Good morning! It's Miko.
I'm sorry for not updating my blog since the end of November. I've been running this as a detailed version of the articles I posted on Instagram, but from today I'll be reposting articles from the past, so please keep an eye on my past articles and check them out later!
- Exploring the charms of brown sugar—Lessons learned during a business trip to Kagoshima
- The secret to health and longevity from brown sugar
- The deep relationship between Kakeroma Island's vinegared millet and brown sugar
- The nutritional value and appeal of pure brown sugar
- Misconceptions about brown sugar and its real value
- Summary: Let's reexamine the true power of nature
Exploring the charms of brown sugar—Lessons learned during a business trip to Kagoshima
Recently, on the first day of my business trip to Kagoshima, I met Dr. Take from Take Pharmaceuticals, which produces millet vinegar from Kakeroma Island.
Dr. Take is the descendant of a family of pharmacists, and while he runs two pharmacies in Kagoshima City that focus on traditional Chinese medicine, he also produces excellent Japanese health foods. He is a lively man over 80 years old who works in farming in his private life. (Most Take Pharmaceutical products are not sold online.) He also held important positions in the prefecture for many years, and we had a very frank conversation.
The story I heard about brown sugar and millet vinegar when I met him completely overturned the stereotype that we have always believed: "sweets = bad for you." It was very interesting, so I would like to share it with you today.
The secret to health and longevity from brown sugar
As soon as we met, Dr. Wu asked us a question.
"You guys showed interest in sugar cane vinegar, so why don't you sell brown sugar?"
When I honestly told my husband and I that the reason we don't eat sweets is because "sugar = bad for your health,"
"It's a shame that so many wrong ideas about sugar have become so widespread recently," he said.
Brown sugar and the longevity of Tokunoshima
This is a note that Professor Take suddenly wrote on a paper napkin while he was speaking.
Written there were the names of three people from Tokunoshima who hold the Guinness World Record for longevity. Why are such long-lived people born on such a small, sparsely populated island?
The history of Izumi Shigechiyo
One of them, Izumi Shigechiyo , was still carrying bags of brown sugar weighing nearly 80 kilograms even after turning 70, and continued to enjoy brown sugar shochu every day even after turning 100.
He says the secret to his health is that he naturally incorporated brown sugar into his life.
Current status and issues of brown sugar production
Brown sugar production is a major industry in the area from Amami Oshima to Okinawa, but it is actually an important product that is subject to a lot of government regulations and subsidies. Therefore, in order to protect the small islands of Okinawa, the production and sale of brown sugar is currently prohibited on the main island of Okinawa and Ishigaki Island, and only the eight islands of Iheya Island, Ie Island, Aguni Island, Tarama Island, Kohama Island, Iriomote Island, Hateruma Island, and Yonaguni Island are allowed to ship outside the prefecture. And the Amami Oshima Islands.
Originally, brown sugar's flavor varied from island to island, but nowadays, most of it is shipped whole from the sugarcane, and as a result, 80% of the subsidy can be received, so processed brown sugar, which is made from refined raw sugar and molasses, has become more prevalent.
Of course, processed brown sugar also has its merits. It can be freely made to taste without any unpleasant flavors, and because it has been refined, it has fewer minerals and is less likely to develop mold, so it can be stored at room temperature. It seems that this type is easier to use in cooking.
On the other hand, brown sugar made from 100% pure sugarcane juice is not eligible for subsidies, and farmers who produce it are unable to make a profit, so the number of producers is decreasing. However, Takeya Pharmaceutical's Japanese Food Manufacturing Division has been manufacturing brown sugar using traditional methods for a long time, so they are confident in their products.
The real reason why you can't find real brown sugar syrup
Pure brown sugar is still produced in other remote islands in Okinawa and on the island of Amami Oshima, and at one time some vendors were left with stocks of it due to the continuing high prices, but now brown sugar is gradually being rediscovered by people who have become aware of its health benefits, and it is now sold for around 1,000 yen for 100g.
However, when it comes to brown sugar syrup, no matter how hard I searched, I could not find pure brown sugar syrup made from 100% sugarcane juice on the market where general consumers could buy it. This is because, as I was told, most of the brown sugar syrup made from the pure brown sugar produced by Takeyakuhin is wholesaled to long-established Japanese confectionery stores famous for their high-quality yokan.
