Description

ABOUT

Panamkalkandu, also known as Palm Candy, is a sweetener prepared from the flower buds of the Palm tree. Palm Candy is noted for being high in vitamins and minerals because it is an unprocessed sugar. As a result, it’s becoming more popular as a white and brown sugar alternative. People are adopting healthier lifestyles, and as a result, changes are brought every now then, especially in our kitchen cabinets, particularly sweeteners. Palm candy, country sugar, and palm jaggery or karupatti gradually replacing white sugar. These natural sweeteners are less processed, chemical-free, and high in vitamins, minerals, and important nutrients.

Palm candy, country sugar, and palm jaggery (karupatti) are gradually replacing white sugar. These natural sweeteners are less processed, chemical-free, and high in vitamins, minerals, and important nutrients. Palm candy has a moderate caramel and earthy flavour, and when melted, it tastes like honey, while when granulated, it tastes like white sugar. Palm candy is used as a sweetener in baby’s porridges and is also good for adults due to its well-known health advantages.

The palmyra palm, commonly known as the toddy palm, is used to make real panam kalkkandam. Palm Candy helps in the reduction of cholesterol levels. This also aids in the dissolving phlegm in the lungs. A sore throat can be treated with palm candy. It has the ability to lower our body’s temperature. It’s a crystalline sweetener that’s high in nutrients and low in glycemic index. Palm candy is a natural and does not contain preservatives.

Minerals, vitamins, calcium, iron, and phytonutrients like zinc and potassium are all present. Water can be used to quench the thirst of palm sweet. This can be used as a natural alternative to refined sugar. Sugar in the form of lumps is beneficial to one’s health.

HOW PALM CANDY IS MADE

To make palm sugar the traditional way, an earthen pot is coated with slaked lime to prevent the sap from fermenting. In some areas, such as Thailand, bamboo sticks with a small amount of wood chips added to avoid fermentation are used to gather sap.

The sap is then gathered from the palm trees by cutting one or two palm flowers and placing the clay pot around it to fully capture the sap. The juice obtained can also be consumed and is quite nutritious. The sap is gathered in enormous vats and cooked till thick. The procedure changes slightly at this stage depending on the final product (palm sugar, palm candy, or palm jaggery).

The syrup is poured into pots to make palm candy. A tiny palm leaf is placed in the centre of the pot, which is then covered with a fabric and left undisturbed for around 3 months, during which time the syrup will crystallise into enormous crystals. In Tamil, this is known as panakarkandu. The thicker syrup is poured into moulds to set to make palm jaggery. To make palm sugar, the thicker syrup is removed from the heat and allowed to cool to a thick mass in the pot, stirring constantly until it dries.

HOW TO INCLUDE PALM CANDY IN YOUR DIET

• The nicest part about palm sugar is that it has a pleasant flavour. It has a little distinct flavour than refined sugar, but it is far more useful in maintaining a healthy lifestyle.

• You can add a teaspoon to your cup of tea, coffee and milk as sweetener.

• If you’re making sweets, try adding some palm candy instead of white sugar; it’ll give your desserts a distinct taste.

• A few teaspoons of palm sugar can be added to your morning glass of fresh fruit juice.

BENEFITS OF PALM CANDY

• De-colourizing and de-ashing agents are used to bleach and refine the sugar. The refining procedure removes a lot of the nutrients from unprocessed sugar. Because palm candy or panamkalkandu is unprocessed, it contains a variety of vitamins and minerals that can help you achieve your daily nutritional needs. Potassium, nitrogen, phosphorus, iron, and zinc are all present in most palm candy. These minerals help to strengthen the immune system and improve cognitive function.

• Palm sugar is broken down and absorbed by the body in a short amount of time. In fact, the digestion process starts as soon as the sugar hits your mouth, providing you with a much-needed energy boost to start your day.

• It has vitamins and minerals such as vitamin B, iron, and calcium, and it keeps us energized. Encourage kids to use natural sugars such as palm sugar from an early age, rather than white sugar, which is processed using chemicals and does not contain nutrients. Infants and babies can also be fed palm candy in their porridges.

• Palm sugar is a common ingredient in cough and cold medicines. Ginger tea sweetened with palm candy is an excellent cold and cough treatment. It also helps with hiccups and digestion. Palm sugar has a calming impact on our nervous system due to its magnesium content.

• To treat a sore throat, mix palm candy with turmeric powder and pepper powder in milk and drink. It helps you sleep better.

• Palm sugar is high in antioxidants, and regular consumption boosts our immunity. Palm sugar, which is high in antioxidants, helps to prevent free radicals, which are the main cause of skin ageing.