Rum is an alcoholic beverage made from sugarcane. The byproducts produced from processing sugarcane, like molasses, is fermented and distilled then aged in oak barrels. Rum is produced all around the world but is commonly found in the Caribbean where during colonial times, humans were enslaved and forced to work on the sugarcane plantations to produce rum and other sugarcane products under brutal conditions. These slave plantations produced rum for Europe and the Americas throughout the 16th and 17th century. Rum fueled wars, rebellions, political unrest, and torture of human lives throughout the Americas, West Indies, Latin America and Africa.

Today, rum continues to be produced all over the world. Rum from the Caribbean continues to be some of the best produced rum in the world, blending traditional techniques with new technologies. Some favorite rum is being produced on large sugarcane estates like the Appleton Estates in Jamaica.

There are many different types of rum produced. Rum can be produced to be sweet, spiced, flavored, dark, light, golden or clear. Rum often has different levels of alcohol content depending on the stage in the production of rum when it was bottled. White rum or clear rum is often a stronger alcohol and more acute flavor that is used in mixed drinks or cocktails. White rum is typically a stronger rum and white/ clear because it did not continue down the process to be aged in barrels.

Rum is often enjoyed in cocktails. Darker rum is typically consumed on ice or by itself. Rum is also a popular flavor for cooking rum cake or in addition to other desserts like ice cream.

Health Benefits of Rum

The Mayo Clinic finds that moderate alcohol consumption may provide some health benefits, such as:

• Reduce your risk of developing and dying from heart disease
• Possibly reduce your risk of ischemic stroke (when the arteries to your brain become narrowed or blocked, causing severely reduced blood flow)
• Possibly reduce your risk of diabetes.

However, hard alcohol provides little nutritive value. For some people, alcohol can actually impair the absorption of some nutrients. But a rum drink may help to stimulate the appetite and make mealtimes for enjoyable for older adults.

Nutritional Value of Rum

• 1oz of 80 proof Rum
• Calories: 64
• Fat: 0g
• Carbohydrates: 0g
• Fiber: 0g
• Protein: 0g

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