Like sugar, jaggery is versatile. It can be grated or broken up, and then used as a replacement for refined sugar in any food or drink.
In India, it's often mixed with foods like coconuts, peanuts and condensed milk to make traditional desserts and candies.
These include jaggery cake and chakkara pongal, a dessert made from rice and milk.
It is also used to make traditional alcoholic drinks, such as palm wine, and for non-food purposes like dying fabric.
In the Western world, this sweetener is often used as a sugar substitute in baking. It can also be used to sweeten drinks like tea and coffee.
If you'd like to try jaggery, there is a wide selection on Amazon.
BOTTOM LINE:Jaggery can replace refined white sugar in foods and drinks. It's also used in palm wine production and as part of natural fabric dyes.Does Jaggery Have Any Health Benefits?
One reason jaggery is gaining popularity is the belief that it is more nutritious than refined white sugar. It is also claimed to have various health benefits.
Some common health claims include improved digestive health, anemia prevention, liver detoxification and improved immune function.
Here is a critical look at the most common health claims, separating the facts from the fiction.Improved Digestive Health
In India, it's common for jaggery to be eaten after a meal.
Some people claim it helps with digestion and can stimulate bowel movements, making it a good choice for preventing constipation.
Jaggery is a source of sucrose, but it contains almost no fiber or water — two dietary factors known to help with regular bowel movements (6).
No available research confirms this claim. Given the nutrition profile, it seems unlikely that jaggery would help with digestion or prevent constipation.
Anemia Prevention
Some studies suggest the iron in non-centrifugal sugars is more easily used by the body than iron from other plant sources (7).
Jaggery contains around 11 mg of iron per 100 grams, or about 61% of the RDI (2).
This sounds impressive, but it's unlikely that you would eat 100 grams of jaggery in one sitting. A tablespoon or teaspoon represents a more realistic portion.
A tablespoon (20 grams) contains 2.2 mg of iron, or about 12% of the RDI. A teaspoon (7 grams) contains 0.77 mg of iron, or about 4% of the RDI.
For people with low iron intake, jaggery could contribute a small amount of iron — especially when replacing white sugar.
However, you will get much greater amounts of iron from this list of 11 iron-rich foods.
What's more, added sugar is bad for your health. Therefore, it's unreasonable to suggest that you should add jaggery to your diet because it contains iron.
Liver Detoxification
Many foods are claimed to help your liver get rid of toxins. However, your body is capable of removing these toxins on its own.
No current evidence supports the claim that any food or drink can make this "detox" process easier or more efficient (8, 9, 10).
Improved Immune Function
In India, jaggery is often added to tonics used to treat a variety of ailments.
People believe that the minerals and antioxidants in jaggery can support the immune system and help people recover from illnesses like the common cold and the flu.
Some evidence suggests that oral zinc and vitamin C supplements may reduce the length and severity of a cold, but neither is found in high amounts in jaggery (11).
Overall, the evidence supporting this claim is lacking. However, jaggery's high calorie content may help boost energy levels for those struggling to eat when sick.
BOTTOM LINE:Jaggery is said to help support immune, liver and digestive health, as well as help prevent anemia. However, there is no good evidence available to support these claims.विशेष :भारतीय परम्परागत चिकित्सा आयुर्वेद ने गुड़ के पक्ष में अनेक प्रमाण जुटाए हैं। पुराना गुड़ अनेक दवाओं में प्रयुक्त होता रहा है। बच्चों की घुट्टी में भी। सांस की दवा में भी।
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