Cane Juice – A Healthy and Nutritious Substitute to Caffeinated and Aerated drinks

Sugarcane juice or more commonly known as cane juice is a popular street corner beverage in Guyana and the Caribbean and all around the world. It is not only delicious, and refreshing beverage but also nutritious. It can be upgraded with lemon zest or a dash of ginger. Cane juice is sold all over Guyana in carts, stands, markets, cafeterias and restaurants. This is the trade of quite a few persons in Guyana, who also sell things like plantain and cassava chips supplement your snacking needs and their cane juice business. Many vendors can be seen pressing sugarcane stalks through a press machine to be rewarded with a delicious syrupy juice.

Cane Juice – By Rupika08 – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=39815080

What is Cane juice?

Cane juice is a drink that is made from sugarcane plants (Saccharum officinarum). Cane juice comprises of water and saccharose and retains all the nutrients from the sugarcane stems from which it is made. It has a natural sugary taste. After passing through the press machine, a thick brownish to deep-green colour liquid is produced. However, the quality may differ, depending on where the juice is bought.

Customers would sip this drink on sidewalks and street corners to quench their thirst. Cane juice is typically sold in small, clear plastic bags with a straw on corners all over Guyana. Some persons are opting for a more modern version, selling in plastic cups and bottles. But no matter what this sugarcane juice is sold and consumed in, Guyanese still relish the taste of the age-old drink.

Interesting Tip 

• Saccharose is a common sugar, made up of glucose and fructose.

Nutritional Value Of Cane Juice

Amount per 100 grams

• Total Fat: 0%
• Cholesterol: 0%
• Sodium: 58 mg
• Potassium: 63 mg
• Total Carbohydrate: 73 g
• Dietary fibre: 0 g
• Sugar: 73 g
• Protein: 0 g
• Vitamin A: 0%
• Vitamin C: 0%
• Vitamin B-6: 0%
• Vitamin D: 0%
• Calcium: 1%
• Iron: 19%
• Cobalamin: 0%
• Magnesium” 2%

Health Benefits Of Cane Juice

1. Diuretic – Drinking cane juice helps in the treatment of urinary tract infections, kidney stones and also ensures the proper functioning of our kidneys.
2. Oral health – Sugarcane juice is extremely rich in minerals.  This helps to reduce bad breath and prevent tooth decay.
3. Strengthens liver – When you drink cane juice,  your body is replenished with the lost protein and nutrients and can help to cure jaundice, caused by a poor functioning liver.
4. Energy Boost– A glass of sugarcane juice makes a great energy drink because it is packed with carbohydrates, protein, iron, potassium and other essential nutrients.
5. Laxative – According to Ayurveda, the traditional Hindu medicine system, cane juice can relieve constipation and improve bowel movements.
6. Good for Diabetics – You might think sugarcane juice is not good for people with diabetes. On the contrary, however, when used in moderation cane juice can help to control blood sugar. this is because it has a  low glycemic index, meaning it does not drastically affect levels of blood sugar in our body.
7. Faster Healing – Drinking cane juice can help to speed the healing of wounds, due to the sucrose contained in it. Some sugarcane juice can also bespread over the wound as well.
8. Weight Loss – Although it is sweet, sugarcane juice can help you to reduce your weight by reducing the amount of bad cholesterol in the body which is responsible for weight gain.
9. Cleansing – Drinking cane juice regular basis helps to cleanse the body of harmful toxins and foreign elements.
10. Nails – Broken and brittle nails can be combatted with the nourishing cane juice.

How to make Cane Juice

Ingredients

• 1 sugarcane
• 1 tbsp ginger chopped (optional)
• Lemon juice to taste
• Salt to taste

Steps

1. Peel the skin of the sugarcane
2. Chop sugarcane into small pieces.
3. Add all the ingredients to a blender and blend till mixture is smooth.
4.  Remove the puree.
5. Strain it into a glass and refrigerate it for a few hours.

NB: This is best served chilled.

About Cane Juice

Cane juice is one of Guyana’s most favoured drinks, aside from the Cream Soda and Milk combination. We can definitely see why since it provides us with many health benefits including treating bad breath, cleansing all harmful or bad toxins from our bodies. Its sweet, syrupy tastes are palatable and welcoming to our tastebuds, especially after being in the hot sun. Not only is it delicious but it is a great healthy choice for a drink. Instead of caffeinated, carbonated or energy drinks, the next time you’re thirsty, grab a local cane juice and quench your thirst.

Article References

• https://food.ndtv.com/health/6-health-benefits-of-sugarcane-juice-a-promise-of-good-health-1270503
• https://www.stylecraze.com/articles/benefits-of-sugarcane-juice-for-skin-hair-and-health/#TreatsSoreThroat
• https://www.feedipedia.org/node/560