Panela

High school (ages 12+)
Food & Cooking

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/panela

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the composition?Primarily sucrose, with retained molasses, minerals, and trace organic compounds
2. What is the geographic prevalence?Widely produced and consumed throughout Latin America
3. What is panela and how is it made?Panela is a sweet block made from sugarcane juice that is boiled to evaporate water. The juice thickens, then cools and the sugars crystallize into a solid shape.
4. Why is panela different from regular white sugar?Panela is unrefined, so it keeps natural minerals and molasses. This gives it a richer, caramel‑like taste compared to plain white sugar.

Non-centrifugal cane sugar: Sugar produced without mechanical separation of molasses, preserving more natural components.
Hygroscopic: Tending to absorb moisture from the air, a characteristic of unrefined sugars like Panela.
Sucrose: The primary chemical compound in sugar, a disaccharide composed of glucose and fructose.