Health Benefits of Jaggery And Its Side Effects
Last Updated: Dec 13, 2022
Jaggery or Gur is generally made by boiling concentrated and raw sugarcane juice until it solidifies. It is better in comparison to white sugar which simply adds extra calories to the human body. Jaggery comes with a number of health benefits like its ability to cleanse the human body; supporting digestion and offering good quantities of minerals.
What is Jaggery?
Jaggery is unrefined sugar which is called “Bellam” in Telugu, “Gur” in Hindi, “Sharkara” in Malayalam, “Vellam” in Tamil, “Gul” in Marathi and “Bella” in Kannada. It is derived from concentrated raw sugarcane juice. However, it can also be made using different other sources like nolen gur or date palm and coconut sap.
Jaggery that is made from the juice of raw and concentrated sugarcane is the one that is commonly used. Jaggery is made by boiling the juice of sugarcane and then heating it for producing thick crystals. Jaggery consists of sugar in the form of sucrose and is widely used in different food products in the form of a sweetener. It is considered healthier in comparison to refined sugar because there are different plant minerals and phytochemicals preserved in jaggery.
There are a lot of people who avoid having jaggery mainly because of its raw appearance that is not very appealing. Nevertheless, it is always a good idea to make it a regular and integral part of one’s diet because it offers essential nutrients and also because it is one of the most effective remedies for different medical problems.
Types of Jaggery
Different types of jaggery are available out there. Jaggery is categorized into different categories on the basis of taste, price, and quality. Some of them are- coconut jaggery, date palm jaggery, Maynor jaggery, Toddy palm jaggery, sugarcane jaggery, Palmyra jaggery, etc. these different jaggeries are derived from different plants.
Summary- There are many types of natural jaggery are originated from various plants.
Nutritional Value of Jaggery Per 100g
The carbohydrate content of jaggery is around 98% while its sugar content is 97%. 10 grams of this unrefined sugar offers 38 calories. This Indian sweetener is one of the healthiest substitutes of chemically processed or industrial sugar. It is to be noted that the nutritional value of this unrefined sugar might not satisfy the mineral and vitamin requirements of individuals. However, these nutrients are also not found in the refined sugar that people have on a regular basis. Jaggery comes in colors ranging from dark brown to golden brown and consists of 20% invert sugars, 20% moisture and 50% sucrose. It is also effectively combined with coconut, peanuts, to more nutritional benefits, white sugar and condensed milk.
Summary- Carbohydrates are abundantly present in jaggery. It is the purest form of sweetener available out there.
Nutritional facts Per 100 grams
Vitamins and Minerals in Jaggery
Jaggery vs Sugar
Sugarcane is the source of both jaggery and sugar. Although, both are sugarcane products they are processed differently. During processing, sugar loses all of its nutrients while jaggery retains its nutrition. Jaggery contains less sucrose as compared to sugar. Jaggery is often considered a superfood while sugar is not.
Summary- Jaggery is much more nutritious than sugar. People should replace sugar with jaggery.
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Health Benefits of Jaggery
Jaggery Purifies Blood
One of the most popular advantages of jaggery is that it possesses the ability to purify blood. If consumed regularly, jaggery goes a long way in cleansing blood and in leaving the body healthy. It also helps in preventing different blood disorders and diseases by boosting the count of hemoglobin. Jaggery also boosts immunity and thus helps in the prevention of different blood-related problems
Summary- Jaggery plays important in blood purification, thereby preventing blood-related disorders. It also increases hemoglobin content.
Jaggery Iron Content
Jaggery is quite rich in its content of folate and iron and therefore it helps in the prevention of anemia. Jaggery powder also offers instant energy preventing weakness and fatigue of the human body
Summary- Iron is primarily found in Jaggery which helps to boost instant energy and prevents frailty.
Jaggery Mineral Content
Jaggery is packed with minerals and antioxidants like selenium and zinc and these help in preventing free-radical damage. These minerals and antioxidants also help in boosting the body’s resistance to different infections.
Summary- Along with all nutrients, the mineral content of Jaggery is also very high. These minerals along with antioxidants prevent several disorders.
Jaggery Skin Benefits
Jaggery proves to be highly beneficial when used for a beauty treatment. It comes loaded with several natural properties ensuring the health of the skin for a very long span of time. It is rich in its content of different minerals and vitamins and thus offers proper nourishment to the skin.
Jaggery Powder also useful in Skin infection, Glowing skin, and also used in skin whitening treatment. Proper nourishment for the skin means healthy and glowing skin. Jaggery is also effective in preventing and treating common skin problems like pimples and acne
Summary- Jaggery shows many benefits for the skin too. It nourishes the skin deeply and prevents some common skin-related issues.
Jaggery Benefits for Digestion
Jaggery stimulates the secretion of digestive enzymes and therefore speeds up the procedure of digestion. Proper digestion helps in regulating bowel movement and in preventing issues like constipation, intestinal worms and flatulence. It is quite effective in maintaining the proper functioning of the digestive system. Properly functioning digestive system means proper prevention of digestive issues and improvement indigestion at the same time.
