gives pies and buns a unique exquisite taste and aroma. Also, bartenders prefer to make cocktails and coffee only with cane sugar.

How to distinguish a fake

In order not to buy ordinary colored sugar, you need to know what to look for when buying:

• it must be indicated on the package that it is unrefined;
• real cane sugar cannot be sold in the form of perfectly flat briquettes or homogeneous sand, since all of its crystals have a different shape;
• this sugar is produced only in South America, the USA or Mauritius.

Diets and healthy eating 22.03.2018

Dear readers, many of you cannot imagine your life without sugar. Surely you know that it can be not only classic white, but also brown. This sugar is called cane sugar, and it is obtained from sugar cane, which grows in India and Cuba. It has a beautiful golden color and caramel flavor. Gourmets love to drink coffee and tea with cane sugar; many add it to homemade baked goods to add a special flavor.

Today it is fashionable to buy natural products, and manufacturers are actively supporting the idea of \u200b\u200bhealthy eating, which has ignited the population. But it's not customary to talk about the risk of buying a fake. All types of cane sugar can be ordered in supermarkets and on the Internet, but how can an inexperienced consumer distinguish a high-quality product from a low-quality one? And what is cane sugar good for and is it good at all? Should you give up beet sugar? Let's understand this difficult issue. Let's talk about the benefits and dangers of cane sugar, about their differences.

A bit of history

Russian consumers learned about cane sugar back in the 90s, when it was actively imported to us from Cuba, and it cost even a little cheaper than our regular beet sugar. His homeland is India. It was brought to Europe by Alexander the Great. In the Middle Ages, sugar was sold in pharmacies. Peter the Great opened the Sugar Chamber in Russia in the 18th century. The world produces 60% of cane sugar and 40% of regular sugar.

The main types of cane sugar:

• Demerara - the most widespread finely ground cane sugar, has a delicate delicate taste, suitable for coffee and cooking meat with appetizing sugar glaze;
• Muscovado - an elite variety of cane sugar, which undergoes minimal processing, has a rich characteristic sourish caramel-vanilla aroma;
• Turbinado - raw cane sugar of a brownish-golden color, which is partially purified from molasses with the help of water and steam;
• Barbados - has a dark shade and strong aroma, contains a large number of molasses.

Let's see what brown cane sugar looks like in the photo. It can be made in the form of refined or friable.

Cane sugar and beet sugar - what is the difference

What is the difference between cane sugar and regular sugar? This issue is of particular concern to those people who adhere to the principles of healthy eating. What's the difference? The main difference, of course, is in the lineup.

Brown cane sugar is unrefined, unrefined sugar that stores most of the nutrients:

• cellulose;
• calcium;
• zinc;
• potassium;
• b vitamins;
• sodium.

Regular sugar contains less calcium and other nutrients. But you should be aware that cane sugar can be not only brown, but also white (refined). The benefits of such a product are small. If you use cane sugar for health, then it is better to choose dark varieties (unrefined and unrefined). Then there will be no harm from the product, provided it is used in moderation.

Classic brown cane sugar gives a unique taste to our favorite drinks - coffee and tea. It is also used for making baked goods with a crispy crust, which is obtained thanks to the presence of molasses.

Calorie content

The calorie content of cane sugar does not differ from the usual one: about 400 kcal per 100 g. Still, sugar is a simple carbohydrate that needs to be consumed in small quantities, and with age it is recommended to abandon it altogether or sharply limit it.

How much cane sugar can you eat per day

The daily rate of sugar per day (not only in the form of a bulk product, but also in the form of baked goods) is no more than 5 teaspoons. Excess glucose can harm the body, in particular, according to experts, it makes our blood vessels fragile and contributes to the development of atherosclerosis. In addition, after sugar enters our body, calcium is spent on its processing - the main element for maintaining healthy teeth and bones.

Which sugar is sweeter - cane or beetroot

In terms of the degree of sweetness, beet sugar is richer, it is really sweeter. It is spent more economically at home. Cane sugar is less sweet, tastes softer, and works well in coffee and baked goods. Homemade muffins and cookies are especially tasty when added. If you need to choose sugar according to the degree of sweetness, then it is better to buy beetroot. Reed is loved precisely for the combination of its special aroma and taste.

