Switching from Sugar to Organic jaggery but not sure about the benefits?

Are you a health enthusiast who loves sweets, but wondering what to substitute sugar with?

Then this post is for you…

Sugar has been the most integral part of Indian meals; be it desert, shakes, or drinks, everything contains sugar. However, regular sugar contains 99.9% sucrose which is a combination of glucose and fructose. The sugar though made from jaggery is stripped off its minerals, color, and moisture to turn into the sugar crystals that we see. These crystals are higher in calories and are considered empty-calorie food. WHO recommends no more than 3-4 spoons of sugar a day to live a healthy and disease-free life.

Organic Jaggery, on the other hand, is healthier and has many benefits as well. Jaggery that is commonly known as gur/gud in India has a lot of Ayurvedic benefits too. It has been used in many Indian cuisines and traditional recipes from ancient times.

Let’s see the benefits of organic jaggery :

● Organic jaggery is rich in vitamin B.
● Rich source of calcium.
● High in iron, potassium, and Phosphorus.
● High in sodium and magnesium.
● Purifies your blood.
● Helps in building immunity.
● Consuming Jaggery helps in increasing your metabolism.
● The best substitute for satisfying your sweet craving.
● Helps indigestion.
● It activates digestive enzymes and helps stimulate bowels, and hence helps relieve constipation.
● It has antioxidant properties.
● Organic jaggery is a good source of potassium, hence it helps in balancing the electrolysis of your body and it also helps in reducing the water retention that happens when you are on your weight loss journey. It indirectly plays a major role when you are on your weight loss journey.

Another lesser-known fact about organic jaggery is that after its consumption, the spike in sugar levels is less than compared to refined sugar. Making a healthy choice is always in our hands. Taking the first step towards healthier living would be by replacing normal sugar with organic jaggery in your desserts. Organic products are pure and chemical-free and in a natural state.

Now you might wonder whether or not the jaggery is organic? We have a solution for you:

Taste the piece of jaggery it should not taste salty or bitter. If it’s salty, it has a high concentration of minerals, and remember older the jaggery, the saltier it gets. If it is bitter, it has been caramelized during the melting process. Make sure you also color-test it. It should be dark brown and not too yellow. Remember, jaggery melts in water. This is how you come to know it’s organic or not. Make sure you buy from a known source so that you can trust that there is no adulteration in it.

Do you know about the fake organic jaggery that is sold in the market?
Calcium carbonate is added to increase the weight and sodium bicarbonate is added to give it the desired color. So, always buy from a trusted source. Test the jaggery that you buy and be sure to check if the products are certified organic.

Now, you must be wondering about how to include organic jaggery in your daily meals?

It is really simple! All you have to do is just swap refined sugar with organic jaggery.

4 ways to swap your refined sugar to organic jaggery :

1.Traditionally, in a few Indian sabji, we do add sugar, just replace that with jaggery.
2.Substitute your sugar in coffee and tea with organic jaggery.
3.Substitute the sugar that you add in sweets and dessert to organic jaggery. Try jaggery-based kheer, modak, sweet Rotis, or sweet rice.
4.Organic jaggery-based sweets like chikki are a great way to satiate hunger if you are outdoors for a long time.

PRO TIP: Have a piece of jaggery post-meal every day for better digestion. It also helps curb your sugar craving.

Isn’t it so simple, it is all about making healthy choices. Jaggery and sweets made of jaggery have been a part of our culture and kitchen. It is time to focus on buying organic products and making the most of what we already know. It is time to replace processed refined sugar with organic jaggery to maximize health and fitness.