Brown sugar glycemic index (GI)

by Victoria Mazmanyan | Last updated on August 28, 2023

Medically reviewed by Ani Harutyunyan

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.

The exact measurement of 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.

In contrast to the previous statement, 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). Also, there is a study that classifies brown sugar as a low-GI food product (6).

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 individuals (5).

In summary, brown sugar has a low to moderate glycemic index and can be used in moderation to substitute refined white sugar.

Visit our glycemic index chart page for the GI values of more foods and beverages.