Is Brown Rice Syrup Better for You Than Sugar?

Brown rice syrup is a light-colored sweetener made from brown rice. Based on the glycemic index, brown rice syrup is a healthier added sweetener than sugar.

Many popular processed foods contain large quantities of added sugars. Unlike natural sugars, these sweeteners are added during the manufacturing process. This can improve flavor but cause health issues, since people who consume too much sugar may develop serious health issues like heart disease, obesity, and type 2 diabetes.

If you’re searching for a healthier alternative to sugar, you may wonder if brown rice syrup is better for you. This sweetener contains lower amounts of fructose than regular sugar, but is brown rice syrup actually a healthy choice? 

Read on to learn about the differences between brown rice syrup and sugar. 

Brown rice syrup is a light-colored sweetener made from brown rice. Manufacturers make this syrup by fermenting brown rice using enzymes that break down the starches it contains. The resulting liquid is strained and cooked, transforming it into a thick, nutty-tasting syrup. 

Many people with dietary restrictions can safely eat brown rice syrup because the sweetener is fructose-free and vegan. Some types of rice syrup are also gluten-free, but manufacturers may add barley enzymes to break down the starches. If you have a gluten allergy, read the label carefully before consuming a product that contains brown rice syrup. 

Brown rice syrup is a flexible and popular sweetener found in many products. It’s often used in organic foods in place of high-fructose corn syrup. 

Products that may contain brown rice syrup include: 

• Beer
• Cereal bars
• Chocolate 
• High-energy performance products
• Infant and toddler formula 
• Rice milk
• Soy milk 

If you want to know if a product contains brown rice syrup, you can read the food label and search for phrases like “brown rice sweetener” and “rice malt syrup.” 

Manufacturers commonly use both brown rice syrup and sugar to sweeten processed foods. However, there are several key differences between the two. 

Brown rice syrup: 

• Made from three sugars: maltose, maltotriose, and glucose
• Has a glycemic index of 25
• Made from brown rice 

Sugar: 

• Also known as sucrose 
• Created by crystallizing beet juice or sugar cane
• Made from two sugars: glucose and fructose
• Has a glycemic index of 65 

Brown rice syrup has a lower glycemic index than sugar. As a result, brown rice syrup has a smaller impact on blood glucose levels. In contrast, foods with a high glycemic index — like sugar — spike your blood sugar levels. Over time, high blood sugar can lead to cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, and other serious health conditions.

Like most added sweeteners, brown rice syrup has very few nutrients. One tablespoon, or 21 grams, of this syrup contains: 

• Calories: 67
• Total fat: 0g
• Carbohydrates: 15g
• Sugars: 15g
• Protein: 1.30g
• Potassium: 67mg
• Vitamin A: 0.4% of your recommended daily value
• Vitamin C: 3.5%

Brown rice syrup contains a small amount of potassium. This mineral helps prevent and treat many serious health problems, such as arthritis, cancer, dermatitis, high blood pressure, muscle weakness, and stroke. 

However, while brown rice syrup is a healthier alternative to many other sweeteners, an inspection of the nutritional contents reveals that this ingredient is still unhealthy. It adds empty calories and sugars to your diet without providing much nutritional value in exchange. 

Natural sweeteners can be healthier alternatives to brown rice syrup. These products include: 

• Erythritol: This sweetener doesn't cause tooth decay and won't raise glucose or insulin levels. 
• Tagatose: You may lower your postprandial plasma glucose levels by consuming this sweetener. 

Added sweeteners like brown rice syrup, glucose, and sucrose can negatively affect the human body. Most notably, researchers have linked brown rice syrup to alarming levels of arsenic in infant and toddler formulas. Arsenic poisoning can cause many symptoms, such as: 

• Abdominal pains
• Dark urine
• Hemolysis (destruction of red blood cells) 
• Nausea
• Shock
• Vomiting
• In severe cases, death 

Due to the risk of arsenic accumulation, experts recommend avoiding infant and toddler formulas that contain brown rice syrup. 

Consuming too much brown rice syrup and other sweeteners can also cause chronic, mild inflammation and raise blood glucose levels, though not as much as sugar. Even so, these effects can increase your chances of developing many serious and potentially fatal conditions, such as: 

• Cancer
• Cardiovascular disease
• Fatty liver disease
• Obesity
• Type 2 diabetes
• Stroke

To reduce your chances of developing these health problems, limit your consumption of brown rice syrup and other added sweeteners. 

Based on the glycemic index, brown rice syrup is a healthier added sweetener than sugar. One serving of brown rice syrup won’t raise your blood glucose levels as high as a comparable serving of sucrose. Since high blood glucose levels can cause diabetes and other issues, brown rice syrup is a better option. 

However, brown rice syrup still can’t be considered a healthy food. This ingredient doesn’t contain significant amounts of vitamins and minerals, so it adds empty calories to your diet without any added health benefits.

While brown rice syrup is technically a healthier sweetener, you should still limit your consumption of this food to avoid adverse health effects. Read labels carefully to detect sneaky sugars and opt for healthier snacks, such as fruits (which are a generally healthy source of sugar) and vegetables. Being alert to the risks posed by added sugars can decrease your chances of developing serious health disorders