Brown sugar nutrition, glycemic index, calories, and serving size
Brown sugar Glycemic index (GI)
Brown sugar is usually produced by adding molasses to refined white sugar. As a sweetener, it naturally consists primarily of carbohydrates - 98% to be precise.
An exact measurement for the glycemic index of brown sugar has not yet been carried out. However, we can look at the glycemic indices of its two main components, white sugar and molasses, to get an idea of how it affects blood glucose levels.
Refined white sugar consists of sucrose, which has a glycemic index of 65±4 (1). Sucrose is also the main carbohydrate found in brown sugar. However, as molasses possesses properties reducing the glycemic index (2), the GI of brown sugar is lower than that of white sugar (3).
To read more about the glycemic properties of molasses you can go to our “Molasses” page - https://foodstruct.com/food/molasses.
In contrast, to the previous statement, the brown sugar produced from coconut water has a higher glycemic index than white sugar from coconut water. The glycemic index of brown sugar from coconut water falls in the range of 38 to 50, depending on the cultivar of the coconut (4).
Brown sugar has been researched to be the better choice, when compared to refined white sugar, to reduce the risk of non-alcoholic fat accumulation in the liver of obese indivuals (5).
In summary, brown sugar has a low to moderate glycemic index and can be used in moderation, as a substitute for refined white sugar.
Sources.
- https://care.diabetesjournals.org/content/diacare/suppl/2008/09/18/dc08-1239.DC1/TableA1_1.pdf
- https://www.researchgate.net/publication/267871575
- http://www.ijsrp.org/research-paper-1113/ijsrp-p2330.pdf
- https://www.scirp.org/journal/paperinformation.aspx?paperid=86989#t3
- https://www.researchgate.net/publication/320910981
Important nutritional characteristics for Brown sugar
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Brown sugar nutrition infographic
Mineral coverage chart
Mineral chart - relative view
Vitamin coverage chart
Vitamin chart - relative view
Carbohydrate type breakdown
Fiber content ratio for Brown sugar
All nutrients for Brown sugar per 100g
| Nutrient | DV% | In TOP % of foods | Value | Comparison |
| Protein | 0% | 94% | 0.12g |
23.5 times less than Broccoli 
|
| Fats | 0% | 100% | 0g |
N/A 
|
| Carbs | 33% | 0% | 98.09g |
3.5 times more than Rice 
|
| Calories | 19% | 18% | 380kcal |
8.1 times more than Orange 
|
| Fructose | 1% | 86% | 1.11g |
5.3 times less than Apple 
|
| Sugar | 0% | 21% | 97.02g |
10.8 times more than Coca-Cola 
|
| Fiber | 0% | 100% | 0g |
N/A
|
| Calcium | 8% | 25% | 83mg |
1.5 times less than Milk 
|
| Iron | 9% | 70% | 0.71mg |
3.7 times less than Beef 
|
| Magnesium | 2% | 86% | 9mg |
15.6 times less than Almond 
|
| Phosphorus | 1% | 96% | 4mg |
45.5 times less than Chicken meat 
|
| Potassium | 4% | 75% | 133mg |
1.1 times less than Cucumber 
|
| Sodium | 1% | 79% | 28mg |
17.5 times less than White Bread 
|
| Zinc | 0% | 96% | 0.03mg |
210.3 times less than Beef
|
| Copper | 5% | 82% | 0.05mg |
3 times less than Shiitake 
|
| Vitamin E | 0% | 100% | 0mg |
N/A 
|
| Vitamin D | 0% | 100% | 0µg |
N/A 
|
| Vitamin C | 0% | 100% | 0mg |
N/A 
|
| Vitamin B1 | 0% | 100% | 0mg |
N/A 
|
| Vitamin B2 | 0% | 100% | 0mg |
N/A 
|
| Vitamin B3 | 1% | 91% | 0.11mg |
87 times less than Turkey meat 
|
| Vitamin B5 | 3% | 86% | 0.13mg |
8.6 times less than Sunflower seed 
|
| Vitamin B6 | 3% | 82% | 0.04mg |
2.9 times less than Oat 
|
| Folate | 0% | 93% | 1µg |
61 times less than Brussels sprout 
|
| Vitamin B12 | 0% | 100% | 0µg |
N/A 
|
| Vitamin K | 0% | 100% | 0µg |
N/A
|
| Cholesterol | 0% | 100% | 0mg |
N/A
|
| Saturated Fat | 0% | 100% | 0g |
N/A
|
| Monounsaturated Fat | 0% | 100% | 0g |
N/A
|
| Polyunsaturated fat | 0% | 100% | 0g |
N/A 
|
References
The source of all the nutrient values on the page (excluding the main article and glycemic index text the sources for which are presented separately if present) is the USDA's FoodCentral. The exact link to the food presented on this page can be found below.