Undoubtedly, one of the unhealthiest and most addictive foods on our plates is sugar. If you've ever tried to diet your way to lose weight or given advice to someone who was trying to do so, you know that sugar is typically one of the first foods that nutritionists and dieticians advise individuals to cut out because it can lead to extremely high weight gain. As a result, having "gur" or jaggery in your diet is the next best thing people use to replace sugar, even if some individuals quit sugar cold turkey. But is it all so healthy? Can it genuinely quicken weight loss? Or is it just as harmful to your health? Find out now
Benefits of Jaggery
Jaggery is unquestionably something that has many advantages, in addition to being something that has returned to popularity as an alternative sugar replacement for weight watchers. The benefits of using jaggery powder instead of white sugar have led many health-conscious consumers to use it as an ingredient in many classic Indian dishes. Potassium, magnesium, and vitamins B1, B6, and C are abundant in jaggery. One of the reasons regular consumption of jaggery, even after meals, is advised is because it contains many phenolic compounds that fight oxidative stress and act to promote immunity.
Jaggery has many advantages over sugar—specifically, added sugar—that encourage its usage and characterise it as a nutritious food. In addition to the additional vitamins and antioxidants, the good fibre content in it aids in digestion, removes toxins, and maintains a healthy system. Another thing that many Ayurvedic doctors advise is drinking jaggery water first thing in the morning. Additionally, it has been demonstrated to be good for your immunity. It is a little bit healthier to consume since it, so to speak, has a better nutritional profile than white sugar. People can consume more jaggery than what would be considered a normal amount because it has a milder flavour than sugar and doesn't taste as sweet to the palate. For instance, someone who is not accustomed to the taste of jaggery may end up adding more than necessary if they normally stir in a spoonful of sugar to a cup of tea or coffee.
Can you completely replace sugar with jaggery for weight loss?
While jaggery can have some advantages, it's crucial to keep in mind that going overboard or failing to understand the nutritive values will reverse all advancement and eliminate any advantages from the food source. One thing to keep in mind is that sugar and jaggery both have roughly the same number of calories. As a result, taking more or adding more without thinking will result in you consuming more calories. Because jaggery contains sucrose, which increases blood sugar levels, diabetics should exercise a little caution when choosing it as their sugar source. Once more, always make sure the product you purchase is organic to avoid the negative effects of procession-processed food. So, while switching to a replacement or giving up all forms of sugar is undoubtedly better in the long term if you want to stay in good shape, be mindful of how much jaggery or any other sugar source you consume while on a diet.