Contributed by Harleen Kaur
Introduction
Jaggery happens to be an integral part of the Indian household for years. It is also a popular way for elders to conclude meals. In the past, our elders would finish their meals with a piece of jaggery and relish it to the core.
It is natural to assume that its sweet, delicious flavour is what makes it so well-liked. But there are a lot of health advantages to this naturally sweet product. It is a kind of unprocessed sugar that is primarily produced from raw, concentrated sugarcane juice that is cooked until it solidifies. Additionally, jaggery, also known as ‘Gurr’, can be produced using either coconut sap or the date palm’s sap.
Jaggery is known to produce heat and provide the body with quick energy. It prevents constipation because of its laxative properties and ability to stimulate digestive enzymes. According to Ayurveda, jaggery’s Ushna (hot) effect helps digestion when taken regularly after meals.
Especially, switching to jaggery in winter can be a great way to boost your immunity and its warm nature helps you stay healthy during the season.
Here are a few reasons why you must include jaggery in winter:
5 Winter Health Benefits of Jaggery
Purifies the body
As one of the best all-natural body cleansers, people frequently consume jaggery after meals and most commonly in winter. By consuming jaggery, you can successfully remove a variety of unwanted particles from your intestines, stomach, food pipe, lungs, and respiratory system.
Jaggery increases blood-oxygen levels, which causes an increase in salt and potassium levels in the body. The sodium-potassium balance maintains the blood’s purity by controlling acidic reactions.
Helps relieve joint pain
If you frequently have joint pain and stiffness throughout the winter, taking jaggery powder will make you feel better. Experts believe that combining ginger and jaggery can significantly reduce inflammation. Regularly consuming milk with jaggery powder improves bones and helps to prevent arthritis and other bone and joint disorders.
Treats flu-like symptoms
To combat cold and cough symptoms, it is advised to consume jaggery (Gurr). All you need to do is mix it with warm water and drink it to enjoy the benefits. The majority of people drink it in the winter since it helps the body keep warm and fight off the cold.
You can also replace processed sugar with jaggery in your tea if you are an avid tea drinker.
Jaggery coats the inner lining of the throat, reducing symptoms like itching and sore throat. Because of its warming qualities, jaggery is a great treat that helps in the cure of a cold and flu.
Improves skin quality
Your skin may get dry and irritated during the winter, therefore it’s important to take care of it.
Jaggery is effective in acne treatment or pimples and in improving the health of the skin because it purifies the blood and raises its haemoglobin levels.
Glycolic acid, which is present in jaggery and helps to heal skin imperfections, encourages clear skin. The benefits of jaggery for the skin are increased when combined with sesame seeds.
Jaggery contains significant amounts of antioxidants as well as minerals like selenium and zinc.
In addition to strengthening resistance against many illnesses, this helps reduce free radical damage. This is the reason it is consumed regularly in winter.
Additionally, jaggery helps in boosting energy and immunity, which helps fight off a number of common diseases. Jaggery is a better choice as a sweetener than refined sugar since it is full of nutrients that are beneficial for your health, unlike refined sugar, which includes empty calories.
Final Thoughts
The health benefits of superfood jaggery make it a great wintertime treat. Jaggery maintains its nutritious value, including iron, mineral salts, and fibre because it does not undergo any additional processing beyond boiling sugarcane syrup.
Along with a number of other amazing health advantages, the minerals and organic phytochemicals present in jaggery are helpful for boosting immunity, regulating body temperature, enriching the skin, improving digestion, and treating joint pain.
Jaggery is definitely a healthier option when consuming sugar, but it still has significant levels of glucose and sucrose, which, if consumed in excess, can have certain health consequences.
The ideal daily jaggery intake should range somewhere between 10 to 12 grams after meals.
Furthermore, you should also undergo preventive health checkups. These health checkups give a complete report about your health, allowing you to take necessary precautionary measures to improve your well-being and keep a host of ailments at bay.
