Jaggery is a very popular part of Indian kitchens. It is added to a variety of sweet preparations and many regions even add it to their day to day food like dals and sabzis to add a sweet element to a tangy dish. Jaggery is made from the juice of sugar cane is a lot healthier that processed and refined white sugar. It is a healthier alternative to any kind of processed sweetening agents. Jaggery is dark brown in color with a hard consistency. However when you bite into a small piece, it is very easy to sink your teeth into and it then melts in your mouth.

Adding jaggery to your diet is very beneficial for overall health. It provides the body with the necessary sucrose content in the purest and healthiest form. It also contains many essential nutrients that ensure the smooth functioning of all the organs and systems.

Here are some of the marvelous health benefits of jaggery.

1. Nourishes Skin

Jaggery is full of essential vitamins and minerals which are required to heal, repair and nourish the skin from daily damage. Regularly eating one small piece of jaggery can keep your skin soft, supple and glowing. The sugar content also increases the natural glow on the face and maintains a youthful appearance. Jaggery also helps to keep problems like pimples and acne away and ensures that your skin receives all the nutrients it needs to stay healthy. It also prevents signs of early ageing such as wrinkles and spots.

2. Helps With Digestion

Jaggery is often eaten as a sweetener after a meal. But the purpose of this is not just to end on a sweet note, but because jaggery is very good for digestion as well. It ensures the food is properly digested and the bowel movement remains consistent. It overall keeps a check on the optimal functioning of the digestive system. it also boosts the release of digestive enzymes which are converted to acetic acid to speed up the process of digestion. This means that you don’t feel heavy and uncomfortable after a meal for too long. It speeds up the metabolism to ensure food is digested in a timely manner and not converted to stored fats. Jaggery can also help to regulate intestinal functions and normalize bowel movement. It prevents problems like constipation, worms, flatulence and indigestion.

3. Prevents Blood Related Disorders

Jaggery has a lot of beneficial effects on the blood as well. It can help purify the blood which ensures that all your organs receive a healthy supply of blood and nutrients. The cleansing and purifying action also maintains overall good health and strong immunity. Jaggery has high iron content and it very good to treat problems related to iron deficiency such as anemia. Consuming jaggery ensures that your body maintains the required number of red blood cells and prevents fatigue and sluggishness. It is recommended that all pregnant women consume jaggery to ensure continued nutritional supply and blood circulation for good health of the mom and baby.

4. Helps With Weight loss

It may sound surprising how a sucrose filled ingredient can help you to lose weight. But jaggery acts as an excellent weight loss aid and is a very good addition to your diet regimen. Since jaggery contains potassium, it balances the electrolytes in the body and boosts the metabolism. This helps to digest your food faster and keep you more active. When eaten with a healthy and balanced diet, it can pump up your overall metabolism which can help you lose weight faster. Jaggery also prevents water retention in the body which is a primary cause for weight gain and bloating. When trying to lose weight, it is important to remove excess water from the body. Jaggery contains the essential minerals which help in removal of excess water and can help to manage your weight more effectively.

Besides this, jaggery has many more benefits such as helping with joint pain, easing a cough, boosting the nervous system, providing instant energy during a rigorous activity and so on. If you aren’t sure, try eating some jaggery regularly and find out about the benefits for yourself.       

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