FACT CHECK: Can gulping sugarcane juice in one go cause diseases?

CLAIM: An Instagram reel claims that drinking sugarcane juice slowly acts like medicine, while gulping it or water in a hurried manner can cause diseases.

FACT: False. There is no scientific evidence that drinking sugarcane juice slowly makes it act like medicine, or that gulping it causes diseases. The speed of consuming sugarcane juice or water does not determine disease risk or alter its nutritional value.

An Instagram reel uploaded by the account chatterbitespodcast_3.0, which has over 50,000 followers, claims that drinking sugarcane juice in the wrong way can be harmful.

The reel recommends that sugarcane juice must be drunk as slowly as possible. "As slowly as sucking a medicine," it says. "If the juice is drunk in a gurgling manner, then it will cause diseases."

It also cautions against drinking water quickly.

The reel has over 5,500 likes and over 300 shares.

What do the studies say?

A study titled "Positive Aspects of Cane Sugar and Sugar Cane Derived Products in Food and Nutrition," published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, highlights that much of the public discourse around sugar has been misleading.

There is "considerable misinformation about sugar in the public domain," the study notes, adding that most consumers are unaware of sugar's essential role in bodily functions, its uses beyond sweetening, and the micronutrients present in many sugar products.

The study argues that while sugar has often been blamed for obesity and metabolic disorders, overconsumption and sedentary lifestyles are more significant contributors to these health issues. It also notes that in many parts of the world, sugarcane is a primary dietary source of carbohydrates, making it a staple food rather than a health threat when consumed responsibly.

Another study published in Comprehensive Reviews in Food Science and Food Safety in 2024 highlights the rich nutritional composition of sugarcane beyond its sugar content.

The study points out that sugarcane is rich in polyphenols, particularly flavonoids and phenolic acids. Polyphenols are naturally occurring micronutrients found in plants. And flavonoids are the plant chemicals responsible for the vibrant colours of plants.

"The presence of multiple polyphenols with potential benefits for industrial applications and for health suggests sugarcane could be a useful provider of valuable compounds for future use in research and industrial processes," the study states.

It evaluates the polyphenolic profiles of individual parts of the sugarcane plant and its industrial products, finding that the main flavonoids — derivatives of apigenin, luteolin, and tricin — are consistently found across all phases of sugarcane processing. 

The study concludes that while sugarcane has long been viewed primarily as a source of sugar, its polyphenol content pointsd to a far broader potential for health and industry.

Do the doctors agree?

Dr. Anupama N K, Senior Consultant in Medical Gastroenterology at Aster CMI Hospital, Bangalore, agrees that there is no scientific basis for the claims made in the reel.

“There is no good scientific evidence that drinking sugarcane juice slowly acts like a medicine or that drinking it quickly causes diseases," she says, adding that sugarcane juice is digested the same way regardless of the speed at which it is consumed.

She, however, notes that temporary bloating or a rapid rise in blood sugar may occur if sugarcane juice is consumed very quickly, but stresses that these are not diseases.

"There is no scientific basis for the claim that sugarcane juice acts like a medicine only when consumed slowly," she points out. “Sugarcane juice contains water, natural sugars, small amounts of minerals, and antioxidants, and its nutritional value does not change based on the speed at which it is consumed.”

Dr. Anupama explains that drinking sugarcane juice slowly may help some people savour its taste, feel fuller, or avoid minor stomach discomfort, but it does not transform the juice into a medicine.

Addressing the broader claim that drinking liquids rapidly can be harmful, she says that consuming water too quickly may sometimes cause temporary bloating, stomach discomfort, hiccups, or increased swallowing of air. However, she emphasises that these effects are usually mild and short-lived.

This story is done in collaboration with First Check, which is the health journalism vertical of DataLEADS.