If you have been around horses, or know someone who has, you might have heard of sugardine. It’s a popular antiseptic often used on horses. But, more and more people are also using on on themselves now as well.
Sugardine is a natural antiseptic that utilizes the antibacterial properties of iodine and pure sugar, which works to help in both preventing and treating infections. And, in addition to being a great natural treatment, it’s also very easy and inexpensive to make. Two ingredients…that’s all it takes. This, along with its practicality, makes it a popular choice among preppers.
Tradition has shown sugardine to work well on horses for ailments such as thrush, laminitis, abscesses, and various other wounds. When used on both horse and human, it has been efficient in drawing out the infection, as well as improving drainage. And it also has been linked to promoting growth of healthy tissue.
The Ingredients and Their Significance
The ingredients are simple and inexpensive:
- Table Sugar
- 10% Povidone Iodine
The use of sugar in a highly-concentrated form, hinders the growth of bacteria, as it sucks out the damaging moisture out of the wound. Moisture promotes bacteria. So, when it’s not present, the bacteria will die off.
And, the reason for using iodine goes beyond a simple additive to create a paste-like texture to adhere to the wound better than straight sugar. It also provides a line of defense.
Related: How To Make Your Own Herbal Tincture
How to Make It
It is best to begin the process with the amount of sugar similar to the amount of finished product you want in the end. Adding the iodine will not add volume or mass. So, if you are looking for 1 cup of sugardine, start with 1 cup of sugar. Then add the iodine slowly, until you get to the consistency similar to a thick peanut butter-like texture. If you start with the iodine first, you will most likely end up using far more sugar than you intended.
Just a word of caution, you may want to wear gloves when making this, as it could stain your skin.
Follow these simple steps to make the sugardine:
#1. Add sugar first
#2. Slowly add iodine (about half the amount of sugar)
#3. Mix well (this is too thin)
#4. Add more sugar to thicken
#5. Good consistency, similar to thick peanut butter
Once you have the desired amount and correct consistency place it in an airtight container with a lid.
Stir the mixture before using, if it has sat a while. But, it will not go bad.
How to Use It
Place the mixture on the wound and cover it with a bandage. If there is a lot of drainage and you see leakage, replace the sugardine on a regular basis. The goal is to dry the wound out, so replacing wet bandages is important.
In fact, by leaving a saturated bandage on the wound, the sugardine could do the opposite of its intent, by encouraging bacteria growth.
You may also like:
All-Natural, Home Remedies for High Blood Pressure
DIY Back-Up Generator (Video)
How to Make the Most Powerful Natural Antibiotic
I wonder the long-term health benefits vs negative effects on humans.
Check out this article by a medical doctor who has used a sugar and oil mixture on 7000 human patients. https://www.peoplespharmacy.com/2013/03/03/sugar-for-wound-care/
Thank you!! Claude you help me each day I open the emails. My husband thinks im cracked, but when shtf he will thank me. Made the Comphrey salve last year it works so well. Bless you and be well.
I wonder if adding herbs to the sugar is a possibility?
KISS is better. If it ain’t broken, don’t ‘fix’ it.
If you know herbs, separately make tisanes for immediate ingestion/applications, and tinctures to store. Some herbs, such as lily and other roots, are ordinarily poisons. See the drink given Socrates (So’krates.)
Would honey be better then sugar?? Honey has natural healing properties to start with .
Honey works for wound care but the best is real manuca (Sp?) honey. It has far more healing properties.
Raw honey is wonderful for wounds too.
This is the most important info that will ever appear on this site. I am completely skeptical of everything but this treatment is easy to research, there is a tremendous amount of material from Farriers, a trade that has used this treatment for generations on horses with great effectiveness. Many accounts in folk medicine old and new, surprisingly modern clinical studies also show it very effective. Lack of access to antibiotic drugs is going to be a disaster after TEOTWAWKI, but sugar+p.i. is even effective against drug resistant bacteria. The limitation is shelf life of p.i. unopened is 2 years, 28 days once opened. It can be purchased in single use packets so as not to waste a whole bottle on one treatment, put together a bunch of these packets and a pound of sugar with sterile dressings and you’ll have an excellent wound treatment kit.
Sugar is also effective w/o the p.i. which really surprises me. Sweet article!
This method of using sugar to tread wounds was first written about in the medical literature of ancient Egypt. Practically any medium can be used to moisten and carry the sugar. The Egyptians used lard.
I used this in my medical practice many times, with great success, and without failure, to treat the nastiest infected wounds. I highly recommend it.
Sugar not powdered sugar.
I have used powdered cane sugar for years. I use cane sugar because, as far as I have been able to tell, is not GMO. Powdered sugar mixes well and is easier to use it used alone. It works for me alone or with iodine, lugol’s, coconut oil, olive oil, etc. Sugar is the key. Just try it.
Pour iodine into a bowl and add a 2×2 or 4×4 bandage to soak up the iodine. In a second bowl add a cup of white sugar.
Take bandage out with the iodine and place in the sugar covering one side and place in the sore. This may require several bandage’s. Leaving bandage’s in place wrap the whole area with a clean dry wrap. Change every 12 hrs with fresh bandage’s.
I had an open sore on my leg that had taken over a year to heal. After hearing about this I tried it. Within 3 weeks it was healed with no scar.
Can Sugardine be used if you are diabetic? If not what can you use in place of the sugar since sugar is the key ingredient?
It is ok to use sugardine if you are diabetic – that is, the sugar isn’t metabolized outside of the digestive tract.
Good article. Sugar and iodine are relatively cheap, and worthy of inclusion in most kits.
Iodine can also be used to purify water – though contraindicated for pregnant women.
I learned of using sugar as an antiseptic from a doctor in North Carolina. He’d been using it for over 30 years. In his recipe, which is the one I use, powdered sugar is made into a paste with olive oil Any cooking oil will work, but olive oil seems to be especially good. Place the paste over the wound and cover with a bandage or wrap. Replace periodically, as necessary. Also good for burns. It removes the sting and heals with rarely a scar.