History
Sugar cane is native to Indonesia and Papua New Guinea. It would have been spread by man in all the Pacific islands and from the Indian Ocean to Malaysia. It arrived in Martinique in 1640 to make sugar for Europe. Today, sugarcane is cultivated in all tropical and warm temperate countries.
Varieties
There are more than 4,000 sugarcane varieties (species and hybrids combined). The main varieties are saccharum robustum, saccharum officinarum, saccharum spontaneum, Saccharum sinense.
S. robustum is generally regarded as the original species. S. spontaneum is an unsweetened variety of cane and S. sinense a Chinese variety. It is from the natural cultivar S. officinarum as the use of the cane as raw material for sugar production began.
Sugarcane is a tropical herbaceous grass reed port, with a height ranging from 2.5 to 6 meters. The rods of a diameter of 1.5 to 6 cm are full. The alternate leaves are divided into two opposing lines and have a 1m long limb of about 2 to 10 cm wide and weighing about 300 g.
Sugar cane requires plenty of water, about 13,000-15,000 cubic meters per hectare per year with inefficient irrigation systems.
Health benefits
Sugar cane is refreshing and quenches thirst. It facilitates urinary secretion by improving kidney function.
Sugar cane juice is useful for diabetics, as it has a low glycemic index. It is also rich in antioxidants, which are known to boost the immune system, tone the body, and maintain good health.
It is known as a mild laxative due to its high potassium content. It aids digestion. It facilitates transit and acts effectively against constipation.
Its alkaline nature gives it anti-cancer properties, notably against breast and prostate cancer.
Cane juice is also good for the skin, helping to combat acne. It helps to reduce skin imperfections and hydration. It is also effective for eye health.
Good for teeth, it prevents cavities.
As a cure, cane juice helps fight coughs. Rum also helps fight coughs when mixed with honey and lemon. The mixture is also able to annihilate sore throats.
Uses
In Martinique, sugar cane is eaten naturally but also used to make juices. The sugar consumed on the island is made of Usine du Galion and rum in different distilleries on the island. In 2009, the quantity produced in Martinique was over 220,000 tonnes of which 40% were for the production of sugar in the Usine du Galion (89,476 tons of cane to produce 5,564 tonnes of sugar and 15,000 rum PDT industrial), the rest being devoted to the production of agricultural rum (80,000 PAHs).
Besides the cultivation of sugar cane for the production of sugar, it is used for animal feed, the consumption of alcohol (rum, cachaça) or bioethanol, a fuel for vehicle engines (Brazil's leading world producer).
