Is Brown Sugar Gluten Free

It seems an odd thing to ask whether or not brown sugar is gluten free. I mean, yes, all sugar is naturally gluten-free. But....

So, I have to admit, when I sat down to write this article, I actually got upset. I don't want to think this hard, be this paranoid, or take any more joy out of going out to eat. It is sugar right? And most sugar comes either from sugar beets or from sugar cane and neither of these plants contain gluten. Therefore, like always, most of the speculation around sugar on a gluten free diet stems from cross-contamination, either at the manufacturer, the restaurant or at home in a shared kitchen.

So first things first, who is making our sugar? Although you see a wide variety of different sugar brands, the majority of sugar sold in the U.S. is produced by just two companies: the United States Sugar Corp. and ASR Group, formerly American Sugar Refining, Inc. Both ASR Group and U.S. Sugar Corp. are "sugar-only" mills and refineries. This dramatically reduces the chance of cross-contamination during the production process. In addition, there are a couple of smaller companies that very specifically state their product is gluten free. For example, Wholesome Sweeteners states that its sugar products are "processed and packaged in a gluten-free environment," and Sugar in the Raw states on its FAQ page that its sugar "contains no gluten, nor does it come into contact with glutinous products such as wheat during its manufacture."

Now, how is sugar handled in a restaurant? My instinct says it could be very cavalierly. I can think of several scenarios in my former kitchen, pre-gluten free days where I used a flour coated measuring cup or scoop in the sugar. Or, for example, I knew a pastry chef that kept a piece of white bread in the brown sugar to help keep it moist. This means, unfortunately, it is possible to get exposed to gluten due to cross-contamination in a restaurant.

So Chicken Little, is the sky really falling? I honestly believe the answer is no. Both of the scenarios I described occurred long before the awareness of "gluten free" was as prevalent as it is today. Restaurants and chefs are more savvy than ever. And it is my sincere hope that any restaurant that offers gluten free options has done a thorough evaluation of not just the ingredients, but the process as well. However, it never hurts to keep reminding everyone that thoughtfulness at every step of the process matters in order for any item to be considered gluten free.

If you need a quick refresher on what brown sugar actually is, check out our post on sweeteners.