Cane sugar processing consists of the following steps: sugar cane is crushed, the juice is heated and filtered, then sent to a series of crystallisation steps to create crystals of raw sugar.
Raw sugar is comparatively healthy and suitable for consumption and brown in colour. But to appeal consumers, manufacturers treat raw sugar with chemical bleaching agents to make it white in colour called white sugar/refined sugar.
Bleaching agents are:
Bone char: This method uses bone char a chemical imported from China which is made from bones of the holy cow comes & other animals imported by China from Afghanistan, Argentina, India, and Pakistan. It is used as a decolourisation filter.
If you are a vegetarian or worships cow (gau mata) then you should not consume white/refined sugar, instead jaggery powder is the best alternative healthy option you must use.
Consumption of bone char in longer run causes cancer.
Refine plantation white sugar: Another method of making sugar white, one that is used in India, is referred to as “refine plantation white sugar.” we have never seen sugar labelled as such. And with processed foods being imported into India, there is no guarantee
that the sugar coming in pre-packaged foods will be labelled as “refine plantation white sugar.”
This process devoid of bone char is vegan, BUT instead of bone char, THERE IS THE SULPHITATION process. we don’t want to detail the whole process of sulphitation (sulphur dioxide) as it will be too long to read, but we will say this, “even though sulphur compounds are drained out with the molasses there is much sulphur left.” In India, the standard is 70
parts per million. Compare this to the international standard which is 10ppm. Sulphur Dioxide causes respiratory diseases and according to the New Zealand government: bronchitis, irritation of nose, throat and lung; and is linked to cardiovascular disease. Sulphur dioxide according to the Australian government is absorbed by soils and plants, affecting our land and water ecosystems and leads to acid rain.
The USA and Europe do not allow imports of
sugar that undergo sulphitation in India because of their high sulphur content. But with pre-processed foods imported from India to the USA and Europe, it is hard to know if they contain sugar processed through sulphitation.
- Consumption of excess refined sugar causes (daily consumption) causes type-2 diabetes (very alarming situation in India and you must restrict sugar consumption (9 to 15 grams only per day))
- Sugar makes your organs fat
- lead to heart disease
- Increases cholesterol levels
- It disables your appetite control
- make you depressed
Overall, packaged foods in India is packed with excess amount of sugar making India the diabetic capital of the world.
Please read the label of food products about sugar content before use.(consume only 9 to 15 grams per day).
Healthy alternative
Jaggery powder is the best healthy alternative to sugar.
Stevia powder/liquid is the best healthy alternative to sugar for
diabetic people (as it has zero calories).