What is granulated sugar?

Granulated sugar, also sometimes known as "refined", "table", or "white", is beet or cane sugar that has been processed, left to crystallize and then dry so that the crystals do not flip together. Many people think of granulated sugar when they hear the word "sugar" and this variety is easily accessible on most markets and food stores around the world. It is very commonly used for cooking and baking and recipes that require sugar without type determination, usually means granulated.

common use

This kind of highly processed sugar is one of the most popular baking ingredients in the world. It is a simple carbohydrate that dissolves well, easily melts and mixes into a wide range of other ingredients. It is often used in any number of baked goods and is also popular in small quantities to balance salty sauces and soups. It has a fine taste that usually complements the tastes other than compete with them, which makes it a inhabitant way to add sweetness without disruptinga bowl or main taste profile. People also use them to weaken drinks, especially coffee and tea, and many manufacturers sell them in pre -measured one -track packages or for this purpose pushed into small sugar sugar.

Most of the "table" or standard granulated sugar has a fine, powder consistency, but sometimes it is possible to find even more refined varieties. Caster and so -called "superfinal" sugar are variations that distinguish more crystal sizes than anything about the way they have been processed or refined, and are valued in many finer desserts and baked foods such as souffle, which must be light and airy.

where it comes from

Sugar is a naturally occurring compound that can be found in most plant and animal cells. For example, most fruit has very high sugar concentrations, which is one of the reasons why they taste so sweet. People from stArovka was looking for ways to get this sweetness to be used separately, a process known as "improvement" and granulated sugar is one of the most popular results.

Improvement usually works best when there are very high sugar concentrations. Manufacturers usually decide to work with beet or cane, two plants that contain large shops of natural sugars. Rafination from other fruit, such as apples or peaches, can be very time -consuming and also tends to leave a lot of waste.

The process of refining

The production of granulated sugar is a multi -stage process. The refiners begin with the insulation of sugar crystals in beet or cane, usually via diffusion . During the diffusion, the sugar source is soaked in water, on the ground or crushed to reveal its inner cells, and then left to fall away, often through network sieves or fine substances where the crystals can be collected. On this stage, crystals are usually light brown or tannedcolors.

, however, raw sugar is not exactly the same as granulated sugar; In most cases, much more processing is needed to get from one point to the next. First comes "apins", where refinery break crystals with water and often some phosphor compound. Affination usually leads to a strong sweet syrup that the manufacturer must warm up and then cool quickly to crystallize the sugar again. Sometimes they use chemicals to help speed up things. The result is usually double: fine white granules and rich dark syrup. Rafines usually sell one as granulated sugar and the other as a molasses.

storage and durability tips

Improvement helps to partially withstand a clump of sugar because it will dry so much. However, people who live in warm climate or whose sugar is exposed to high humidity can still experience clustering; This is harmless but can make accurate measurement my difficult and can also affect how it levels sugar dissolves or incorporatedIt enters different doughs or broths. People can often break clusters with your fingers or back of a spoon, although stubborn lumps may need the help of a kitchen robot or blender. Maintaining crystals in an airtight container in a cool and dry place is one of the best ways to prevent clusters in the first place.

Sugar rarely spoils and stays fresh for a year or longer. After this point, the granules do not really become harmful, but they can start to lose their taste or start receiving the tastes of their storage environment. Most food experts recommend using table sugar within a few months of buying for the best results.

substitution

granulated versions of sugar are widely available in most places, although there are times when people may want to replace other, less processed alternatives, either as a way to reduce sugar intake or as a means to create a healthier selection. The so -called "raw" sugar is a popular alternative in many markets. Raw sugar usually gatherE before the afness, which means that its crystals are slightly larger and often seem somewhat tan. It tends to taste somewhat sweeter and usually dissolves more slowly than granulated versions, which means that people can use less.

people who want to avoid sugar can also look at natural substances such as honey, agave and stevia, and there are usually a number of chemical sweeteners. However, bakers must usually be a little careful when using substitutions in recipes; Different substances react differently when mixing and heating. For example, the use of aspartame of chemical sweetener in baked goods usually does not work, and the use of honey - which is wet and sticky - can often change the overall texture of the final product that was to be made with sugar. It is usually a good idea to spend a bit of time experimenting before the reservation of white sugar.

people are often tempted to level white sugar with brown sugar, but both are quite different and replace each other rarelywell ends well. In many cases, brown sugar is slightly more than granulated white sugar, to which the manufacturers have added molasses. As a result, the taste is very different, so it is density. For example, a cake made of brown sugar, for example, when he demanded a white recipe, often turns out to be very heavy and does not have to rise properly.

Health Information

granulated sugar is known as simple carbohydrate, which basically means that it is a "fast energy" source that converts the body into glucose relatively soon after digestion. Most health experts recommend people to maintain a balance between simple carbohydrates and more complex foods with high protein content that last longer. When the body takes more sugar than it needs, it often stores excess fat cells.

Another possible disadvantage of granulated or refined sugar is its lack of nutrients. Most foods that are highly processed contain very little in the way of vitamins and minerals and sugar is not exceededImkou. Often it has a very high calorie content without providing great nutritional value. Most medical experts recommend that you consume sugar in any form "sparse", which means that, ideally, it should be more rare than the catering clamp. Excessive sugar intake like health problems such as type 2 diabetes and obesity.