Jaggery wins over Refined Sugar

Jaggery wins over sparkling Sugar:

Compared to refined white sugar, brown jaggery has a lot to boast about.
1.    Compared to sugar, jaggery has lots of micronutrients and minerals.
2.    When we eat sugar, extra heat is utilized by the body during digestion. We also use up our calcium and potassium reserves during this process. Jaggery on the other hand, is easily digested and assimilated.
3.    Jaggery is not refined and so does not involve much processing and hence nutrients are preserved to some extent.
4.    Experts believe that the presence of micronutrients makes jaggery a wholesome addition to our food. It is an ideal choice for active people and athelets because it provides slow, sustained energy. On the other hand white sugar gives a high spurt of energy soon after we eat it, only to leave one feeling tired and drained in a little while.
5.    The mineral content of jaggery is impressive – it has magnesium, potassium, calcium, phosphorous, iron and copper and is rich in Vitamins B1, B2 and Vitamin C. Refined sugar cuts a very pathetic figure in these aspects.
6.    Jaggery has an added advantage of helping the hyper acidity patients as well as ulcer patients. One of the biggest benefits, stemming from it rich potassium content is that, it helps to maintain the acid balance in the body by reducing accumulation of acids and acetones. So when ever you feel heartburn, take a big piece of jaggery and munch it slowly. It will definitely give good relief. Now I understand why my doctor used to advise me to take jaggery whenever I felt heartburn even some 40 years back.
7.    High potassium content also reduces the incidence of hypertension. Its antioxidant property prevents harmful free radicals (substances that develop in our bodies as a by product of our metabolic processes which are said to cause rapid aging) from affecting the body’s cells.
8.    It has anti asthmatic property which eases breathing difficulty. Jaggery is added to all ayurvedic medicines as it has the property of loosening the phlegm and bringing it out. It suppresses heavy cough instantly and I have experienced it in my own life.
9.    Researchers say that it is heralded as a good remedy for joint and rheumatic problems.
10.    To make jaggery a regular part of our diet, we can replace the refined sugar with the same amount of powdered jaggery.
11.    A word of caution for diabetic patients: the calorific count in jaggery is the same as in sugar. So if you are diabetic or dieting, you have to watch your intake closely.
Courtesy: “Sweet Health” The Hindu.