Sugars
We experienced sweetness while eating the stems of sugarcane,
roots of sugar beet, fruits of apple and while drinking palmyra sap. This is
due to the different proportions of sugars found in it. Sugar is the generic
name for sweet tasting soluble carbohydrate, which are used in foods and
beverages. Sugars found in sugarcane and Palmyra make them ideal for efficient
extraction to make commercial sugar.
Botanical name : Saccharum officinarum
Family : Poaceae
The cultivated Saccharum officinarum has evolved by repeated
back crossing of S.officinarum of New Guinea with wild S.spontaneum of
India to improve the quality. All districts except Kanyakumari and
Nilgiris of Tamil Nadu cultivate Sugarcane.
Sugar cane is the raw material for extracting white sugar. Sugarcane
supports large number of industries like sugar mills producing refined sugars,
distilleries producing liquor grade ethanol and millions of jaggery
manufacturing units. Fresh sugarcane juice is a refreshing drink. Molasses is
the raw material for the production of ethyl alcohol.
Botanical name : Stevia rebaudiana
Family: Asteraceae
Stevia is a sweetener and a sugar substitute, extracted from the
leaves of Stevia rebaudiana. It has no calories and is 200 times sweeter
than sugar. The Steveocide is the chemical that is responsible for sweetness in
Stevia.
Stevia is a native to Brazil and Paraguay. It is cultivated in the
states of Himachal Pradesh, Gujarat and Tamil Nadu.
This is the most popular natural sweetener and is a substitute for white sugar, hence it is extensively used by diabetic patients and health conscious people.
Botanical name : Borassus flabellifer
Family: Arecaceae
Palmyra is native to tropical regions of Africa, Asia and New
Guinea. Palmyra grows all over Tamil Nadu, especially in coastal districts.
Exudate from inflorescence axis is collected for preparing palm
sugar. Inflorescence is tapped for its sap which is used as health drink. Sap
is processed to get palm jaggery or fermented to give toddy.
Endosperm is used as a refreshing summer food. Germinated seeds
have an elongated embryo surrounded by fleshy scale leaf which is edible.
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