Hey there viewers! Jaggery is a sweetener that’s quite popular across Southeast Asia and Africa.
It’s a type of sugar that is not heavily refined, so it still contains a significant
amount of molasses. It’s actually made from unrefined sugar, and is obtained by boiling raw,
concentrated sugar cane juice till it solidifies. Although it can also be made from the sap
of coconut and date palm, the one made from sugarcane is the one that's used most widely.
It’s often touted as being healthier than other forms of sugar and that is true.
Not only is it better than white sugar--which only adds empty calories to your body--it
also has a number of health benefits. And in today’s video, we will tell you
what they are. From lowering blood pressure, preventing constipation, boosting immunity,
treating coughs to relieving joint pain and more, watch till the end to learn about all of them.
Prevents constipation: Constipation is a condition in which there is difficulty in emptying the
bowels. Jaggery activates digestive enzymes in your body which stimulate bowel movements.
This helps prevent and relieve constipation. It also acts as a diuretic which further helps. A
small piece of jaggery after lunch can kick-start digestion, which is key to good overall health.
Are there any foods or drinks that can leave you constipated? Tell us
quickly down below in the comments section!
Cleanses Your Body: Jaggery is one of the best natural cleansing agents for your body
as it can remove unwanted particles from it. It efficiently cleans the respiratory tract,
lungs, intestines, stomach and food pipe. Eating it is highly recommended
for people working in heavily polluted areas such as factories or coal mines.
Prevents Anemia: One of the most common nutrient deficiencies in the U.S. is iron deficiency. It
is essential for the formation of blood and muscle cells. If you don’t get enough iron in your diet,
you can develop anemia. This causes difficulty focusing and leads to fatigue and muscle weakness.
Jaggery is an excellent source of plant-based iron. While a single serving of it is not
enough to meet your daily iron needs, replacing refined sugar with jaggery
will add more iron to your diet. This will help reduce your risk of developing anemia.
Some studies also suggest that the iron found in jaggery is more easily absorbed
by the body than other types of plant-based iron. For people who choose plant-based diets,
jaggery can help them increase their iron without having to take extra supplements.
Promotes Weight Loss: Jaggery is surprisingly effective as an aid
for weight loss. It is a rich source of potassium, which is a mineral that helps
in balancing electrolytes. It also helps in building up muscles and improving the
metabolism in your body. These factors play an important role in effective weight loss.
Water retention is also a major problem when you are trying to lose weight.
Potassium is helpful in reducing water retention, which is helpful in managing your weight.
Prevents Respiratory Problems: Eating jaggery on a regular basis can help prevent different
respiratory issues like bronchitis and asthma. Taking it in the form of a natural sweetener in
perfect combination with sesame seeds can be highly beneficial for the respiratory system.
It contains compounds that help in regulating the temperature of the body.
And this is something that is highly beneficial for asthma patients. It is
also worth noting that jaggery has anti-allergy properties as well.
Treats Cough: Jaggery is a unique ingredient that can beat all seasonal difficulties,
be it in winter or summer. It serves as an amazing natural coolant in hot weather
while in winter it combats various respiratory ailments. A powerhouse of
anti-allergen properties, it detoxifies the body and eases muscles. A piece of
jaggery with little ginger helps in expelling mucus and clears airways.
Clears Intestinal Worms: Intestinal worms are a result of poor dietary habits and
eating unhygienic foods. It’s mostly seen in children. It can lead to abdominal pain,
rashes and diarrhea. It can also prevent nutrient absorption into the system leaving the person
weak. Here’s a time-tested recipe to flush out intestinal worms naturally by using jaggery.
Mix ½ tsp carom seeds with a spoon of jaggery and eat it twice in a day.
The pungent nature of carom seeds and the detoxifying properties in jaggery
expel these worms from the body keeping the intestinal tract clean. For better results,
eat it on an empty stomach or an hour before lunch or dinner.
Boosts Immunity: Jaggery contains minerals such as zinc and selenium.
These are said to protect against oxidative stress which can be very
damaging for your health. It also boosts resistance against infections.
Jaggery is also very beneficial in fighting menstrual cramps. It is known to ease pain
and release endorphins. These endorphins relax your body which can help you with
premenstrual syndrome. It has many nutrients which can help you with menstrual problems.
Apart from jaggery, there are many other ways to boost your immunity naturally.
