Cane juice – the raw juice extracted directly from sugar cane – is a natural and healthy drink that’s both energising and refreshing,  says local cane grower and cane juice producer, Aner Yeffet.

“The juice itself has all the complex Vitamin B’s, it’s high in iron, contains trace elements and has an alkaline PH.”

It’s also surprisingly low in sugar: “ It has a high level of sweetness, but it’s actually low on sugar – roughly one teaspoon and a half per litre,” Aner said.

The sugar contained in cane juice is also the raw, unprocessed version – vastly different to your standard refined white table sugar, which loses any trace of nutritional goodness thanks to the high levels of processing it endures.

Aner, who sells his homegrown freshly crushed cane juice at the Mullumbimby Farmers Market on Friday mornings, says the low GI of cane juice makes is particularly popular among sportspeople: “I have a lot of bike riders who come and buy it, I have runners –  a lot of very sporty clients. Sugar cane has slow release energy. It won’t give you a blood spike, it won’t give you a sugar spike, it’ll give you lasting energy for the day.”

Aner says cane juice on its own has plenty of natural sweetness, but a neutral taste, which is why he offers optional flavourings like lime, ginger, passionfruit and mint. “Anything to put the flavour into it, to break the sweetness and put some extra health and goodness into it,” he said.

He also uses the cane juice as a base – blending it with market fresh greens like bok choy, kale, parsley and organic sprouts to create healthy and energising green smoothies.

Upping the health factor even further, Aner recently gave customers the option of adding a shot of freshly pressed turmeric juice to their cane juice.

He says turmeric is the best anti-inflammatory known to man, and turmeric juice gives you a concentrated dose. “You’d have to eat a lot of turmeric to get the equivalent. In a shot, you’re getting a health bomb. “

Find Byron Bay Cane Juice at the Mullumbimby Farmers Market every Friday.