| In order to understand what aguapanela is, we must | | | | drank very cold. It is also drank by people who do |
| know a little about the panela. Panela is considered | | | | sports, as it hydrates, refreshes and also adds calories |
| nourishment, it is basically sacarose and also contains | | | | for their sport practices. |
| glucose, proteins and minerals such as calcium and iron | | | | Among the poor people, it is a highly nourishing drink |
| and vitamins. | | | | that can be used at tea time, such as for breakfast |
| Since colonial days panela's importance has been | | | | whether with milk or not, since it can also be dissolved |
| growing. It started to be made in the northern South | | | | in the milk and thus a great breakfast can be made |
| American countries when the sugar cane industry | | | | with it. It's a great ingredient in the Colombian cuisine. |
| started. And since then many uses for this ingredient | | | | Even though it is mostly used by people who live in the |
| have been found. | | | | countryside, and up to this day they count with the |
| Panela is the sugar cane juice, cooked at very high | | | | aguapanela to feed their children, it is one of the most |
| temperatures, making thus very thick molasses that is | | | | popular drinks in all social classes in Colombia, and is |
| put to dry out until it gets to be solid. Once solid, it is cut | | | | drank at all times, in such a way that you can always |
| into squares, In some cases, it is scraped and the new | | | | find a teapot full of aguapanela in almost all houses. |
| product is called raspadura or rapadura, and that new | | | | Many other countries enjoy it too, and also with |
| product is used mostly in different desserts or other | | | | different additions, they get different drinks. Either |
| dishes. | | | | oranges can be added, or different fruits. And one of |
| In Colombia (and also in Venezuela and Ecuador) the | | | | the most exquisite ways to use it is by using it to |
| panelas are used in the preparation of a special drink, | | | | dissolve chocolate balls and prepare the Santaferenian |
| the aguapanela. Colombians are especially devout to it, | | | | Chocolate. Another use of the aguapanela is making |
| and it is often present in their breakfast, or at any | | | | coffee with hot aguapanela. So we can say that there |
| other meal. It is used to recover from bad colds adding | | | | are hundreds of ways of using, drinking, and enjoying |
| lemon juice, in winter it is drank warm, in summer it is | | | | the delicious Aguapanela. |