To know what they are watch this video titled “7 Ways To Naturally Boost Your Immune System”
Now back to reasons why you should replace sugar with jaggery.
Provides Energy: While sugar is a simple carbohydrate that gets absorbed in the
bloodstream instantly and gives instant energy, jaggery is a complex carbohydrate.
It gives energy to your body gradually and for a longer time. This means that the levels of
blood sugar do not get raised immediately. It also helps prevent fatigue and weakness.
Keeps You Warm: Since jaggery contains carbohydrates that take time to get digested,
it provides warmth to the body. In many countries,
people prepare sweets and special foods using jaggery in cold weather. This is
a traditional method to ensure a little warmth during winters. Using date palm
jaggery for this purpose is beneficial as it provides maximum warmth to the body.
Controls Blood Pressure: Jaggery contains potassium and sodium,
which play an important role in the maintenance of acid levels in the
body. It also makes sure that a normal level of blood pressure is properly maintained.
Helps With Urinary Problems: Sugarcane acts as a natural diuretic and jaggery
also possesses this property. It helps in stimulating urination which is good news
for people who are having difficulty. It is also helpful in reducing inflammation of the bladder.
Drinking a glass of hot milk with jaggery can treat urinary problems and improve urine flow.
Relieves Joint Pain: If you often suffer from aches and pains in your joints,
eating jaggery can provide you much-needed relief. Experts recommend eating it with a piece of ginger
to alleviate joint pain. Drinking a glass of milk with jaggery every day is also recommended to help
strengthen bones. This is helpful in preventing joint and bone problems such as arthritis.
Eases Stress And Anxiety: Jaggery stimulates the release of endorphins or ‘feel-good’ hormones in
the body. Simply brew up a cup of warm tea with jaggery and drink it. Alternatively,
a cup of warm water with jaggery can also help ease anxiety.
How much healthier is jaggery than sugar?
Numerous health professionals recommend replacing sugar with jaggery to obtain greater nutritional
values from a sweetener. While both may be processed, sugar is mainly in the form of
translucent, white crystals while jaggery can either be golden brown or dark brown in colour.
The former undergoes rigorous industrial processes, such as treatment with charcoal,
due to which its nutritional value is lost. On the other hand,
the latter undergoes no excessive treatment except the boiling of sugarcane syrup. This
ensures the retention of iron, mineral salts and fiber in it. These minerals
and plant phytochemicals give jaggery a huge nutritional boost over sugar.
Are there any risks related to Jaggery? Yes there are a few.
Raises Blood Sugar: Although it has more nutrients than refined sugar, it is still
very high in simple sugars. And like all forms of sugar, jaggery is mostly sucrose. While it is
less refined than other sweeteners, it still has a significant effect on blood sugar levels.
For people who need to reduce sugar in their diet, jaggery is not a safer alternative.
In particular, people with diabetes will notice nearly identical effects on their insulin levels
after eating jaggery as they experience after eating white sugar. Overindulging in it will
raise fasting insulin levels just as effectively as other types of sugar.
So people with diabetes should consult their physician before adding jaggery to their diet.
Only if you're perfectly healthy and have no blood sugar problems,
then you may use jaggery as an alternative to white sugar. But if you have diabetes,
then you must stay away from it altogether.
May Increase Risk of Obesity: Again, jaggery is a slightly more nutritious form of sugar,
but it is still sugar. Eating significant amounts of sugar has been linked to an increased risk
of obesity. While sugar has not yet been proven to cause obesity, it is undeniable
that eating significant amounts of added sugar correlates with this medical condition.
Intestinal Discomfort: Jaggery is less processed than most forms of sugar. For most people,
it is perfectly safe to eat. However, for some people, this lower processing
threshold can cause intestinal problems. Some forms of jaggery—especially homemade ones—can
carry bacteria and lead to food poisoning. To reduce this risk, the best course of action
is to avoid homemade jaggery and only eat the ones made by commercial manufacturers.
While jaggery may be a good alternative for refined sugar,
it can still get your blood sugar levels up. It’s very important for you to know
the signs that your blood sugar is rising, so you can prevent it. You can do so by:
Recognizing the Signs You're Eating Way Too Much Sugar
Or
Watching: 9 Signs Your Blood Sugar Is Too High
These 2 videos will definitely help you identify when your blood sugar level is too high.
What’s your favourite sugar alternative? Let us know in the comments section below!