Sugar ?????????

[Mehtab Singh]

Waheguroo Jee Ka Khalsa!

Waheguroo Jee Kee Fateh!!

Saadh sangat jee, I tried to find some info on the white refined beet sugar and the brown unrefined cane sugar. This is what I got. Please take some time to read it and let me know what you think. Thanks!

http://www.churchofgodproclaimed.org/churc...odpro/sugar.htm

Half of the white table sugar manufactured in the United States is cane sugar and the other half is beet sugar.

The primary distinction between cane sugar and beet sugar, other than being derived from different plants, is the processing method. Unlike beet sugar, cane sugar processing typically takes place at two locations, the sugar mill and the refinery. During the final purification process, cane sugar is filtered through activated carbon (charcoal) which may be of animal, vegetable, or mineral origin. This step is unnecessary for beet sugar and therefore is never done.

Over half of the cane refineries in the United States use bone char (charcoal made from animal bones) as their activated carbon source.

Consumers cannot discern any differences between beet sugar and cane sugar in taste, appearance, and use. Beet sugar is frequently not labeled as such -- the packaging may just list "sugar." Cane sugar is more often labeled specifically, but not always. For consumers wishing to differentiate, the issue has become convoluted. Many vegan

s prefer to avoid white table sugar altogether rather than chance using a product that was filtered through bone char.

Brown sugar consists of sugar crystals (cane sugar or beet sugar) combined with molasses for taste and color. Confectioner's sugar (also known as "powdered sugar") is white table sugar that has been pulverized into a very fine powder and sifted.

Refined sugar is avoided by some vegetarians because its processing may involve a bone char filter. An activated carbon filter, sometimes made of bone char, decolorises sugar to make it white through an absorption process. While the bone char filter is used by some major sugar companies, it is not used to produce all refined sugar.

The two major types of refined sugar produced in the United States are beet sugar and cane sugar. Cane sugar is mainly grown in Florida, California, Louisiana, Hawaii and Texas. Beet sugar is grown in states located in the middle part of the U.S. Much sugar cane is actually imported.

According to beet sugar producers, beet and cane sugar are nutritionally equivalent and one cannot usually taste any difference between them. They are both composed of sucrose. The production and sale of each type of sugar are approximately equal (1).

Beet sugar refineries never use a bone char filter in processing because this type of sugar does not require an extensive decolorising procedure. Beet sugar can be refined with a pressure lead filter and an ion exchange system. Beet sugar is popular in the Midwest because it is grown in this area. It is often labeled Granulated Sugar. Beet sugar is becoming more prevalent in the United States because the Federal government subsidises this industry.

Almost all cane sugar refineries require the use of a specific filter to decolorise the sugar and absorb inorganic material from it. This whitening process occurs towards the end of the sugar refining procedure. The filter may be either bone char, granulated carbon, or an ion exchange system

. The granular carbon has a wood or coal base, and the ion exchange does not require the use of any animal products (2).

Bones from cows are the only type used to make bone char. According to the Sugar Association and several large sugar producers, all of the cows have died of "natural causes" and do not come from the U.S. meat industry. Bone char cannot be produced or bought in the United States (3).

Bone char is derived from the bones of cattle from Afghanistan, Argentina, India and Pakistan. The sun-bleached bones are bought by Scottish, Brazilian, and Egyptian marketers, who sell them to the U.S. sugar industry after the bones are first used by the gelatin industry (4).

Bone is heated to an extremely high temperature, which results in a physical change in the bones composition. The bone becomes pure carbon before it is used in a refinery.

Refined sugar does not contain any bone particles and is therefore kosher certified. The bone char simply removes impurities from the sugar, but does not become a part of the sugar.

Individual pieces of bone char, like granular carbon, can be used for several years. They must be continuously washed to remove the sugar deposits. Companies that use bone char claim that the char is more economically feasible and efficient than other types of filters (4).

