Country sugar (or Nattu Sakkarai) is a traditional, minimally processed sweetener from sugarcane or palm sap, unrefined and chemical-free, retaining natural molasses and minerals like iron, magnesium, and potassium, offering a rich caramel flavor and lower glycemic impact than white sugar, used as a healthier alternative in beverages, desserts, and cooking for its earthy sweetness and energy boost.

Key Characteristics:

• Natural & Unrefined: Made by boiling down sugarcane juice, it's less processed and unbleached, keeping natural nutrients.
• Rich in Minerals: Contains iron, calcium, potassium, and magnesium, often lost in white sugar refining.
• Flavor: Has a distinct, earthy, caramel-like taste due to its molasses content.
• Color: Typically brown, varying from light to dark depending on processing.
• Healthier Alternative: Considered better than refined sugar, with a lower glycemic index, meaning slower sugar absorption.

How it's Made:

1. Fresh sugarcane juice is extracted.
2. Juice is boiled and concentrated in open pans.
3. It's then cooled and molded or ground into a powder.

Uses:

• Sweetening tea, coffee, and juices.
• In traditional Indian sweets, desserts, and baked goods.
• As a healthy sweetener for oatmeal and fruit.