The main useful components of cane sugar are calcium, iron, potassium, magnesium and B vitamins. There are a lot of these substances in this product. It contains about 62 mg, 332 mg, 117 g, 2 mg per 100 g. But it is not worth eating in such an amount of sugar just for the sake of obtaining useful substances - it is healthier and safer to get them from other products.

The main beneficial properties of cane sugar:

• strengthens bones, prevents the development of caries and tooth loss, inhibits the course of age-related osteoporosis;
• gives useful energy, increases efficiency, restores strength after hard physical work and psycho-emotional stress;
• increases immunity, enables the body to actively repel viral attacks, inhibits the aging process due to the presence of antioxidants and B vitamins in the composition;
• ensures the normal functioning of the nervous system and brain;
• regulates metabolic processes in the body, supports hematopoietic function;
• normalizes the work of the digestive tract due to the content of natural fiber in the composition, cleanses the intestines from mucus and harmful metabolic products;
• due to the presence of potassium, cane sugar supports the active work of the heart muscle, prevents the development of cardiovascular diseases.

Cane sugar is especially beneficial for knowledge workers who need a regular supply of glucose. Than there are sweets and high-calorie pastries, it is better to add a piece of refined sugar to the tea. This will benefit the brain. I myself like not to add it to tea, but to drink a bit.

You know, you can't live without sweets either, but you need to be able to find an alternative to harmful carbohydrates. Since there is a lot of calcium in the composition of cane sugar, when glucose is absorbed, its own calcium reserves will be consumed at a slower rate. This is a great advantage in my opinion.

This video describes the benefits of brown cane sugar, its types, and possible health risks.

Which sugar is better - cane sugar or beet sugar?

This is a traditional question of concern to many consumers. Refined sugars are all equally harmful. But unrefined cane is many times more useful. It has 23 times more calcium than refined sugar. If only because of this, it is worth giving preference to sugar made from cane juice.

How to choose the right cane sugar

Today the demand for this product has grown significantly, but not all consumers are able to choose a quality product. Be sure to check the packaging: proven cane sugar producing countries - Mauritius, Latin America and Cuba.

How to distinguish a fake from an original

There are many myths regarding the definition of the quality of cane sugar. In the network, many even conduct various experiments at home, but, alas, their results are not always reliable. For an inexperienced consumer who has never bought a similar product before, it is difficult to distinguish a fake cane sugar from the original.

It is believed that the best way quality tests of cane sugar are attempts to dissolve it in water, which many believe should remain clear. In fact, such experiences cannot be taken seriously. Cane sugar contains molasses, which colors the liquid. This is an absolutely natural reaction.

It is worth being skeptical about the experience with iodine, which should color the starch contained in cane sugar. But there is so little of this starch that you can hardly see the blue coloration of the water.

What to look for when buying cane sugar? I would advise looking at the price. The main difference between cane sugar and ordinary sugar is its qualitative composition. But a good product cannot be cheap. Therefore, if the cost of cane sugar is suspiciously low (less than 250-300 rubles per kg), then you are most likely looking at ordinary colored sugar.

It is important to feel and see the line between the health benefits and harms of cane sugar. Only moderate consumption of the product can be safe for health.

Cane sugar is a kind of exotic, delicacy for gourmets and those who want to minimize the harm from carbohydrates consumed. But these are not fruits or vegetables that can be consumed with almost no restrictions. I know that some people eat cane sugar in chunks, and this is understandable: it has a unique caramel taste and you just want to eat it. But always remember about a sense of proportion, which will help to maintain a figure and blood vessels, and not to earn insulin resistance, from which many begin to plump catastrophically quickly.

Is cane sugar possible for diabetes

In diabetes mellitus, any sugar is limited, including cane sugar. You can eat simple carbohydrates with the permission of an endocrinologist. Diabetes mellitus increases the risk of obesity, cardiovascular diseases, so it is better to replace sugar with honey, which contains more fructose than sucrose, or use sweeteners. The severity of the restrictions directly depends on the severity of the disease. Therefore, in any case, it is better to consult your doctor.