Many cane refineries use bone char. Domino, the largest sugar manufacturer, uses bone char in the filtration process. The cane refineries of Savannah Foods, the second largest sugar manufacturer, also use bone char. California and Hawaiian Sugar employs bone char filters in addition to granular carbon and ion exchange filters. All these companies use the bone char in the refining process of brown sugar, powdered sugar (sugar mixed with corn starch) and white sugar.

Some cane refineries do not use bone char. Refined Sugar, producers of Jack Frost Sugar, claim to use a granular carbon instead of bone char for economic reasons. Florida Crystal sugar is a cane su

gar which has not passed through the bone. Although Florida Crystals sugar has a straw color, the impurities still have been removed.

Some labels on sugar packages seem to indicate that the product is raw sugar, but all commercial sugar has undergone some refining. Genuine raw sugar cannot be bought and sold to the general consumer in the United States according to FDA regulations, as it is considered unfit for human consumption.

Turbinado sugar is a product which is made by separating raw cane sugar crystals in a centrifuge and washing them with steam. According to Domino Sugar, turbinado sugar does not pass through a bone char filter because its brown color is desirable.

Refining sugar involves a series of steps, including clarification and an initial step where sugar syrup is added. The clarifying agents are calcium hydroxide, phosphoric acid, and polyacrylomite. The sugar used in the initial syrup is an intermediate, raw sugar which has not yet gone through the bone char filter.

If your sole reason for not consuming refined sugar is because of the use of bone char, then you should consider buying sugar which has not passed through the char. Refined beet sugar, which never involves bone char, is often labeled fine granular sugar. C & H produces one sugar which has not gone through the bone char. It is labeled Washed Raw Sugar. Cane sugar, which sometimes uses bone char, is distinguished as cane sugar on the package.

Molasses

One of the by-products of sugar refining is molasses. Molasses that is consumed by humans is derived only from cane sugar. Some molasses is produced by directly boiling the sugar cane.

Many different grades of molasses correspond with the flavor and level of processing of molasses. Blackstrap molasses is the lowest grade of molasses available because of its dark bitter qualities. All the molasses in graded foods is unsulphured ( 6).

Beet sugar molasses is not fit for human consumption because it is too bitter. Bee

t sugar molasses is fed to dairy cows and cattle. The syrup is added to their food to make it taste sweeter. The beet molasses is also sold to yeast-making industries (1).

The molasses syrup which is consumed by humans has not gone through any bone char or carbon filter. About 95% of the molasses is removed before the sugar travels through the bone char or carbon filter. Any molasses which has gone through the char is used in animal feed or for fermentation purposes. Molasses companies often buy their initial product from sugar refineries and then further refine the syrup. They do not use any type of char filter because they do not desire to eliminate the brown color (5).

Brown sugar is basically refined sugar with added molasses. The brown sugar produced by the beet industry uses cane molasses, but this molasses has not gone through the bone char. Cane sugar companies which use bone char will utilize bone char to refine brown sugar ( 6).

Maple syrup

Maple syrup is another sweetener which may sometimes be a concern to vegans. The process of making maple syrup requires an agent to reduce the foam on the syrup by adding a small amount of fat to the liquid.

The traditional process of reducing the foam in maple syrup has included the use of lard. Previously, local producers would hang pork fat over a tub of maple syrup and let drops of fat drip into the syrup. Others used milk, cream or butter. If animal products are used in the form of lard or milk, the amount is minute. For example, eight to ten gallons of syrup will involve a quarter of a teaspoon of cream or a pea-sized drop of butter.

Vegetable oil is a common defoaming agent. It can be applied to the end of a wooden stick and dipped into the foaming part of the maple syrup. Most manufacturers of maple syrup now use vegetable oil or synthetic defoamers instead of lard.

One commercial defoamer (called Atmos300K) is composed of monoglycerides and diglycerides. According to WITCO, the producer of this defoamer, the

se glycerides are derived from "edible meat and/or vegetable sources." Another leading brand of defoamer, Reynolds Magic Syrup Defoamer, also contains acetylated monoglycerides as an ingredient (7).

