Why Indigenous Panela Sugar Is So Expensive | So Expensive | Business Insider

Panela is beloved in Colombia, where it is a go-to sweetener over the more processed white sugar. It is a type of unrefined sugar where the molasses naturally present in the sugarcane are preserved, unlike refined white sugar.

The molasses gives the panela a more complex caramel flavor and makes it richer in minerals and vitamins. But this sweet nectar doesn't come cheap. In Colombia, depending on where it is made, panela can cost up to 17,000 pesos per kilogram. In the US, it can cost 20 times more than white sugar. So, how is wild panela made? And is this what makes it so expensive?

00:00 - Intro
1:09 - Sugar Mill
02:31 - Boiling Sugarcane Juice
05:28 - Harvesting White Sugarcane
08:39 - How Wild Panela Is Sold
11:04 - Competition With Farmed Sugarcane Panela

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Why Indigenous Panela Sugar Is So Expensive | So Expensive | Business Insider

[fernandoschuindt]

Here in Brazil we call that "rapadura" and it's not expensive at all. Also, I felt this is trying to pass an image of sugar cane being something traditional within the native people, which is not true. Sugar cane was introduced in the Americas by the Portuguese, and they in fact tried to and enslaved the Native Americans to produce it. That's how sugar cane meets the natives. This plant was brought from Africa and parts of Asia.

[anishdeshpande]

We eat locally made Gur/jaggery/panela almost everyday in India, we love it

[ivanpineda]

I met the indigenous community as a child. Their traditions are everything to them. Maybe panela is cheaper in other regions in Colombia and the world, but this community depends on their crops since often they do not venture to leave the mountain or region.

[jucaes]

I didn't know panela is so expensive in the US! I consume it almost every day here in Bogotá (the capital city of Colombia). There's a traditional beverage that we Colombians prepare for breakfast or "onces" called Aguapanela (literally water + panela), which then is drinked with fresh cheese inside. And after coffee (1st) and hot chocolate (2nd), sure it's the most consumed beverage in the country. Thanks for sharing our food and our indigenous people and their culture <3

[IonOtter]

I love that he's carrying the Poporo and Pallilo everywhere while he's speaking. (The gourd is for holding lime powder. The stick is dipped in the powder and applied to the coca leaves he's chewing, to release the active ingredients.)

[anoeticangel]

I love this series. I love seeing things that are expensive because of the skills and time and care that go into them as opposed to being expensive because of a label. The way this series let's me peer into the lives and experiences of people so far away from me, passionately keeping techniques alive, it reminds me that we are all connected and have so much to learn from each other if we only take the time to listen. ❤

[jaajames]

In Thailand, we also have unrefinded sugar made from sugar cane juices called Nam Tan Oi น้ำตาลอ้อย, so its pretty much same as "Panela". It only costs like 2.5 USD per kg.

[vivachibchombia]

I'm colombian and a 1 kg panela block costs 3k COP, that's like 0.60 USD. But it doesn't make it less valuable and nutritious ❤❤

[nath]

As a colombian citizien, i feel so proud that our food is being known all around the world.
Thank you insider for taking interest in such an important part of our gastronomy.
Everyone is welcome to come to our country and drink "aguapanela".

[AvadaPedrada]

Here in Brasil we call it rapadura, it's usually sold in rock hard bricks and also in powder as brown sugar called mascavo sugar. It sits nice with coffee and baked goods.

[redfailhawk]

Love how all the comments are from people talking about this product in their native cultures, including names, farming practices, and uses. It's incredible!

[TardigradeSurviverofapocalypse]

It's called bella(ಬೆಲ್ಲ) in the province of Karnataka in indian subcontinent...we use sugar syrup and row sugar as well. During boiling process we do add stems of banana plant later we eat that stem with syrupy sugar...

[luiszavala]

In México is called piloncillo and is very cheap, 1 kg for about 4-5 us dollars, there are sweet bread made with this "conchas de piloncillo" and are very good with a glass of cold milk, like 0.50 USD a piece with a lot of calories but with fiber (about 300-400 kcal). They are made of sugarcane.

[saraalvarezpeniche]

Here in Colombia panela is very important almost everyone consumes it, from rich to poor, of course the quality varies depending on the price, but panela is not only healthy but also is medicinal it helps to heal soar throats and helps the process of scaring in wounds, thats why we drink it when we have colds or need to recover energy in very high and cold places because it really helps, and of course panela is not as fattening as white sugar, and last but not least it tastes delicious, white sugar can not even compare, those who have tried the aguapanela that is only water and panela, can attest that is much better that water with white sugar.

[himshaky]

Doesn't seem very rare, going by the comments. Every sugarcane growing part in the world seems to make something similar. Its jaggery in India and is slightly costlier (1.5 times) than white crystal sugar.

[neilnicco]

That sweet little girl petting the cute mule who was enjoying it was my favorite part. My heart goes out to the mules who work so hard for their human families.

[thefinalusa]

I wish you (the reader of this) a very successful and happy life full of love, joy, wealth and health. ❣

[makellbird]

I am a white man from the USA who is currently living in Bello Antioquia Colombia, about 20 mins north of Medellin… I use panela every day for my coffee. They also make a drink here that actually has seceral different names, but it's all the same thing… it's panela mixed with lime juice, and it's called aguapanela, guarapo, panelada, rapadura, piloncillo, and papelón (in Venezuela and Santiago de Chile)

[bharat_thapa_]

*We make it here (Nepal) as well. It's called Guud*
*It's not that expensive here (< 1$ per kg).*
*funny thing is we use manual machine to extract sugar cane juice (need humans to run the machine) and it's very fun to do so and stay there for whole process (cutting canes, carrying them to extract juice, watch it cook, then finally watch your grand pa make the jaggery)*

*I really love it*

[paolabay]

When I am in the Sierra with the Arhuaco community they always offer me their coffee with panela. It's divine!! I never put sugar in my coffee. The Sierra is paradise