Sugar isn't just sweet. Sugar is the joy of our lives

There are many ways to use cane sugar. The most common option is to add the product to tea and coffee. Cane sugar can also be used to add caramel flavor and subtle aroma to culinary dishes.

Homemade cookie recipe

You will need the following products:

• 1 egg;
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 100 g sifted flour;
• 1/2 cup cane sugar
• 120 g soft butter;
• a glass of raisins;
• a pinch of vanillin;
• 1/2 cup oatmeal
• a pinch of salt.

Combine soft butter, icing sugar and brown sugar. Add the beaten egg, vanilla, oatmeal and flour to the mixture. Then add the raisins and salt to taste. Stir the mixture thoroughly, form into neat cakes, place on a baking sheet and place in a preheated oven to 200 ° C. You need to bake cookies until golden brown (10-20 minutes).

Sweet epilation

Brown sugar can be used not only in cooking, but also in cosmetology - it makes a good paste for. With its help, it is easy to remove excess hairs on the body. Cane sugar syrup caramelizes quickly, so it can be used for home hair removal if desired.

For a classic pasta, you will need: 6 tablespoons of brown sugar, 2 teaspoons of water, 2 tablespoons of lemon juice. Simply combine all the ingredients (except the lemon juice) and melt them over low heat until caramelized, stirring frequently. Add lemon juice to the mixture immediately after the sugar boils, when the surface is covered with bubbles. Refrigerate the composition for several hours. Before use, knead a small piece of pasta to a plasticine state.

How to store

Due to its high hygroscopicity, it is recommended to store cane sugar in a glass or ceramic tight jar with a ground in lid. Keep in mind that it absorbs odors quickly. Do not store fragrant open foods next to cane sugar. Before buying, carefully inspect the packaging: it must be intact. During the transportation of products, many manufacturers put poisons between the bags to prevent damage to the container by rodents. Cane sugar is very hygroscopic and absorbs moisture and odors quickly. If the packaging is damaged, there is a risk of product deterioration.

Retailers offer two types of products to sweeten life - white sugar and brown sugar. At the same time, the price of brown sugar is significantly higher than the price of white sugar. Let's try to figure out together how brown sugar differs from white and at the same time why brown sugar is more expensive than white.

Which sugar is healthier than white or brown?

White sugar is made from sugar beet or sugar cane and refined.

Beet sugar is sold exclusively in refined form, as unprocessed sugar has a poor aroma and taste.

The brown sugar sold in stores is unrefined cane sugar.

Refining is an industrially implemented process that removes impurities from natural raw materials. The natural product is divided into constituent substances, some of which go to waste. But in nature everything is arranged reasonably. Substances that promote the absorption of sugar by the cells of the human body are also sent to waste, along with slags.

A person who consumes refined sugar is forced to deplete the internal reserves of chromium. Chromium promotes glucose metabolism and its lack in the body can lead to the development of type 2 diabetes. Therefore, which sugar is better than brown or white - everyone understands here.

Brown sugar is no different in calorie content from white. Moreover, the abuse of both leads to obesity and atherosclerosis.

According to the WHO (World Health Organization), the daily, harmless intake of sugar for a healthy person should not exceed sixty grams for men (about 8 tsp) and fifty grams for women. This takes into account not only sugar in spoons and chunks, which is added to coffee or tea.

You also need to count all the sugar contained in lemonades, juices, fruits, canned foods, etc. At the same time, the type of sugar used does not matter - it is important to control its use.

In terms of the amount of nutrients, brown sugar takes the leading position when compared with white. Unrefined sugar contains much more B vitamins, zinc, potassium, magnesium, phosphorus and other minerals and vitamins.

In addition, brown sugar has a positive effect on the taste and aroma of hot drinks, setting off and improving the natural qualities of coffee and tea. Refined sugar affects the aroma and taste of coffee in a neutral way, and changes tea qualities for the worse.

