Jaggery is a type of sugar produced in African or Asian countries. Jaggery or ‘gud’, as it is commonly referred to, is sourced from sugarcane in the Northern Indian States whereas it is sourced from palm trees or coconut in East, West and South India. Jaggery has a similarity with the sugar muscovado that imparts powerful molasses content. Muscovado is dark brown and widely used in British and Portuguese cuisines. Jaggery is a quintessential ingredient which is added to many dishes across India, especially during winter. Due to various health benefits of jaggery, it is often referred to as a superfood sweetener. In this article, we will take a look at how jaggery can boost immunity.
Benefits of Eating Jaggery for Immunity
Jaggery is high in minerals and antioxidants such as Selenium and Zinc that are free radical damage preventives. This means that eating jaggery benefits you by boosting your resistance and lowering your risk of infections. The ideal way to consume jaggery is to combine it with ghee and have it after your meal. This boosts immunity and helps regulate hormonal imbalance. There are various jaggery uses that prove to be beneficial. Some of them are:
- Anaemia Preventive
Jaggery or gur is a rich source of Folate and Iron, both very good for preventing Anaemia. Anaemia can be effectively kept at bay when a good level of RBCs (Red Blood Cells) is maintained in the body. Pregnant women are likely to benefit by regularly consuming jaggery since Folate falls under the B-group of vitamins that are required for healthy fetus development.
- Helps with Menstrual Pain
Jaggery is rich in essential nutrients that provide you relief from menstrual cramps. Additionally, consuming jaggery releases endorphins that can lower your tendencies of feeling frustrated or mood swings – both very common during periods.
- Cleanses the Liver
People suffering from liver diseases can reap the benefits of eating jaggery. Jaggery acts like a detox substance that can flush out toxins from the body. To activate the enzymes in your digestive system, it is recommended to have jaggery with ghee.
- Lower Risk of Constipation
Jaggery is good for health not only because it cleanses your liver but also rids you of constipation, ensuring a healthy bowel movement every day. A healthy gut denotes that all essential nutrients from your meal have been absorbed and it is time for the remains to be eliminated. It’s good to have a well-timed bowel movement that improves your overall physical as well as mental health.
- Treats Cold and Flu
Some practical advantages of jaggery include keeping you protected from chronic cold and flu-like symptoms that are common occurrences. This can be especially beneficial for those with compromised immunity. This is the reason why jaggery can boost immunity.
- Cures Issues of UTI
It has been seen that gud benefits in treating Urinary Tract Infection (UTI). This is mainly due to the characteristic of sugarcane being a natural diuretic. When you consume gud produced from sugarcane, you are likely to reap similar benefits.
Urinary tract infection can take place in the bladder, kidneys, and urethra. Symptoms of UTI include pain in the pelvic area, constant urge to urinate, and pain during urination. Jaggery reduces inflammation and stimulates urination, thereby improving the flow of urination. UTI, if left unaddressed, can be fatal for your health. So, if you are suffering from UTI, you can test the benefits of eating jaggery. This home remedy is sure to do more good to your body than harm.
7. Takes Care of Intestinal Health
Eating jaggery benefits your intestinal health greatly, as it is rich in Magnesium. When you consume 10 grams of gud, you get about 16 mg of Magnesium which means that you have ticked off 4% of this mineral required for the day.
Jaggery vs. Brown Sugar vs. Honey
While jaggery is definitely the healthiest sweetener of the three, it cannot be used in all recipes due to its strong inherent aroma and flavour. Jaggery is manufactured without the addition of chemicals or preservatives. The palm or cane fruit is pressed hard to extract its juice and is further distilled by boiling the sap at a high temperature, occasionally stirring the top to remove the impurities. Once all the impurities have been removed, the paste that remains is transferred into containers to cool. The whole production is a three-step process.
Brown sugar too is extracted from cane sap and sometimes is even produced by refining sugar. However, many additives such as syrups and molasses are added. Honey too is a healthy sweetener but you cannot cook honey at a high temperature as that reduces the quality of the product and makes it lose nutrients and enzymes. So, when it comes to culinary requirements, jaggery and brown sugar are the best contenders to satisfy your sweet cravings.
Bottom Line
The benefits of eating jaggery are immense. Even if you are considering replacing refined sugar or brown sugar with jaggery, you should consume it sparingly. At the end of the day, jaggery does come with its fair share of calories and one must not go overboard with it.
