Author: Alex Publish Time: 2024-09-28 Origin: Alex
When it comes to baking, sugar is essential for those skilled in this art. If your coffee tastes too bitter and astringent, simply add some sugar. Feeling down? Enjoy something sweet. Studies have shown that consuming sweets can help release dopamine.
Indeed, sugar is ubiquitous in our daily lives. But how can we gain a deeper understanding of such an important substance? Sugarcane can provide the answers.
Approximately 80% of sugar is derived from sugarcane, meaning most of the sugar we use is extracted from this plant. Sugarcane plays a crucial role in our lives, but is that its only use? How much do we really know about it?
Why has sugarcane become the main source of sugar?
As its name suggests, sugarcane is a cane rich in sugar. Before sugarcane spread to Europe, sugar was considered a luxury spice. When Europeans discovered sugarcane in the 4th century BC, they described it as “reeds that produce honey without bees.”
Another reason for sugarcane's prominence is its unique growth method: many lateral buds grow from the base, allowing it to thrive rapidly after harvesting. As a tropical herb, sugarcane is primarily found in warm, humid climates. This characteristic has led to countries like Brazil (37.69% of global production) and India (22.86%) becoming the largest producers.
Sugar refining technology can be traced back thousands of years. The earliest records of sugar production from sugarcane are found in India’s Vedas and China’s "Songs of Chu," dating back to 300 BC. The words for sugar in French ("sucre"), German ("zucker"), and Russian ("сахар") sound similar because they all originate from the Sanskrit word "sarkara," which means sugar.
While sugar refining has developed significantly over time, the fundamental processes remain similar. These processes can be roughly divided into the following steps: felling sugarcane, juicing, natural settlement, adding chemicals to remove impurities, and sanding. After these steps, the sugar we use today is produced.
As a high-energy plant, sugarcane can also produce ethanol. Some studies suggest it is more efficient than other plants, such as vegetables and sugar beets, for ethanol production. In Brazil, gasoline must contain at least 22% ethanol, and this proportion may increase in the future. In some countries, particularly those short on fossil fuels but rich in sugarcane, bagasse (the fibrous residue left after extracting juice) is used to produce steam, which is then converted into electricity.
In the field of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), sugarcane is not only a raw material for sugar production but is also considered a treasure.
Sugarcane can reduce internal heat when used in soup.
Sugarcane peel can treat mouth ulcers in children.
The tender buds between the nodes of sugarcane can help manage diabetes.
Sugarcane can also detoxify tetrodotoxin.