If you decide to buy the more expensive but healthy brown sugar, you need to consider that the color of the sugar can also be achieved by using a dye. Then it's fake ...

The consumer should be offered natural sugar, only brown.

Real unrefined cane sugar owes its color, composition, taste and smell to molasses - sugar molasses.

Types of brown cane sugar

Demerara - refined and unrefined sugar mixed with molasses. The most common on store shelves in our country.

Turbinado - coarse-crystalline natural sugar, purified by water and steam from excess molasses.

Muscovado - natural sugar produced with a different mass fraction of molasses.

The increased amount of molasses darkens the brown color even more.

Black Barbados Sugar - unrefined low-processed cane sugar with the largest mass fraction of molasses. Moist to the touch, Barbados sugar is very dark brown in color and has a strong natural aroma.

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If you actively follow research in the field of proper nutrition, then inevitably you will come across information about the dangers of refined sugar. In the wake of criticism of this well-known product, brown sugar came to the fore a few years ago, which is credited with truly miraculous properties.

Many manufacturers claim that unprocessed brown sugar is rich in vitamins. In addition, it is believed that it is absorbed more slowly and does not contribute to weight gain. Agree that it sounds wonderful. Add brown sugar instead of white sugar to your favorite desserts, and you won't be gaining weight.

But you should not unconditionally trust the information of manufacturers, because their main goal is to sell a more expensive product, which is brown sugar. We invite you to familiarize yourself with the main facts regarding this controversial product, and draw your own conclusions about the appropriateness of its use in the daily diet.

What is brown sugar made from?

The difference between the white sugar we're all used to and brown sugar isn't just about color. A large proportion of the sugar on store shelves comes from sugar beets or sugar cane. The production of brown sugar is more complicated.

Brown sugar can only be cane sugar. This is due to the technology of its purification. The fact is that beet sugar, when incompletely processed, has an unpleasant taste and an even more unpleasant smell, so hardly anyone wants to add it to tea.

While cane sugar, even if not refined, has a characteristic sweet taste and a highly recognizable molasses scent. But brown sugar is due to molasses, which remains on the surface of the crystals.

Brown sugar is healthier than white

The answer to this statement is fairly obvious. Brown sugar is actually healthier, but not at all because of its special properties or low calorie content. The law applies here, which is typical for other products with different degrees of processing.

The less a product is processed, the more vitamins it retains, and unprocessed sugar is no exception. However, one should not hope that the usual sugar rate for most people will replenish the daily supply of vitamins and minerals. Here, it is better to bet on an extra portion of fruit or berries.

Brown sugar is lower in calories

Unfortunately, the information that brown sugar is lower in calories is a myth. This is the same simple carbohydrate, the calorie content of which is about 400 kilocalories per 100 grams of product.

The insulin release process that is triggered by eating brown sugar is no different from that when using white sugar. This means that by switching to brown sugar in the hope of losing weight, you will gain weight just as easily as before.

Real brown sugar is hard to buy

If you have ever tried real brown sugar, you are unlikely to confuse it with a burnt fake. Well, for those who are just discovering this product, we have prepared some tips that will help you buy high-quality brown sugar, not tinted refined sugar.

First of all, give preference to trusted manufacturers who have been on the market for a long time and have managed to gain a good reputation for themselves. In addition, when deciding to switch to this type of sugar, do not save. Brown sugar is more expensive to produce, so the final price paid by the consumer is higher than buying white sugar.

Brown sugar does not color the water

For a long time, plain water has been used to identify fake brown sugar. It was believed that if it changed color, it means that the sugar was artificially tinted. Unfortunately, this is not the case, and it is impossible to identify a fake in this way.

We have already mentioned that the upper layers of brown sugar crystals contain molasses, which dissolves quickly in water and, just like any dye, easily enough stains it dark. That is why this test is not reliable and, when buying brown sugar, we can only believe the label "unrefined", focus on the price of the product and the reputation of the company.

But let's give you a little hint: brown sugar is not produced in Russia, although sometimes it is packaged. So pay close attention to this point when choosing brown sugar.