Well known brands of pancake maple syrups, such as Mrs. Butterworths or Log Cabin, usually contain only 2-5% maple syrup. Corn syrup is the main ingredient of most pancake syrups. Pure maple syrup will have a grade label and state "100% Pure Maple Syrup." (8)

It may be difficult to determine whether a particular brand of syrup has an animal or vegetable based defoamer. Most syrups do not use lard, with the exception of certain small-scale products. Brands which are kosher certified, such as Spring Tree or Maple Groves, are unlikely to contain animal products in their defoamers. Holsum Foods, which produces pancake syrup, also uses vegetable oil as a defoaming agent, and their product is labeled by food chains such as Dominick's, Supervalue and Superfine.

Caramel color

Caramel color is not a flavor; it is a food coloring agent. Caramel color is used in almost any product that is brown. The top two consumers of the color are Coca Cola and Pepsi. It is also used in rye and pumpernickel bread, cereal, iced tea, syrup, dog food and pancake mixes.

Caramel color is based on a carbohydrate raw material. Most producers of caramel color prefer to use glucose syruvp as the initial carbohydrate. Glucose syrup is almost pure dextrose. While U.S. glucose syrup is usually corn syrup, it can also be derived from potatoes, wheat or other sources.

Caramel color has no animal-derived components. Although lactose (a milk sugar) is one of the permitted raw carbohydrate reactants, we are told by Sethness, the world's largest caramel color company, that lactose is not used by any caramel color producer in the world. Almost all industries begin the process with glucose syrup. Caramel color is exempt from government certification, which means that it is an approved food ingredie

nt that can be added to foods without obtaining government permission.

The initial carbohydrate reacts with chemicals such as food-grade acids, alkalies and salts. It is then heated to a high temperature, put under high pressure, and then processed to burn. The resulting product is a burnt-colored liquid which has a high level of coloring power. For example, according to a caramel color technician, ¼ teaspoon of caramel color would be used in a bottle of Pepsi.

Refined beet or cane sugar can be used to make caramel color, but it is not the preferred method. The only time sugar would be used is Passover, when Jewish laws do not permit the use of corn syrup. Products containing caramel color derived from refined sugar would be labeled as such

I have been using brown cane sugar of Great Value for like 2 n half months now because I was told that the white one is passed through animal bone charcoal. However, many Singhs I came across don't make a big deal out of it, so I guess I am gonna try to take it easy as well. At the same time, I wanna know the sangat's input on this matter as I don't understand any major difference between the white beet sugar and the brown cane sugar. What do you say ?

Thanks a lot for reading!

Waheguroo Jee Ka Khalsa!

Waheguroo Jee Kee Fateh!!

[moorakh mugadh]

vwihgurU jI kw Kwlsw!

vwihgurU jI kI &iqh!!

yes mehab paaji its true ki animal bones are used in sugar, par malko we cant go sooo far,jeena mushkil ho jaega,in medicine gealtine they add edha matlap kal to medcine band enna far it will be very aukhaa paaji to live in this world.those who r veggie try to be veggie as much as poosible as it comes to "real meat eating" baki medicine,sugar jo har roz de vartne de cheez aa we must ignore it bade zarrori he bhul chuk kheema. nice post mehtab sehan

[Mehtab Singh]

thanks veerjee :lol:

[Son of Guru Gobind Singh Ji]

vaaheguru ji ka khalsa vaaheguru ji ki fateh

THanks for sharing ur views bhai sahib but I kind of not agree with your approach. There is a big difference when it comes to using medicine or eating store made food for the sake of your tongue. Here we can easily buy sugar which is not refined and which is not bleeched. So why not make your own food? If you can have a control over something then I think it would be good that you try to.

and mehtab singh, you dont' follow Singhs, you are supposed to follow Guru Sahib. Individually any single Singh or Kaur cannot drirrh rehitmaryada to any other Singh or Kaur so don't be like since other Singhs don't care much about it, I'm not going to worry either. If you know something is wrong you should try to avoid it as much as possible because your rehit is yours and someone elses rehit is theirs. and since u get it from Guru Sahib it's YOUR responsibility that you be strong about following it.

