At Peekaboo Second Office, we spend our winters caring for our bodies and skin after the busy summer season. We prepare healthy lunches together, and today we’d like to share what we’ve learned about sugar.

Japan’s Rich Sugar Culture

One of the secrets behind Japanese cuisine’s delicate and refined flavors is the careful selection of different types of sugar for different dishes. Japan has developed a unique sugar culture, with various types carefully matched to specific cooking purposes.

I recently had the wonderful opportunity to visit sugarcane fields in Okinawa. The experience reminded me of how Japan values its natural environment and treats plants with great care and respect. From Hokkaido’s beet sugar in the north to Okinawa’s rich black sugar in the south, Japan produces exceptional sugars that reflect the unique characteristics of each region. Both are absolutely delicious and capture the essence of their terroir!

Types of Sugar

Sugar comes in many varieties, with over 10-15 main types available. Japan’s diverse sugar selection allows cooks to choose the perfect sweetness for each dish, contributing to the sophisticated and nuanced flavors that Japanese cuisine is known for.

Refined Sugars

• Granulated Sugar: Pure white sugar with clean sweetness
• Brown Sugar: Contains molasses, giving it color and flavor
• Powdered Sugar: Finely ground for baking
• Rock Sugar: Large crystals that dissolve slowly

Unrefined Sugars

• Beet Sugar (Tensai-tou): Made from sugar beets grown in the cold climate of Hokkaido, Japan’s northernmost island
• Raw Cane Sugar: Contains natural molasses and minerals
• Muscovado/Kokutou (Black Sugar): Rich in minerals, produced from sugarcane in Okinawa and Kagoshima’s warm southern regions
• Coconut Sugar: Made from coconut palm sap
• Demerara Sugar: Large-grain raw sugar
• Turbinado Sugar: Light brown raw sugar
• Panela: Unrefined South American sugar

The contrast between Hokkaido’s beet sugar and Okinawa’s black sugar perfectly illustrates how Japan’s geography, from its snowy north to its tropical south, creates distinct and exceptional ingredients.

Sugar That Warms the Body

Beet sugar (tensai-tou) is particularly recommended for winter because it helps warm the body. In traditional Eastern medicine, crops grown in cold climates are considered “warming foods,” while those from warm regions are “cooling foods.”

• Cane sugar: Grown in warm regions (Okinawa, tropical areas) – tends to cool the body
• Beet sugar: Grown in cold regions (Hokkaido) – helps warm the body

Beet sugar also contains oligosaccharides that support gut health and has a gentler effect on blood sugar levels.

Understanding GI Value

GI (Glycemic Index) measures how quickly foods raise blood sugar levels, with glucose as the baseline (GI=100).

Classification:

• High GI (70+): White bread, white rice, potatoes
• Medium GI (56-69): Pasta, sweet potatoes
• Low GI (55 or below): Brown rice, vegetables, beans, meat, fish

Why GI Matters: High-GI foods cause rapid blood sugar spikes, triggering excessive insulin release. This leads to:

• Quick energy crashes and fatigue
• Fat storage and weight gain
• Increased risk of diabetes

Tips to Lower GI Impact:

1. Eat fiber-rich vegetables first
2. Add vinegar to meals
3. Chew slowly and thoroughly
4. Avoid large portions of carbohydrates
5. Take a light walk after eating

Best Sugars for Winter

1. Beet Sugar (Tensai-tou): Warming effect, supports gut health – Hokkaido’s gift to winter wellness
2. Black Sugar (Kokutou): Rich in minerals and nutrients – Okinawa’s treasure with deep, complex flavors
3. Raw Cane Sugar: Mild flavor with trace minerals

Both Hokkaido’s beet sugar and Okinawa’s black sugar showcase the incredible quality of Japanese ingredients, each perfectly suited to their climate and absolutely delicious in their own way.

健康にダイエット、砂糖を考えよう！株式会社ピーカブー　エポカル

Best Sugars for Dieting

Lower GI Sugars

• Beet Sugar: GI 60-65 (vs. white sugar’s 109)
• Coconut Sugar: GI around 35
• Black Sugar: Slightly lower calories than white sugar

Zero-Calorie Sweeteners

• Monk Fruit Sweetener (Lakanto): Natural, zero calories, 1:1 replacement for sugar
• Erythritol: Natural sugar alcohol, 70% sweetness of sugar
• Stevia: 200-300x sweeter than sugar, use sparingly

Important Notes:

• No sugar aids weight loss if consumed excessively
• Focus on total carbohydrate intake, not just sugar type
• Combine with exercise for healthy weight management
• Even low-GI foods raise blood sugar if eaten in large quantities

Conclusion

Different sugars serve different purposes, and Japan’s culinary tradition of carefully selecting the right sugar for each dish is what makes Japanese cuisine so delicate and refined. The country’s respect for nature and its plants has created a rich variety of exceptional sugars, from the warming beet sugar of snowy Hokkaido to the mineral-rich black sugar of tropical Okinawa.

For winter wellness, choose beet sugar or mineral-rich unrefined sugars. For dieting, opt for low-GI options like beet sugar, coconut sugar, or zero-calorie alternatives like monk fruit sweetener.

At Peekaboo Second Office, we continue to explore healthy eating through our winter lunch project, caring for both body and skin together while appreciating the wonderful ingredients that Japan’s diverse climate provides.

Choose your sugar wisely and stay healthy this winter!