turbinado sugar vs sucanat

[momto5girls]

My hfs has both of these in bulk, but the price is very different. The turbinado says it is sugar cane, the sucanat that it is dehydrated sugar cane. So, is the sucanat just more concentrated?

Also, I seem to remember that turbinado is not TF, but sucanat is? Can someone explain to me why? It would be nice to save $1 per pound, but I want a sweetener with some redeeming value...

Thanks,

[phroggies]

I think sucanat is what you want; turbinado is more processed (just not as processed as white sugar, and obviously, not bleached). There's a lot of confusion here because the labeling has gone back and forth on some of these alternative sugars, but you might be able to use the following diagnostic: at my HFS, the turbinado looks just like regular sugar but darker--i.e., it's in shiny, regular crystals. The sucanat, on the other hand, is duller, and there's more variation--some of it looks powdery, some of it looks like dull crystals. HTH!

[JElaineB]

Sucanat is a brand of 100% evaporated cane juice - it keeps all of the molasses in the sugar. Turbinado sugar has some/most of the molasses removed. So while it is less refined than white sugar it does not have all nutrients that would be found in Sucanat.

Here is info on all of the Wholesome Sweeteners products, including Sucanat and their turbinado.

http://www.wholesomesweeteners.com/b...wholesome.html

[momto5girls]

Originally Posted by JElaineB

Sucanat is a brand of 100% evaporated cane juice - it keeps all of the molasses in the sugar. Turbinado sugar has some/most of the molasses removed. So while it is less refined than white sugar it does not have all nutrients that would be found in Sucanat.

Here is info on all of the Wholesome Sweeteners products, including Sucanat and their turbinado.

http://www.wholesomesweeteners.com/b...wholesome.html

Thanks for the explanation. That makes sense.

Now, what sweetener do you use when you need a bland taste?

I've used sucanat in making moonshine...err water kefir ( ) but my kids aren't as keen on it. I can't use honey cause it's bad for the grains. I think that their issue is really with the molasses taste (which I love). Any ideas?

[Taedareth]

Disguise it with fresh ginger and lemon?

[Rachel J.]

Originally Posted by momto5girls

Thanks for the explanation. That makes sense.

Now, what sweetener do you use when you need a bland taste?

I've used sucanat in making moonshine...err water kefir ( ) but my kids aren't as keen on it. I can't use honey cause it's bad for the grains. I think that their issue is really with the molasses taste (which I love). Any ideas?

Since the sugar is for the grains maybe use some turbinado and some succanat? I really like using 1/2 water, 1/2 juice.

[zzwhitejd]

I have never made kefir, but I know that kombucha works best with more refined sugars... and not so well with alternatives - but the point is to feed the culture so very little is remaining after the brewing time. Could it be similar with kefir?

[saratc]

Originally Posted by Rachel J.

Since the sugar is for the grains maybe use some turbinado and some succanat? I really like using 1/2 water, 1/2 juice.

It really ends up tasting even more like moonshine with some juice added!

Kombucha likes pure sugar to feed on, but water kefir definitely likes the high mineral content of sucanat. When I use pure sucanat, my grains double every batch, but when I go half and half, they only grow by 25% or so.

For kids, I would definitely go with flavored water kefir. Ginger and lemon is a good one. I also make a "spritzer" by taking finished water kefir and adding a bit (about 10% to 25% by volume) of juice. For kids, you can give it to them like that, or if worried about the sugar, you let it ferment for a half day or so after you add the juice. Go with a lower percentage or dilute when using very sugary juices like grape juice or it can get very boozy.