When I tasted the one I was given around spring last year, it certainly tasted similar to the famous yokan.
The deep relationship between Kakeroma Island's vinegared millet and brown sugar
Well, I've heard a lot of interesting stories about millet vinegar.
In the past, millet vinegar was commonly made at home on Kakeroma Island. This is because the indigenous bacteria found only on Kakeroma Island are commonly found in homes, and it was easy to make, as fermentation would occur simply by squeezing sugarcane and placing it in a jar. And as to why local people were able to drink millet vinegar as is, without damaging their esophagus or stomach, it is said that this was because millet vinegar was made in a brown sugar jar (a jar used to store brown sugar syrup at home). Pure brown sugar syrup that had been attached to the jar for many years naturally made its way into the millet vinegar, making it a vinegar that is gentle on the stomach and intestines.
However, this 100% pure brown sugar syrup is almost impossible to obtain these days, so adding it later would be quite costly. That's why there are no other companies' brown sugar vinegar products on the market today that contain brown sugar.
Yes, this is a product that could only be made by Takeyakuhin, a company that makes syrup made from real, pure brown sugar.
That is the reason why I tout Takeyakuhin's Kakeroma Island millet vinegar as the real thing.
Genuine millet vinegar is healthy for the body
Most of the cane vinegars on the market today do not contain brown sugar, but Takeyakuhin's cane vinegar contains more than 20% 100% pure brown sugar syrup in the same exquisite proportions as in the past, so you can drink it as is and safely ingest it without damaging your esophagus.
The nutritional value and appeal of pure brown sugar
We've always thought that sugar is bad, but maybe we were just being influenced by information that came from the modern food situation, where refined foods are everywhere.
Because history proves it to be genuine.
Natural mineral balance
The good thing about pure brown sugar, and not just pure brown sugar, is that it contains a good balance of minerals in abundance, in accordance with the laws of nature. The interactions between these nutrients are also part of the goodness of nature.
People are moving away from green tea - the truth about synthetic vitamin C lurking in bottled tea
For example, I have written an article about vitamin C, as mentioned above. No matter how beneficial the ingredient may be for your health, consuming refined vitamin C disrupts the balance of nature and can be harmful to your body, rather than being good for your health.
Misconceptions about brown sugar and its real value
In modern times, the idea that "sugar = evil" has become widespread, and health-conscious people tend to limit their carbohydrate intake and avoid sweet things in general. However, Dr. Take asserted that "real sugar can have a wonderful effect on health if consumed in moderation."
He also said, "Too much of anything is bad. Working too much, eating too much, drinking too much, worrying too much, exercising too much - all of it is bad." I found this very convincing. Indeed, perhaps the long-lived people on the island all lived in moderation.
History has proven that brown sugar is good for you.
If brown sugar were bad for your body, would the islands of Amami Oshima and Okinawa have produced so many long-lived people? In fact, looking back at history, brown sugar has not been used in cooking, but has been eaten as something to just pick at when you're tired.
That's why we thought now was the perfect time to incorporate real brown sugar, a gift from nature itself, into your life, and so we have added it to our product lineup at Kokakko Shoten.
Takeyakuhin has been producing pure brown sugar for many years and has many fans locally. Normally, pure brown sugar would cost around 1,000 yen for 100g, but instead of pursuing profits, they stick to pricing that puts the health of their customers first. This attitude is also the reason why they are supported by many repeat customers.
Health Benefits of Octacosanol
I'll go into detail about this in my next post, but pure brown sugar contains a wide variety of ingredients, but the ingredient that modern people should pay particular attention to is "octacosanol," which is why brown sugar is getting a renewed attention. I'll write about it in detail in my next post, but I'll just make a note of the following health benefits:
- Stress reduction
- Improved sleep quality
- Improves lipid metabolism
- Improve athletic performance
Summary: Let's reexamine the true power of nature
What I learned on my business trip to Kagoshima was the true value of brown sugar and vinegar, and the depth of history and culture behind them. Learning how the foods we eat every day are made and what nutrients they contain will greatly change the way you think about food.
Next time, we'll take a more in-depth look at the health benefits of octacosanol, which is contained in brown sugar and which we mentioned earlier!
Join us as we reexamine the power of real food.
Comments