Jaggery, commonly known as Gur in Hindi, is one of the best raw sweeteners that can be easily found in the market. Jaggery can be made from numerous sources like date palm, the sap of coconut and more, but jaggery made from sugarcane juice is most preferred by people. It is made by boiling sugarcane juice till it solidifies and is later reduced to blocks.
This slobbering sweetener is rich in minerals and vitamins and can be consumed by diabetic patients too. Although it has the same calorific value as that of sugar, it is a better substitute for the white refined sugar. It is used in preparing various Indian cuisines and provides them with a distinct flavour.
Processing refined sugar from sugar cane, though, often includes the use of harsh chemicals, such as sulfur dioxide, phosphoric acid, and bleaching agents, that strip it of vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients, leaving what nutritionists refer to as “empty calories.”
Yet not all sweeteners are nutritional duds. For those reluctant to surrender their sweet tooth, there is a healthier alternative: jaggery, a staple in many Eastern diets that is used to sweeten foods like rice pudding, hot coconut milk, and vegetarian curries.
Jaggery comes from either the sap of sugar cane or palm trees, and its flavor is described as an aromatic blend between brown sugar and molasses with fermented or wine undertones. But what makes jaggery superior to regular sugar is the way it’s made.
How Jaggery is Made
Because it is processed without the use of chemicals, jaggery retains many vital vitamins and minerals, such as calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, and potassium.
In fact, jaggery has a mineral content approximately 50 times greater than refined sugar and five times more than brown sugar. Just a teaspoon of jaggery delivers approximately 3-5 mg of calcium, 3-5 mg phosphorous, 6 mg magnesium, and 45 mg of potassium.
It sells in most East Indian markets in a spreadable form called gur, or as a grainy, brown, coffee can-shaped chunk.
Jaggery can be used in practically any food or beverage where you might want to add a few spoonfuls of sugar. You can grate or cut jaggery into small pieces and add it to cereal or coffee; gur can be used on bread and other baked items. Jaggery can also be chopped up and dissolved in water to form a syrup to sweeten custards, rice, or even poured over ice cream. You can substitute jaggery for granulated white sugar in many recipes-you will need to use about one-and-a-half times the amount of jaggery to achieve the equivalent level of sweetness.
Health Benefits of Jaggery
- Generates heat inside the body
- Boosts immunity within the body
- Prevents constipation and enhances the production of digestive enzymes
- Helps in preventing joint pain
- Detoxifies the body
- Eases menstrual cramp pain
- Rich in iron contents, prevents anemia
- Prevents respiratory problems
- Boosts body metabolism and helps in weight loss
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