Health beneficial effects of sugarcane have been attributed to antioxidant components present in the plant material, phenolic compounds having been identified mainly in the raw juice, culms and leaves. However, the presence of specific natural phenolic constituents in non-refined cane sugars and their potential impact on the diet as an alternative to refined sugar have not been completely evaluated. Phenolic constituents of six commercially available sugarcane derivatives (granulated jaggery, muscovado sugar, light and regular jaggery blocks, cane honey and brown sugar) were identified and quantified, in addition to their physicochemical, antioxidant and antimicrobial properties against cariogenic bacteria. Physicochemical and antioxidant properties of raw sugars were highly related to degree of refining of each product. Specific hydroxycinnamic acids (chlorogenic, caffeic, coumaric, ferulic) and flavones (apigenin, tricin, luteolin) were identified and quantified in sugarcane products. Tricin and apigenin were the most abundant phenolics in raw sugars, both considered important bioactive constituents of foods which postulate as nutraceuticals, antiproliferative and chemopreventive agents. Some derivatives and their extracts also exhibited antibacterial properties against Streptococcus mutans and Streptococcus sobrinus. Bioactive compounds identified in raw sugars make sugarcane natural sweeteners a healthier alternative to white sugar, to be used at home and industry. Granulated jaggeries postulate as the best substitutive due to their nutritional benefits and physicochemical attributes.

中文翻译：

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甘蔗糖衍生物具有抗氧化和抗菌特性的酚类特征

甘蔗对健康有益的作用归因于植物材料中存在的抗氧化剂成分，主要在原汁，茎和叶中发现了酚类化合物。然而，尚未完全评估未精制蔗糖中特定天然酚类成分的存在及其作为替代精制糖对饮食的潜在影响。除了对生龋菌的理化，抗氧化和抗菌性能外，还鉴定和定量了六种市售甘蔗衍生物（粒状粗糖，粘多糖，轻质和常规粗糖块，甘蔗蜂蜜和红糖）的酚类成分。原糖的理化和抗氧化特性与每种产品的精制程度高度相关。在甘蔗产品中鉴定并定量了特定的羟基肉桂酸（绿原酸，咖啡酸，香豆酸，阿魏酸）和黄酮（芹菜素，曲霉素，木犀草素）。Tricin和芹菜素是原糖中含量最丰富的酚类物质，两者均被认为是食品的重要生物活性成分，被假定为保健食品，抗增殖剂和化学预防剂。一些衍生物及其提取物还对变形链球菌和sobrinus链球菌。原糖中鉴定出的生物活性化合物使甘蔗天然甜味剂成为白糖的更健康替代品，可在家庭和工业中使用。由于其营养价值和理化特性，粒状粗面粉被认为是最好的替代品。