Sugarcane Juice Benefits, Tips and Potential Health Risks

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Sugarcane Juice Benefits

Sugarcane juice is a refreshing and nutritious drink, widely enjoyed for its natural sweetness and health benefits. Often sold by street vendors in many tropical countries, it has gained popularity for its unique flavor and nutrient-rich profile.

Scientifically known as Saccharum officinarum Linn, sugarcane is an important perennial grass from the Poaceae family, native to tropical regions of South Asia and Southeast Asia.

It is widely cultivated around the world for its high-yielding products, valued for both their economic and medicinal benefits.

In this blog, we’ll dive into the numerous benefits of sugarcane juice and why it could be a great addition to your diet.

What is Sugarcane Juice?

Sugarcane juice is a sweet, refreshing drink extracted from the stalks of the sugarcane plant, commonly enjoyed in tropical regions.

Sugarcane juice is also rich in antioxidants, including phenolic compounds and flavonoids, which help combat oxidative stress.

Known for its hydrating and liver-supporting properties, sugarcane juice is both a delicious and health-promoting beverage.

Health Benefits

These are the sugarcane juice benefits for health.

1. Rich in Antioxidants

Sugarcane juice is rich in antioxidants, making it a powerful addition to a healthy diet.

These antioxidants help neutralize free radicals produced during physical activities, reducing oxidative stress and protecting cells from damage.

Sugarcane juice contains a variety of phytochemicals, including phenolics, sterols, terpenoids, lignans and policosanols.

Studies show that sugarcane extracts contain varying levels of beneficial compounds, which include phenolic acids and flavonoids. These compounds can vary depending on the sugarcane variety.

Sugarcane is rich in phenolic acids such as gallic acid, p-coumaric acid, caffeic acid, vanillic acid, syringic acid, ferulic acid and other sub-class acids. (1, 11)

And it contains flavonoids like quercetin, apigenin, luteolin catechin and epicatechin, while myricetin was present in low levels. (1, 11)

In fact, the flavonoid content in sugarcane juice was found to be similar to that in other food sources, such as orange juice and black tea.

Surprisingly, resveratrol (a polyphenol), typically found in low amounts in fruit pulp, was present in moderate levels in certain varieties of sugarcane extracts.

By regularly enjoying fresh sugarcane juice, you give your body a natural source of antioxidants that help protect and revitalize from within.

2. May Boost Energy Levels

Packed with natural sugars, sugarcane juice is an instant energy booster.

Sugarcane juice contains high levels of simple sugars like glucose, fructose, and sucrose, which the body quickly absorbs for an instant energy lift.

Along with natural sugars, the electrolytes in sugarcane juice, like calcium, sodium, and potassium, help boost energy by supporting recovery and improving metabolism after intense activity.

These natural electrolytes are effective in restoring essential nutrients lost by the body, making sugarcane juice a great choice for post-exercise recovery.

Additionally, GABA (gamma-amino butyric acid), found in some plant-based foods like sugarcane, which increases when fermented, offers several exercise-related benefits, including supporting muscle growth after exercise, helping manage heart rhythm, regulating blood pressure and cholesterol, and improving liver function.

Given these health and performance benefits, adding probiotics to red sugarcane juice makes sense as it could create a functional drink that’s a healthier alternative to regular probiotic beverages, suitable for both everyday drinkers and active individuals.

3. May Support Digestive Health

Sugarcane juice is rich in natural digestive enzymes that may help improve digestion and keep the gut healthy. Its potassium content helps balance pH levels in the stomach, promoting a well-functioning digestive system.

With a pH of 5.29-5.39, sugarcane juice is gentle on the stomach, avoiding issues like dental erosion or acid reflux, which are common with acidic energy drinks. Drinking a glass of sugarcane juice an hour after meals can also ease bloating and other digestive discomforts.

Furthermore, fortifying sugarcane juice with probiotics, such as Lactobacillus, can further boost gut health by promoting the growth of beneficial bacteria.

Beyond digestive benefits, probiotic-rich sugarcane juice may support brain health via the gut-brain axis, reduce sugar content, produce bioactive compounds, and offer even more health advantages.

However, drinking too much sugarcane juice may cause digestive discomfort.

4. May Provide Anti-Ageing Benefits to the Skin

Sugarcane straw extract contains a high amount of phenolic compounds, such as hydroxybenzoic acids, hydroxycinnamic, flavones, and organic acids. These compounds give the extract strong antioxidant and antimicrobial properties, making it a useful ingredient for skincare products.

These antioxidants reduce oxidative stress by neutralizing harmful free radicals, which are responsible for skin aging and damage.

Cellular studies found that sugarcane straw extract effectively blocked key enzymes responsible for skin aging. It reduced elastase activity by 55% (elastase breaks down elastin), collagenase activity by 25% (collagenase breaks down collagen), and tyrosinase activity by 47% (tyrosinase is involved in melanin production). The extract also boosted the skin’s natural production of hyaluronic acid, which helps keep the skin hydrated. These benefits were achieved at safe, non-toxic levels.

Additionally, the extract reduced inflammation caused by urban pollution, lowering levels of two inflammatory markers.

However, most of its beneficial compounds stayed on the skin’s surface, showing it has limited ability to penetrate deeper layers.

While sugarcane straw extract shows anti-aging potential, more research is needed to help it reach deeper skin layers for even better results.

