Sugar Cane

Food and health uses

• The sugary sap (cane juice) from inside the stems is commercially processed into cane syrup, cane sugar (sucrose or table sugar), and molasses. 

• Cane juice is also fermented to make rum. 

• The sweet, whitish, fibrous raw pith inside the stems can be chewed as a refreshing snack. 

• It is a folk remedy for arthritis, bedsores, boils, cancer, colds, cough, diarrhea, dysentery, eyes, fever, hiccups, inflammation, laryngitis, opacity, penis, skin, sores, sore throat, spleen, tumors, and wounds.

• Sugarcane is also reported to be antidote, antiseptic, antivinous, bactericide, cardiotonic, demulcent, diuretic, intoxicant, laxative, pectoral, piscicide, refrigerant, and stomachic.

More information

• Purdue University

• Wikipedia

• National Tropical Botanic Garden

• Hawaiian Plants and Tropical Flowers

• Bishop Museum