Jugo de caña de azúcar (Saccharum officinarum):

Abstract

Sugarcane juice (Saccharum officinarum) has traditionally been consumed as a natural energy drink in tropical regions of Latin America, Asia, and Africa. Due to its content of fermentable sugars—primarily sucrose, glucose, and fructose—as well as minerals and bioactive compounds, it serves as a matrix with potential for use in biotechnological processes aimed at producing functional ingredients and value-added compounds. This article reviews the current scientific evidence on the health benefits of sugarcane juice, its chemical composition, and biological properties. It also analyzes its applications in biotechnological processes for the production of beverages with functional potential and the biosynthesis of value-added compounds. Finally, limitations related to its stability, sugar content, and microbiological safety are discussed, along with future prospects for its industrial use. The evidence suggests that sugarcane juice has high functional and technological potential, although robust clinical studies are needed to validate its effects in humans.