Similar results were found in other cellular studies using a polyphenol rich sugarcane concentrate (Officinol™), which showed enhanced telomerase activity, protects from UV radiation, inhibited tyrosinase activity, melanin production, elastase activity.

Additionally, a small-scale clinical study involving 10 participants applied a 5% (w/w) Officinol™ cosmetic gel to their faces for 12 weeks. Biophysical measurements were taken to assess anti-aging effects. The study found a 17% reduction in skin roughness at 8 weeks and a 20% reduction at 12 weeks. Wrinkle depth decreased by 20% at 12 weeks, and the pigmented area of sun spots was reduced by 2% at 12 weeks.

However, these findings are limited to cellular and small, preliminary human studies, more studies involving higher number of participants is required to further verify these findings.

5. May Boost Immunity

With a high concentration of antioxidants, sugarcane juice strengthens the immune system, helping to prevent infections.

A review of studies on various types of farm animals show that adding sugarcane extracts or sugarcane juice to their feed may boost immunity. This effect may be due to its bioactive compounds, including polyphenols, known for their antioxidative and anti-inflammatory properties.

A study found that adding sugarcane juice extract to pig feed improved immune function. It increased the activity of natural killer cells and boosted monocyte phagocytosis (a defence mechanism) by up to 58%, enhancing the pigs’ ability to fight infections.

Gut microbiome also plays a significant role in immune function.

Two studies found that feeding pigs a mixture of sugarcane polyphenols and sugarcane fiber increased good bacteria and reduced harmful bacteria in their gut. It was also found that feeding them the mixture showed greater beneficial effects than feeding them sugarcane polyphenols or sugarcane fiber alone.

During flu season or times of high stress, a glass of sugarcane juice may help boost your body’s defenses.

6. May Help with Diabetes Management

As a rich source of antioxidants, sugarcane juice may help you in better blood sugar levels management.

Computer-based studies found that probiotics like Lactobacillus extracted from fermented sugarcane juice may help control blood sugar levels by blocking enzymes like alpha-glucosidase and alpha-amylase, that are involved in glucose metabolism.

In a study aimed at improving the stability and exploring the anti-diabetic effects of sugarcane juice, it was found that its shelf life could be extended up to 7 days. Sugarcane juice, at doses of 5.6 mg/20 g, 11.2 mg/20 g, and 16.8 mg/20 g, showed promising anti-diabetic effects in diabetes-induced mice.

This effect was attributed to the ability its rich phytochemical content to reduce oxidative stress, which is one of the causes of diabetes.

In contrast, a study comparing sugarcane juice and cyclamate as sweeteners found that sugarcane juice led to a mild increase in blood glucose levels, while cyclamate caused a more substantial rise. Although sugarcane juice didn’t reduce blood sugar, it had a lower impact than the artificial sweetener.

Interestingly, a clinical study found that adding polyphenol-rich sugarcane extract to sucrose may reduce postprandial (after-meal) blood glucose levels in a dose-dependent manner, with 19–32 mg/100 g of polyphenols showing a positive effect. However, further research on dose-dependent response is required.

Sugarcane juice is naturally high in sugars, which can lead to blood sugar spikes with excessive consumption.

Always consult a healthcare provider before adding sugarcane juice to a diabetes diet, as individual responses can vary.

7. May Aid in Weight Loss

While sweet, sugarcane juice is low in calories and fat, but high in antioxidants.

In an animal study, mice were fed a high-fat, high-carbohydrate diet with supplements of 0%, 2% or 4% polyphenol-rich sugarcane extract (PRSE) for twelve weeks. In the results, mice fed with 4% PRSE had lower body weight and fat compared to the control group.

This effect was linked to reduced carbohydrate absorption, while other factors like food intake and energy use did not significantly differ.

While promising, clinical trials are needed to confirm these results.

Tips for Consuming Sugarcane Juice

Fresh is Best: Freshly extracted sugarcane juice is more nutritious and tastes better than bottled versions.
Limit Additives: Avoid adding excessive sugar or artificial flavors to keep it healthy.
Moderation is Key: Although sugarcane juice has numerous benefits, moderation is essential due to its natural sugar content.

Potential Health Risks

While sugarcane juice offers many benefits, there are some potential health risks associated with its consumption:

Raw sugarcane can sometimes carry diseases, such as Leptospirosis.
In Brazil, sugarcane juice has been associated with cases of Chagas disease, as improperly cleaned sugarcane may contain traces of Trypanosoma cruzi, the pathogen responsible for the disease, left by infected insects.
Additionally, consuming sugarcane juice in Egypt could pose health risks due to potential contamination with mycotoxins like aflatoxin B1 and fumonisin B1.

In Closing

Sugarcane juice is more than just a refreshing drink – it’s packed with nutrients that offer a variety of health benefits, from boosting energy and immunity to enhancing skin health.

Additionally, sugarcane juice has been used traditionally to treat kidney stones, jaundice and liver-related diseases. However, there is limited scientific evidence supporting these claims.

Adding a glass of sugarcane juice to your diet can be a simple way to enhance overall wellness. Just remember to consume it in moderation and choose fresh juice for the best results.

Note that some benefits mentioned above apply to fermented sugarcane juice, which may have mild alcoholic properties if allowed to ferment naturally. This version of the juice can also be beneficial, provided it’s consumed in moderation.

Whether you’re looking to support digestion, strengthen immunity, or enjoy healthier skin, sugarcane juice is a powerful, natural choice.