Sugarcane or Sugar cane is the source of the widely used sweetener “Sugar”. Though crystallised white sugar does not have considerable health benefits, on the contrary, sugar cane juice offers you quite a few amazing benefits. This article lists the health and beauty benefits you could enjoy with the regular consumption of sugarcane juice. You will also learn its uses in traditional medicine systems, how to make the juice, the calories present, the precautions, and if you need a sugar cane juice machine or if it is simple enough to make using your regular blender.
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Benefits | Uses in traditional medicine systems | Precautions | How to prepare at home |
Mainly cultivated in tropical and subtropical countries, Brazil, India, and China, the top few among them, sugarcane has several wonderful health benefits. However, people with medical conditions such as diabetes must limit consumption.
The image below mentions the scientific and vernacular names of sugarcane:
Benefits of Sugar cane Juice:
1. Instant hydration
Sugarcane juice is an excellent source of sucrose, a simple sugar that the body can easily absorb. Hence it can help you rehydrate yourself instantly and feel refreshed.
Furthermore, it contains minerals such as iron and electrolytes such as calcium, magnesium, and potassium; thus, it can be your natural go-to sports drink.
2. Immunity booster
Sugarcane juice is rich in antioxidants, which can boost your immunity and help fight against infections effectively.
3. Good for kidney
Is sugarcane juice good for the kidneys? Yes, it is.
Sugarcane has diuretic properties. So, it can help clear urinary tract infections and prevent kidney stones. Besides, adding tender coconut water, lime juice and ginger to sugarcane juice and drinking the mixture helps pass urine freely, thereby enabling the kidneys to function properly.
Also Read: Banana stem juice is good for kidneys. Know why
4. Stronger bones
Sugarcane is a source of calcium and other minerals such as manganese, iron, magnesium, and potassium. Therefore, consuming the juice on a regular basis can help maintain bone health and prevent diseases such as osteoporosis.
5. Weight loss
As it is rich in fibre, low in calories, fat-free and cholesterol-free, sugarcane juice has all the essential qualities to aid weight loss.
In addition, the juice can also effectively detox and cleanse the body naturally and boost your metabolism, another crucial factor in shedding those excess kilos/pounds.
6. Great for skin
Besides health benefits, sugar cane juice also provides goodness to your skin. You can apply sugarcane juice topically to exfoliate and moisturise skin, treat acne, protect from sun damage and clear any imperfections on the skin. Such excellent benefits are due to components such as alpha-hydroxy acid and phytonutrients.
You can easily prepare masks or scrubs using sugarcane juice as a base, add thickening ingredients such as fuller’s earth or coffee powder, and incorporate it as part of your skincare routine.
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Uses in traditional medicine systems
Traditional medicine systems such as Ayurveda, Unani, and TCM use sugar cane juice for various benefits.
- Improve fertility in men: Ayurveda advises consuming sugarcane juice to improve fertility in men and promote sexual health. The benefits include increasing sperm count, sperm mobility, libido and treating erectile dysfunction.
- Treat jaundice: The Indian systems of medicine, Ayurveda and Unani, use sugarcane juice to treat jaundice, as sugarcane can rejuvenate the liver.
- Improve digestive health: Since sugarcane has laxative properties, it relieves constipation. And its alkaline nature is utilised to treat acidity. In general, sugarcane is recommended for improving digestive health in all these traditional medicine systems.
- Prevent anaemia: According to the Central Council for Research in Ayurveda and Siddha (CCRAS), sugarcane juice can prevent anaemia and is also helpful for those who are already anaemic. Also, consuming jaggery (a product of sugarcane) with powdered dry ginger can be effective in this regard as this combination purifies the blood and restores haemoglobin levels.
- Use in TCM: TCM uses sugarcane in treating issues such as nausea and vomiting, constipation, cough sores, and boils.
FUN FACT: Did you know?
Sugar cane juice can help prevent tooth decay and fight bad breath. All you need to do is chew on pieces of sugarcane!
Precautionary Information To Know!
- Sugarcane juice is best consumed within 15 minutes of preparing it; otherwise, it might have adverse effects on your stomach.
- Potentially low in calories, sugarcane juice is not recommended to drink every day because it might result in unwanted weight loss.
- Since sugarcane has a low glycemic index, it is suitable for people with diabetes. In fact, there are references to traditional medicine systems using it in diabetes treatment. However, because of its high sugar content, diabetics and prediabetics are better to be cautious.
- Similarly, those on blood-thinning medication should consult their doctor if it is alright to consume sugar cane juice.
- It is best consumed during noon and to be avoided at night.
How to prepare it at home?
With so many benefits listed, you would love to consume sugarcane juice regularly. But how do you make it? Do you need a sugarcane juicer/machine to extract the juice?
No, you don’t need a sugar cane juice machine. Your blender at home is enough to make sugarcane juice. Follow the steps below, and your delicious, fresh sugarcane juice is ready to consume!
- Remove the hard outer layer
- Chop the cane into small pieces
- Blend it with a glass of water
- Strain the juice
- Enjoy!
Tip: Optionally, add ginger, lemon juice or even mint leaves as per your taste.
Wrapping up,
As with any healthy food or drink, consuming sugarcane juice in moderation can help you reap loads of health benefits! So enjoy a glass of this refreshing drink to quench your thirst and feel great during those hot, sunny days instead of reaching for a can of soda!
Images from canva.com
