While strolling through the old medina of Rabat or Marrakech, you might come across a little stall selling a yellowish or greenish drink called sugarcane juice.

Sugarcane Juice: A Splash of Sugary Goodness

While strolling through the old medinas of Rabat or Marrakech, you might come across a little stall selling a yellowish or greenish drink called sugarcane juice.

The beverage, which is consumed in North Africa but also in many other areas around the world, such as Southeast Asia, Latin America, and the Indian Subcontinent, is a sweet, syrupy liquid that’s pressed from peeled sugarcane using a mill.

It’s often sold by street vendors who mix it with lime or other juices and serve it over ice for a tasty drink.

Sugarcane is a plant that belongs to the grass family, Poaceae, and is mainly used for sugar production. It usually measures somewhere from 2 to 6 meters and is rich in sucrose, the two-part molecule from which table sugar is refined.

The harvest of sugarcane takes several months, and the quality of the plant highly depends on the climate, the quality of the soil and irrigation system, as well as the degree of disease and pest control in the area.

In Morocco, the Rabat-Salé region is the most prominent region for vendors to purchase the sugarcane plant, which costs around 2 or 3 MAD for one kilogram.

In order to prepare the drink, the canes are cut and picked up by large machines, to then be immediately delivered to factories and vendors, as the plant deteriorates very quickly.

Unfortunately, in some areas, raw sugarcane might become contaminated and lead to various diseases. It is very important to purchase the beverage from a trusted vendor and make sure the knives used are being disinfected to prevent any sickness due to a dangerous bacteria or fungus.

However, if prepared respecting all hygienic recommendations, the juice proves to hold many health benefits.

Because it’s not processed like most sugary drinks such as soda or boxed fruit juice, sugarcane juice retains all its vitamins and minerals.

The refreshing beverage is also a good source of phenolic (a chemical compound found in certain foods that protects the body’s tissues against oxidative stress) and electrolytes, which help hydrate the body and restore energy reserves in the muscles after a workout.

In some types of traditional Eastern medicine, it’s used to treat liver and kidney diseases.

“The juice extracted from sugar cane not only soothes the palate, but strengthens the body by providing several nutrients,” Moroccan nutritionist Hamid Yakine said in a recent interview with a Moroccan media outlet.

“It can prevent tooth decay, strengthen the liver and kidneys and promote good digestion. Alkaline in nature, it can also help fight against breast and prostate cancer,” he added.

The ‘unusual’ drink is a great refreshment to cool off on hot summer days, or to simply enjoy the sweet and delicious flavor. However, like most things, it must be consumed in moderation to avoid health issues linked to a high sugar diet.