White sugar is then further processed to remove any excess molasses and create smaller crystals. Subsequently, it’s run through a filtration system that’s often made with bone char, or crushed animal bones, to form white sugar.

Refined brown sugar is simply white sugar that has had molasses added back into it. Meanwhile, whole, unrefined brown sugar undergoes less processing than white sugar, allowing it to retain some of its molasses content and natural brown color.

The most notable nutritional difference between the two is that brown sugar has slightly higher calcium, iron, and potassium contents.

That said, the amounts of these minerals in brown sugar are insignificant, so it’s not a good source of any vitamins or minerals.

Brown sugar also contains slightly fewer calories than white sugar, yet the difference is minimal. One teaspoon (4 grams) of brown sugar provides 15 calories, while the same amount of white sugar has 16.3 calories.

Granulated sugar is also sometimes known as white sugar, or “regular” sugar. Granulated sugar has had all of the naturally present molasses refined out of it. 

Sugar is an integral part of the baking that we do day to day.

Of course, the sweetness it provides to things like cookies and cakes is obvious. In breads and rolls, however, it feeds the yeast that makes for a beautiful rise.

For most people, the first thing that comes to mind when hearing the word sugar is white, granulated sugar. It’s the type that America uses most often for baking and sweetening our morning cup of coffee.

One teaspoon of sugar has 16 calories that come from about 4 grams of simple carbohydrates. There is no fiber or starch in granulated sugar.

Men should consume no more than 9 teaspoons (36 grams or 150 calories) of added sugar per day. For women, the number is lower: 6 teaspoons (25 grams or 100 calories) per day.