Sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum)

Sugar cane is a perennial plant belonging to the grass family, like the common reed but with a much more solid stems up to 6 m. in height and 3 to 6 cm. in diameter, usually appears at the bottom bare, one end of which forms a large panicle of spikelets small, long hair, each with two flowers. The fruit-the few times that he gives, is very small. It breeds throughout Andalusia, mainly in the coastal provinces of Malaga, Granada and Almeria, where they form cañamerales of some significance. Cane-producing countries are Cuba's most important and India.

FLOWERING

Flowering varies widely depending on countries. In Spain does not usually bloom. The cane also varies across countries and land, so if the soil is poor, is treated as an annual and replanted again after some rest. However, if the land is good, the reed can last up to twenty years since the rhizome is perennial. However, more often it is not wait so long to renew the culture. In Spain, the canes are cut between March and May. From these rods and after certain processes that you get so precious that it is sugar.

APPLICATIONS

The chemical composition of this plant is very complex, but really what interests her is the sugar content of juice extracted from the stem when ripe. This juice is obtained by compression of the mature stem. The juice can contain up to 46% sugar, called sugar cane, which is sucrose, the sucrose is a disaccharide, ie, a substance composed of two subunits, one of glucose and fructose. It is moderately sweet and well known by all. Addition to being used as a sweetener used in the development of many sweets and is one of the most nutritious substances that exist. The human body needs sugar to function properly and must obtain from the diet. What happens is that in Western countries especially, we tend to abuse so mellow delicacy and the human body converts this excess of sugar in fat, with consequent obesity problem. But this does not mean that sugar is bad, but when diets are committed excesses exaggerated the body can not metabolize and store it as fat-that is, in what is known colloquially as "love".

ADMINISTRATION

The sugar forms of administration are as varied as the human race. It can be taken directly in solution, forming part of candy, etc.., But always bearing in mind that excess sugar are mainly responsible for weight gain.

SUMMARY

FAMILY: Grasses
HABITAT: Andalusia
FLOWERING: In Spain no blooms
PART USED: Stem
CASTILIAN: Caña dulce, caña melar
CATALAN: Canya de sucre
GALICIAN: Cana do zucre

USES

Strong Sweetener, Fort Excipient, Nutritional Leve.