However, many Singhs I came across don't make a big deal out of it, so I guess I am gonna try to take it easy as well.

always easy to take the easy approach isn't it :lol:

vaaheguru ji ka khalsa vaaheguru ji ki fateh

[Guest vikramkhalsa]

i guess we shud just stick with daal and roti :lol: the majority of store bought food items have something in them...

[Mehtab Singh]

vaaheguru ji ka khalsa vaaheguru ji ki fateh

THanks for sharing ur views bhai sahib but I kind of not agree with your approach. There is a big difference when it comes to using medicine or eating store made food for the sake of your tongue. Here we can easily buy sugar which is not refined and which is not bleeched. So why not make your own food? If you can have a control over something then I think it would be good that you try to.

and mehtab singh, you dont' follow Singhs, you are supposed to follow Guru Sahib. Individually any single Singh or Kaur cannot drirrh rehitmaryada to any other Singh or Kaur so don't be like since other Singhs don't care much about it, I'm not going to worry either. If you know something is wrong you should try to avoid it as much as possible because your rehit is yours and someone elses rehit is theirs. and since u get it from Guru Sahib it's YOUR responsibility that you be strong about following it.

However, many Singhs I came across don't make a big deal out of it, so I guess I am gonna try to take it easy as well.

always easy to take the easy approach isn't it

-emo& :lol: -->

vaaheguru ji ka khalsa vaaheguru ji ki fateh

hmmm...yeah I guess you are probably right

[S1ngh]

this is one funny post

most of us don't even wake up proper amrit vela and yet we wanna follow more hard steps... First one need to be spiritual fit than go for other stuff *ONLY if you feel the thurst from within to follow it*

[Gurpreet Singh]

Waheguroo Jee Ka Khalsa!

Waheguroo Jee Kee Fateh!!

I think its in us to stop anything we want.....if we find out information on sugar using bone char as their activated carbon source we should try to use the alternative of the sugar not having bone char......i mean meat is meat.....bones is bones....eggs are eggs... and animal rennet is animal rennet.......however where as amritvela and waking up is concern...i dunno if it relates but i remember that phrase 'we are what we eat' and i've read some books that tell says what we eat have an impact on the way we think.....we should just stick to gur.....i like that better :lol: ..anyways just my thoughts....didn't mean to offend anyone...

Waheguroo Jee Ka Khalsa!

Waheguroo Jee Kee Fateh!!

[Son of Guru Gobind Singh Ji]

S1ngh Sahib ji.. obviously amrit vela is much more important but what we are discussing here is slightly different as Gupreet Singh already pointed out. If you can correct something where you are wrong then you should really go and work on it. This is not Maths where two minus makes it positive or correct. Rest is totally upto the individual. If you believe you need to start practising amrit vela first before getting more into rehit maryada then be like that. I'm much lower in avastha so I can't suggest anything to anyone.

[ms514]

Sat Sri Akal:

Methab Singh Ji, since you posted it, it is obviously an issue that concerns you. Well, the article suggests an option, and that is unbleached sugar, brown sugar (no...not the drug...get your minds out of the streets!!! ). Obviously, it would not have been subjected to this procedure. Either that or you can start growing your own cane (yummm...sugar cane...memories) or importing massive quantities of gurh.

These topics are very tough to address. The best a person can do is in such doubts, do Ardaas, do what they believe is right and Guru Sahib will correct them.

Why such a tough issue? Well, if you think about it, the soil in which we get our plants from are also the skin, bones and blood of animals from the past. Now obviously, one could say that "Well, we do did not kill animals to take their bones to refine sugar". Of course, it is entirely possible that that same soil that a farm is on now might have been a cattle ranch/slaughterhouse.