Cane sugar is sucrose that has been extracted from the sugarcane plant that has not been refined; it is also referred to as raw sugar. Because of the higher price and a distinct taste, cane sugar is not as popular as highly refined white sugar in American kitchens. Refined sugar, as the name implies, undergoes high levels of chemical processing before appearing at the grocers.
Harvest
Sugarcane is a sustainable plant; when it is cut above the roots, the stalks will regrow the next season and produce for many years before it is exhausted. Sugarcane thrives in hot, wet climates. In the United States, four states harvest sugarcane: Louisiana, Hawaii, Florida and Texas. It is typically harvested and processed by machines that cut down the stalks, load them into a transport vehicle and bring them to a plant to be processed.
Processing
The sugarcane is put into a machine that destroys, twists and turns the stalks to extract the cane juice. The byproduct, bagasse, is utilized to fuel the boilers in the plant or put into agricultural mulch. The juice is filtered to remove the dirt, and then the cane juice is boiled so the water evaporates and sugar crystals grow. The mixture is then spun rapidly to separate the liquid from the sugar, which is then dried. In this form you have raw cane sugar.
Refining
Refining is a process that involves cleaning and purifying the raw sugar. Sugar that is imported to other nations is usually refined after arrival. Eight United States refine sugar: Louisiana, Hawaii, Florida, Texas, California, New York, Maryland and Georgia.
The raw sugar first undergoes a process called affination. The goal of affination is to remove the liquid layer that builds up around the sugar crystals. The raw sugar is mixed with purer syrup and spun to separate the liquid from the crystals, much as it was before shipment. This removes additional impurities from the sugar. The liquid still contains many particles, which are further removed by carbonation. Small pieces of chalk are mixed in with the liquid, the particles are drawn to them and then they are removed. Then the color is removed either by being burnt off by carbon or an ionic resin. It is boiled to remove the liquid so crystals can grow, and then spun again to remove further liquid. The result is white, refined sugar. The liquid byproduct is molasses.
Health Considerations
No one will claim that sugar is good for you, but raw sugar is more healthful than refined sugar because there are no chemical additives. Raw sugar is minimally processed, making it a natural product and easier for your body to digest. All sugar is high in calories and low in nutritional value.
Benefits
Eating raw sugar supports a more sustainable industry than eating refined sugar because the crop is sustainable and the byproducts are used to run the factory. Refined sugar is mass produced and less expensive.
Tags: refined sugar, cane juice, crystals grow, Florida Texas, from sugar