Summary- Jaggery supports the proper digestion process by healing and preventing digestive disorders such as constipation, indigestion, nausea, etc.
Jaggery Increase Metabolism
The high mineral content of jaggery and high levels of potassium helps in the management of weight. This is done by reducing the retention of extra water in the human body. The potassium content of jaggery maintains electrolyte balance, improves metabolism and builds muscles help in weight loss.
Summary- Regular consumption of jaggery boosts metabolic processes which ultimately manage weight loss and balances electrolyte levels in the body.
Water retention
Minor health issues like water retention, migraine, bloating and cough and cold that are experienced by individuals on a regular basis can easily be dealt with the help of jaggery. The only thing that needs to be done is mixing jaggery with warm water or adding it in tea for reaping instant benefits.
Summary- Excess water retention can be tackled with regular consumption of Jaggery.
Released hormones
Women who experience mood swings prior to having their periods can greatly benefit from having jaggery. Mood swings are the cause of fluctuating hormone levels in the body. Jaggery helps in the release of happy hormones called endorphins. These relax the body making women feel better.
Summary- Jaggery regulates hormonal balance. Women going through menstruation can be relieved after regular consumption of jaggery.
Jaggery Good for Brain
Jaggery also helps in preventing major issues faced with the nervous system of the body. It contains several natural properties which are of good help in keeping the nervous system functioning properly. This in turn helps individuals in staying healthy and normal.
Summary- Since jaggery is power packed with different nutrients. Therefore, it helps to boost neurological processes.
Jaggery For Respiratory Problems
Having jaggery on a regular basis can help in prevention of different respiratory issues like bronchitis and asthma. Experts are of the view that taking jaggery in the form of a natural sweetener in perfect combination with sesame seeds can be highly beneficial for the respiratory system in human beings. Jaggery contains properties that help in regulating the temperature of the body and this is something that is highly beneficial for the patients of asthma. It is also worth noting that jaggery contains anti-allergy properties as well
Summary- Jaggery is good in relieving respiratory disorders. Jaggery taken with sesame seeds increases its anti-allergic properties.
Jaggery for Joint Pain
Summary- Jaggery alleviates the symptoms of joint pain. It helps to heal pain and inflammation when taken with ginger.
Jaggery Mineral Content
Jaggery is packed with minerals and antioxidants like selenium and zinc and these help in preventing free-radical damage. These minerals and antioxidants also help in boosting the body’s resistance to different infections.
Summary- Along with all nutrients, the mineral content of Jaggery is also very high. These minerals along with antioxidants prevent several disorders.
Uses of Jaggery
Jaggery has found many usages in a common household. Some of them are-
- Jaggery by many people is used as a lining to coat the walls of earthen ovens.
- In many rural parts of India, jaggery has for decades been used as toothpaste.
- Inferior quality jaggery is mixed with a little dust of tobacco used to clean the teeth.
- Jaggery is also used in cattle feed during winter as it helps them keep warm. it also increases the milk yield.
- You can also consume Jaggery with curd, ginger, ghee, and warm water.
- You can use jaggery for sweetness purposes in different food recipes.
Summary- Jaggery is used for different purposes, such as lining earthen ovens, feeding cattle, cleaning teeth, etc. Additionally, it is used to make a variety of foods.
Side-Effects & Allergies of Jaggery
Jaggery also leads to some side effects. They are-
- Consuming a high amount of jaggery for a long time can lead to an increase in weight.
- If not consumed in moderation, it may lead to an increase in blood sugar levels.
- Consuming jaggery for a long period can result in intestinal worm infestation and parasitic infections.
Summary- Over-consumption of jaggery may lead to some side effects such as increasing eight, infections or intestinal worm infestations.
Origin And Cultivation of Jaggery
Consuming high amount of jaggery for a long time can lead to increase in weight. If not consumed in moderation, it may lead to increase in blood sugar levels. Consuming jaggery for a long period can result in intestinal worm infestation and parasitic infections.
Conclusion
Jaggery is the purest form of sweetener. It shows various health benefits, such as increasing hemoglobin, curing infections, bone strengthening, etc. Due to the presence of several nutrients, it helps to prevent certain disorders. Jaggery overconsumption has various negative side effects that need to be addressed.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What happens if you eat jaggery every day?
Is gur better than brown sugar?
Can jaggery cause fatty liver?
How much jaggery can I eat in a day?
References
- Singh J, Solomon S, Kumar D. Manufacturing jaggery, a product of sugarcane, as health food. Agrotechnology, S11. 2013. [Cited 27 June 2019]. Available from:
- Nath A, Dutta D, Kumar P, Singh JP. Review on recent advances in value addition of jaggery based products. Journal of Food Processing & Technology, 2015:6(4); 1-4. [Cited 26 June 2019]. Available from:
- Thangavelu S. Juice micronutrients and jaggery research-a review. Cooperative Sugar. 2011;43(4):53-6. [Cited 27 June 2019]. Available from:
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