Cane syrup is made by simmering sugar cane juice in open kettles until it forms a thick, dark syrup that resembles molasses. Popular in the south, where it is used as a table condiment and in recipes, cane syrup tastes similar to molasses, but does not contain the sulfur found in molasses. Like sugar, cane syrup makes foods taste sweeter.
Contents
Uses
Dried cane syrup is not completely devoid of vitamins and minerals but still has some small amount of B vitamins (niacin and riboflavin) as well as some calcium.
Benefits
Some research shows that dried cane syrup a healthier alternative to sugar. Sugar, as a carbohydrate, requires B vitamins to be processed by the body. When vitamins are completely stripped from sugar, the body needs to find other sources of B vitamins to do the job. This is why it has been said that not only is white refined sugar a non-nutrient but it is a negative nutrient because it actually drains vitamins from the body.
Processing
It takes a lot of processing to extract juice from sugar cane and refine it into granulated sugar. Cane syrup goes through less processing, consuming less energy to make, which may be beneficial to the environment. Cane syrup contains no additives or preservatives. Some cane syrups are made from organically grown sugar cane, which hasn’t been treated with pesticides or chemical fertilizers.
Your Health and Sugar
Sugars are simple carbohydrates, which your body converts to energy. Your body responds to all sugars the same, whether in the form of honey, table sugar or cane syrup. Consuming these items leads to a rapid spike in blood sugar and a burst of energy. The body uses the energy it needs right away and stores the rest in the form of fat. So eating too much sugar in any form can lead to being overweight. Eating sugar does not cause diabetes, but if you have diabetes, your body cannot process carbohydrates well and eating sugar could result in elevated blood sugar levels. Sugar can lead to tooth decay, too.
Caution
Excess consumption of dried cane syrup can lead to tooth decay.
Interactions
None are recorded.
Other names
Evaporated cane juice
Reference
Source: LiveStrong, http://www.livestrong.com/article/390375-what-are-the-health-benefits-of-cane-syrup/
Greenmedinfo, http://www.greenmedinfo.com/blog/evaporated-cane-juice-better-sugar
Foodnavigator-usa.com, http://www.foodnavigator-usa.com/Regulation/Judge-to-FDA-Make-a-decision-on-evaporated-cane-juice-labeling