The raw material of "brown sugar" is sugarcane, which contains about 95% sucrose. In ancient times, the harvested sugarcane was chopped and crushed to remove impurities such as soil, bacteria and fiber from the juice, and then boiled for 5-6 hours with low fire, and the water was slowly evaporated by constant stirring, so that the sugar concentration gradually increased. After cooling, the high-concentration syrup would solidify into a solid block of coarse sugar, that is, brown sugar bricks. This traditional practice has been preserved. The longer the cooking time in the production process, the darker the color of the brown sugar brick, which makes the brown sugar appear reddish brown in different shades. Our common traditional brown sugar powder is made of brown sugar bricks and then ground.

The myth of brown sugar and brown sugar

People often wonder whether the popular "brown sugar" in Japan is the same as our traditional brown sugar. The answer is yes. Traditional brown sugar is the same as all kinds of popular brown sugar, and its nutrition and edible effect are the same, which can be said to be the same thing.

The color between them is deeply influenced by the time of boiling syrup. Brown sugar takes a long time to boil, and the sugar brick made of concentrated syrup presents an almost black appearance. As for the difference between the two thicknesses, it is caused by different ways of reprocessing, so it is common to cut them into candy bars of different sizes or grind them into powdered sugar.

Brown sugar is very different.

Whether it is brown sugar, yellow sugar, white sugar or rock sugar, the initial refining method is the same. The reason why it becomes different colors and forms of sugar is because the degree of final refining and decoloration is different. The higher the degree of refinement, the whiter the color and the higher the purity, but the sweetness will not increase because of the high purity.

Among these sugars, brown sugar and yellow sugar have higher sweetness. Brown sugar is rich in substances, besides sweetness, it also has a unique special flavor, which is suitable for simple cooking, so as not to make the taste too complicated and self-defeating. For example, it is used to make red bean soup, brown sugar cake, black tea and coffee, and its sweetness is mellow and unique. Yellow sugar is in the middle of flavor and sweetness, and is most commonly used to make ordinary dishes. Sugar and rock candy have low sweetness, but because of their high sweetness purity, they can be used to prepare drinks or make western-style cakes without affecting the original flavor of other materials, and have the function of making cakes fluffy.

Choose brown sugar to increase health

Sugarcane contains many essential amino acids, such as lysine, malic acid and citric acid. These amino acids are indispensable basic substances for synthesizing human protein, supporting metabolism and participating in human life activities, and have an absolutely positive effect on promoting health. Unrefined brown sugar retains more nutrients in sugarcane, which is easier to be digested and absorbed by human body, so it can quickly replenish physical strength and increase vitality, so it is also called "chocolate of the East". It not only contains carbohydrates that can provide heat energy, but also contains riboflavin, carotene, nicotinic acid and trace elements indispensable for human growth and development, such as manganese, zinc and chromium. In addition, the calcium content of brown sugar is 10 times that of white sugar, and the iron content is 3.6 times that of white sugar.

Look at brown sugar.

With the improvement of health concept, the humble traditional brown sugar has got rid of the old image and become a popular hot commodity in the market. The main reason is that it is very helpful to health. Traditional Chinese medicine believes that brown sugar has the effects of invigorating qi and nourishing blood, invigorating spleen and warming stomach, expelling wind and cold, promoting blood circulation and removing blood stasis, and is especially suitable for pregnant women, children and anemic people.

The advantage of brown sugar lies in "warming, warming and dispersing", which is what we commonly call warming. The glucose contained in brown sugar has the advantages of quick energy release, high absorption and utilization rate, and can quickly replenish physical strength. Children with qi deficiency, loss of appetite, malnutrition and other problems can drink brown sugar water in moderation on weekdays. People who suffer from cold and abdominal pain and are prone to catch a cold during menstruation can also use brown sugar and ginger soup to dispel the cold. For the frail elderly, especially those who have recovered from a serious illness, brown sugar also has an excellent nourishing effect. Eating brown sugar in moderation for the elderly can also dispel blood stasis and promote blood circulation, promote defecation, soothe the liver and improve eyesight.

Brown sugar is popular in Japan because it contains a kind of "molasses" component, which has a strong detoxification effect and can lead excess melanin out of the dermis and excrete it through lymphatic tissue. In addition, it also contains carotene, riboflavin, nicotinic acid, amino acids, glucose and other components, which have strong antioxidant and repair effects on cells, and can make subcutaneous cells grow rapidly after removing melanin, thus achieving the effects of preventing melanin generation and continuously whitening. These effects of beauty and health care make brown sugar the new favorite of consumers who pursue beauty and health.

Cook with brown sugar

Even though brown sugar has many health benefits, it is still sugar in essence, and it still plays a role in seasoning when cooking. Brown sugar has high sweetness, unique flavor and color enhancement. It is very suitable for making cakes such as black tea soup, ginger soup and brown sugar cake, which can not only increase the aroma, make the dishes more rosy and attractive, but also increase nutrition and health.

Many health-conscious families have begun to use brown sugar instead of yellow sugar or white sugar in general cooking. When replacing with brown sugar, we should be careful not to completely replace the amount of white sugar or yellow sugar to flavor, because the sweetness of white sugar and yellow sugar is lower than that of brown sugar. If the same amount of brown sugar is added, the taste will be too sweet and the color of the dish will be too dark. It is necessary to reduce the amount appropriately and consider increasing the dishes.

Health care brown sugar water

Boiling brown sugar into brown sugar water is easier to absorb the nutrients in it than eating it directly, and it has the effects of tonifying the middle energizer, strengthening the spleen and stomach and warming the stomach. Brown sugar water is the most common and practical brown sugar health drink in the early days. Pregnant women lose a lot of blood after delivery and consume a lot of physical strength and energy. Drinking brown sugar water 7 ~ 10 days after delivery can replenish energy and increase blood volume, which is beneficial to the recovery of postpartum physical strength, and also has obvious promotion effect on postpartum uterine contraction, recovery, lochia discharge and milk secretion.

Brown sugar water is also helpful for women's smooth menstruation, which can warm the body, increase energy, activate qi and blood, accelerate blood circulation and make menstruation smoother. If you feel bad after menstruation, you can drink a cup of brown sugar water with a concentration of about 20% before lunch every day. When the symptoms of discomfort are serious, you can drink another cup before meals, which can last for a week and effectively improve.

In addition to drinking brown sugar water, it can also be applied externally, and it also has the effect of detoxifying and moistening dryness. Most of the older generation experienced that their children were stung by bees, and the wound was red and swollen, and the pain was unbearable. At this time, parents will take a little brown sugar water with high concentration and apply it to the red and swollen place, so that the pain will be relieved in a short time and the red and swollen will gradually fade away. In autumn and winter, the skin is itchy due to cold and dryness, and it can also be washed with brown sugar water, which can effectively reduce the feeling of dryness and itching.

Brown sugar water can also be cooked with tremella, medlar, red dates or red beans, which is beneficial to diuresis, helps to discharge uterine waste during menstruation, and can alleviate the symptoms of abdominal distension and tight waist; Boiling brown sugar with longan and ginger juice has the effects of invigorating the middle energizer and replenishing blood; Cooking sweet potato, brown sugar and ginger juice together not only has health-preserving effect, but also is a unique snack.

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