During winters my mother always used to serve makki ki roti with gur and ghee. Also, gur and ghee with rolled in chapati tasted heavenly. I cannot forget the taste of gur ki roti with ghee, it tasted just so luscious. Jaggery in Hindi is known as ‘Gur,’ in Kannada it’s called “Bella,” “Sharkara” in Malayalam, and “Gul” in Marathi. In this topic try to learn the health benefits of jaggery.

 

 

 

Basically, jaggery is an unrefined sugar that is obtained from raw sugarcane juice. Jaggery can be made from various sources like a date palm and coconut sap. But, gur or jaggery made from sugarcane juice is commonly used. It is made by boiling sugar cane juice, which then becomes solid and later put into blocks.

 

 

 

Fresh jaggery is amazing during winters. It is rich in vitamins, boosts immunity, and keeps the body warm. It helps to treat cold and cough to control the temperature of the body. Also, one should remember that it is a natural sweetener and a must in all Indian kitchens.

 

 

 

 

Nutritional Profile of Jaggery

 

 

Jaggery is loaded with various vital nutrients; let us take a look into what all nutrition we can derive by eating a small piece of jaggery:

 

 

Nutrient	Value
Carbohydrates	9.6 g
Sodium	3.2 mg
Iron	0.6 mg
Potassium	13.9 mg
Calcium	7.9 mg
Phosphorus	3.9 mg
Selenium	0.2 mcg
Magnesium	15.8 mg

 

The values mentioned above are approximate values present in 10 grams of jaggery.

 

 

 

 

• Let us look at the health benefits of jaggery that everyone should know:

 

 

Health Benefits of Jaggery:

 

 

• Prevents constipation:

 

 

 

Jaggery activates the digestive enzymes in the body, stimulates bowel movements thus, preventing and relieving constipation. When bowels don’t get empty and faces are hardened that state is called constipation. Jaggery also acts like a diuretic that stimulates bowel movement. A small piece of jaggery after lunch stimulates digestion and takes care of your overall health.

 

 

 

• Purifies blood:

 

 

The most well-known benefits of jaggery are that it purifies the blood. When it is consumed on a regular basis and in the limit it cleans your blood leaving your body healthy. Clean blood means a healthier body and it ensures that you are disease-free.

 

 

 

 

• Detoxification of the liver:

 

 

Jaggery naturally cleanses the body and reduces the work liver has to do. It cleans the liver by flushing out harmful toxins from the body thus, detoxifying the liver. Eat a small piece of jaggery if you want to detoxify your body.

 

 

 

 

• Helpful in Controlling Blood Pressure

 

Low or high blood pressure, both are not good for your health. It is essential to maintain regular blood pressure to maintain good health. Sugarcane, from which jaggery is obtained, is loaded with sodium and potassium. Both these minerals are beneficial in regulating blood pressure in the body. Therefore, by eating gur on a daily basis, you may ensure that your blood pressure levels are under control.

 

 

 

 

• Immunity booster:

 

 

 

Jaggery is loaded with antioxidants and minerals like zinc and selenium. It helps prevent free radical damage and boosts resistance against infections. Jaggery helps in increasing the total hemoglobin count in the blood.

 

 

 

• Relief from menstrual pain:

 

 

Jaggery is a nutritious and effective treatment for menstrual problems especially cramps. In case you have sudden mood swings during your menstrual cycle, you can eat a small piece of jaggery to work on the symptoms of PMS as it releases endorphins.

 

 

 

These endorphins relax the body, preventing premenstrual syndrome.

 

 

•  Helps with Weight Loss

A vast majority of the Indian population is fighting with weight loss issues, and it is primarily because of poor dietary habits and a sedentary lifestyle. However, if you are on a weight loss plan, adding gur to your diet may help too. Gur not only helps in increasing your metabolism but it also prevents water retention in the body. The presence of potassium in jaggery helps in balancing the electrolytes, which in turn helps in building muscle mass. Shed off some unwanted kilos from your body by eating jaggery!

 

 

 

 

• Protects intestinal health:

 

 

Jaggery boosts intestinal strength due to high magnesium content. Every 10 grams of jaggery gives 16 mg of magnesium which is 4 percent of the daily mineral requirement for your body.

 

 

 

• Prevents anemia: 

 

 

Jaggery is iron and folate-rich, which helps to prevent anemia as it ensures that the normal level of red blood cells is maintained. It is beneficial for pregnant women. It maintains the normal level of red blood cells and provides instant energy to the body.

 

 

 

 

• Jaggery FAQs:

 

 

 

Though jaggery is extremely safe for consumption and has no harmful side-effects, however, you still may have certain questions in mind. Worry no more; we shall be answering some frequently asked questions or FAQs in this section

 

 

 

Is Jaggery Good for Diabetes?

 

 

 

Though jaggery is a complex carbohydrate and a natural form of sugar, however, it is sugar after all. This means eating jaggery will increase your blood sugar levels, though a bit slower than refined sugar, it will eventually increase it. Even Ayurveda, which propagates several benefits of jaggery, states that jaggery should not be included in a diabetic diet. If you have diabetes, it will be a wise decision to stay away from any form of sugar, including jaggery.

 

 

 

Is Jaggery Healthier Than Sugar?

 

 

 

White or refined sugar provides our body with only empty calories because it is nothing but a simple form of carbohydrates. On the other hand, jaggery or gur is a form of complex carbohydrate, and it contains an abundance of nutrients and some amount of fiber too, for our body. Therefore, if you compare the health benefits of jaggery over sugar, jaggery is better for our health than sugar.

 

 

 

 

 

Include the natural goodness of gur by adding it to your daily diet. You may relish it in its raw form or use this versatile natural sweetener to add sweetness to your desserts, puddings, milk, or even tea. Make sure you procure good-quality gur from a clean place. However, gur is a form of sugar; therefore, you must keep a check on its intake.

 

 

 

Visit Navmi website www.navmi.co.in to buy jaggery as the focus of Navmi, since its inception has always been serving customers with natural and organic foods of the best quality. All our products like coconut oil, flaxseed oil, ghee, A2 milk, different types of natural honey, jaggery, turmeric, etc are chemical-free. Unprocessed foods contain higher amounts of antioxidants, they reduce the risk of heart disease, cancers, and other health issues.

 

 

Visit our site (Nirlesh Foods Private Limited or Navmi) www.navmi.co.in to know more about nutritionally pure and unprocessed food. Make a conscious and healthy choice of foods.

 

 

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