Jaggery - Nature's Sugar

Known as ' Poor mans chocolate' in villages across India, this natural sweetener, melts in the mouth, and was traditionally used to sweeten foods and make desserts and sweets. This could explain one of the reasons why our earlier generations enjoyed sweets and desserts daily, and yet diabetes, cancer , heart and weight problems were unheard of.
Then along came commercialization, costs and the aesthetic appeal of foods, that gave rise to the humongous consumption of highly refined white sugar and along with that, a rapid increase in diabetes, weight related diseases and cancer.

Benefits of Jaggery

The process of making jaggery from the plant sources, does not involve any
chemical agents and hence all the natural mineral salts are retained in
jaggery. Jaggery is known to have various medicinal properties and other
health benefits. 

Jaggery as a Cleansing Agent
Jaggery acts as a cleansing agent for our body and effectively cleans the
respiratory tracts, food pipe, lungs, stomach and intestines. It helps the
body to get rid of the unwanted particles and thus provides relief
from constipation.

Jaggery as a Digestive Aid
Jaggery proves as a great digestive aid and speeds up the process of
digestion. Eating a few grams of jaggery after a heavy meal is often
recommended for those having problems with normal digestion. In the body,
jaggery activates the various digestive enzymes and itself gets converted
to acetic acid, thus speeding up digestion.

Jaggery as a Mineral Source
Jaggery is a rich source of many vital minerals that are required by the
body for normal growth and functioning. It is considered as a store house
of various important minerals like iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium,
etc.Excellent for children when it comes to growth and nourishment.

Other Health Benefits of Jaggery


      Jaggery is used since ancient times to treat problems such as
      dry cough, common cold and asthma.
      It is beneficial in treating conditions like indigestion and
      constipation.
      Jaggery helps in promoting relaxation of muscles, nerves and blood
      vessels, thus enhancing their functions.
      Migraines, the most painful and uncomfortable type of headaches can
      be relieved to a large extent by jaggery.
      Jaggery is a rich source of iron and is therefore, very good for
      anemic people, as it increases the hemoglobin level in the blood.
      Jaggery has strong antioxidant properties and protects our body cells
      from the damage caused by free radicals.
      Jaggery has the ability to purify blood and helps in regulating the
      liver function.
      A mixture of jaggery and dry ginger powder taken with warm water can
      stop hiccups.
      Jaggery helps in regulating blood pressure and also helps the body to
      get rid of all the toxins.
      Jaggery is loaded with many essential nutrients such as proteins,
      vitamins and minerals, that play a key role in many life processes.
      Jaggery has potassium content that may help in reducing bloating and      water retention.
Consume jaggery in moderation like every other food. Use it as a substitute for sugar.You can buy organic jaggery from almost all stores and food malls, you even get it in a powdered form which makes it easy for you to add to tea or coffee or shakes.
An ideal coffee will be sweetened with jaggery and a dash of cinnamon powder to control blood
sugar levels and reduce the acidity of the coffee.