A cane that is good for you

Sugarcane is often subject to political debate, but it definitely has a sweeter side.

The last week saw Delhi brought to grinding halt as thousands of farmers from North India decided to protest on the city’s roads to demand better prices for their sugarcane harvest. It is a sad paradox that India is the world’s largest consumer of sugar and the second-largest producer of the commodity, but farmers are not laughing all the way to the bank.

But leaving politics — and the refined sugar product — aside, sugarcane has for long enjoyed a rather special status in Indian cuisine and culture. It is a prominent part of harvest festivals in India, it is consumed raw and its raw extract is a popular sweetener. And this popularity is not without reason.

It is not uncommon to find, while travelling through rural India, people chewing raw sugarcane, especially in villages where cultivation happens nearby. It is a popular snack, and often kids walking to school are given a stem to chew on for breakfast. In addition to the cane containing energy-rich sugar, the fibres of the cane performs the additional task of scrubbing the teeth clean of plaque. The hard chewing also gives the gums a better workout than any chewing gum. Sound dental advice, however, says that sugar is bad for your teeth and you must wash your mouth thoroughly after eating sweet foodstuff.

Scorching summers are often combated with a tall glass of freshly extracted sugarcane juice. The chilled juice often contains a good dash of citrus, ginger and mint. Sugarcane juice, along with tender coconut water, has often been advocated as an alternative to carbonated drinks.

An ounce (28.3 gm) of cane juice, gives you about 111 calories. It is said the sweetness of the juice is good because it contains a mix of sugars, rather than just sucrose, so it is easily broken down by the body. The juice is also a rich source of vitamins B2 and B3, and minerals such as potassium, magnesium and calcium. The use of jaggery in your diet is also advocated for the same reason. Jaggery is solidified cane juice, and is again a mix of sugars, nutrients and minerals.