Okinawan Black Sugar Black Sesame Jam - 190g

Made only from the purest Okinawan black sugar and black sesame paste, all by hand and in small batches. 

Mr. Nakasone had a bite of his uncle's Okinawan Black Sugar when he was 32 years old, and this bite changed his life. He describes feeling a "shock" go through his body, and immediately decided to quit his job and dedicate the rest of his life to making this precious food. 

Mr. Nakasone makes black sugar in the traditional Okinawan way, and is one of only a select few craftsman remaining to do so.  As a result you will immediately notice the difference in its richness and mineral content. 

Everything is done by hand in small batches, including watching over the boiling of the sugar in a pot for 5 hours and constantly adjusting the flames by observing the size of the bubbles, and skimming off any impurities that may rise to the surface. After the boiling process, only a fifth of the liquid usually remains. 

While most black sugar makers use raw sugar that has been processed in factories as the base, Mr. Nakasone compresses sugar canes by hand to extract every drop, on the same day they are harvested. He also only uses the "first batch" that comes from the compression process, and does not put the sugar canes through multiple compression cycles as most of his competitors do. 

Okinawan black sugar has long been known to have amazing health benefits due to its high mineral content, especially compared to white sugar-- 550 times the amount of potassium, 240 times more calcium, 31 times more magnesium, 4.7 times more iron, etc. Studies have found that phenolic compounds and amino acids such as γ-aminobutyric acid in black sugar reduce stress. Also rich in Vitamin B1, B2, B6, it helps reduce fatigue and can help with menstrual cramps. 

When all is said and done, Mr. Nakasone prefers to say that his black sugar is "born," not "made"-- as he feels it is as precious as a new life.  

We hope you enjoy. 

Product of Japan.

190g

Ingredients: Black sugar, black sesame