Jaggery is a healthy sweetener that has served many Asian homes with sweetness. It is a type of unrefined sugar made from sugarcane. It can also be made from date palm and coconut trees. Jaggery’s benefits for health are mind-blowing.
Highlights:
- Jaggery is a sweetener with unrefined sugar which helps in providing energy for longer periods.
- Jaggery meaning in Urdu is گڑ whereas in Roman it is written as Gur.
- It has numerous breathtaking benefits for overall health.
- As it is rich in folate and iron, it helps in preventing anemia and reducing menstrual cramps.
Jaggery is a wholesome sweetener which is also considered as a superfood by many people. The hype is due to its various health benefits because it is enriched with many minerals and vitamins. Moreover, it also has a lower sucrose (sugar) content than normal sugar.
It is mainly found and used in Africa and Asia. It is available in various parts of the world and is known by different names. Although it has a lower sucrose content than sugar, still it is best to consume it in moderation.
Here are a few breathtaking jaggery benefits that will leave you in awe. Moreover, we will also look into the jaggery Meaning in Urdu.
You can also consult the best nutritionist in Pakistan if you have any concerns or queries related to jaggery.
Jaggery Meaning in Urdu
The jaggery meaning in Urdu is گڑ and it is written as “Gur” in Roman script.
Jaggery is commonly made from sugarcane. The sugarcane is simply crushed to extract its juice which is then filtered and boiled for concentration. Then, the juice is cooled down and solidified into blocks. Jaggery is used as a sweetener all around the world and has many undeniable health benefits.
گڑ عام طور پر گنے سے بنایا جاتا ہے۔ اس کا رس نکالنے کے لیے گنے کو کچل دیا جاتا ہے جسے پھر چھان کر ارتکاز کے لیے ابالا جاتا ہے۔ پھر، رس کو ٹھنڈا کر کے بلاکس میں مضبوط کیا جاتا ہے۔ گڑ کو پوری دنیا میں میٹھے کے طور پر استعمال کیا جاتا ہے اور اس کے بہت سے ناقابل تردید صحت کے فوائد ہیں۔
8 Breathtaking Jaggery Benefits
There are numerous health jaggery benefits. Let’s dive into and explore the mind-blowing benefits of jaggery.
1. Helps in Weight Loss
Weight gain is a common issue faced by many people all around the world. People usually look for ways to lose weight in days.
If you’re one of those people who want a long-term solution for weight loss, then jaggery is for you. Eating jaggery (gur) after meals helps in good digestion along with satisfying your sweet needs.
Jaggery is a complex sugar that is composed of long chains of sucrose. The body takes time to digest the sucrose and release the energy slowly for longer periods. This makes us feel full and reduces our appetite.
Moreover, it is also a good source of Potassium which balances electrolytes and prevents water retention. Moreover, it also boosts metabolism and hence plays a major role in weight loss.
2. Relieves Menstrual Pain
Jaggery (Gur) is enriched with iron and magnesium which helps a lot in easing the pain during menstrual days. It is a natural and safe remedy to relieve pain during the menstrual cycle.
It prevents iron deficiency which occurs due to the heavy loss of blood during menstrual days. Moreover, magnesium in jaggery helps in reducing menstrual pain.
Additionally, jaggery releases endorphins (a happy hormone) which can tackle the symptoms of Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS) such as irritability, mood swings, food cravings, etc.
Consuming a piece of jaggery daily before the period can help in reducing menstrual cramps. Moreover, if you’re feeling down or having a sudden mood swing, a piece of jaggery can help boost the happy hormones.
3. Excellent Source of Energy
Jaggery is packed with complex carbohydrates that provide gradual energy upon digestion for a longer time. Unlike sugar which provides a short-lived energy boost, gur provides slow and long-lived energy.
The reason behind this lies in its unrefined form. It is present in the unrefined form which doesn’t allow the blood sugar levels to rise immediately. This also helps in preventing fatigue and laziness.
You can take a piece of gur whenever you’re feeling low. It can help in boosting energy levels for a longer time.
Moreover, it also has rejuvenating and strength-building properties which can help in building overall health.
4. Prevents Constipation
Jaggery is also widely known for its benefits to the digestive system. It activates digestive enzymes including protease (helps in the digestion of proteins), amylase (helps in the digestion of carbs), and lipase (helps in digestion of fats). These enzymes help in the proper digestion of food.
Many people prefer eating a piece of jaggery or a piece of jaggery with ghee right after the meal to kick-start their digestion and improve bowel movements.
The iron present in ur and the fat present in ghee act as a natural laxative to relieve constipation.
5. Treat Cold and Flu-Like Symptoms
If you have any cold, cough, or flu-like symptoms, jaggery can help you in the fight. Jaggery produces heat in the body, moreover, it also helps in soothing throat irritation and clearing the respiratory tract. It has been proven as a lung cleanser as it creates a layer on the inner lining of the throat.
The people who regularly come into contact with dust or cold, jaggery (gur) can help them protect against many respiratory diseases that arise from air pollutants.
If you’re suffering from a cold, flu, or cough, then taking a piece of jaggery can help you in relieving the symptoms.
Apart from eating jaggery, you can add a piece of jaggery in warm water and drink it.
You can also add jaggery into tea or milk and drink it. It can help in warming up your body and alleviating cold symptoms.
6. Boosts Immunity
If you have weak immunity levels, then don’t worry. Jaggery can help you boost immunity.
Jaggery is full of minerals, vitamins, and antioxidants that can aid in boosting immunity. It has Vitamin C, zinc, and selenium in significant quantities that can help in enhancing the body’s immune system.
The presence of antioxidants helps in preventing free radical damage. Moreover, it also builds resistance against numerous infections.
Zinc and Vitamin C helps in maintaining a healthy immune system. Selenium in jaggery helps in enhancing the immune response of the body against microbes.
7. Prevents Anemia
Anemia is a condition in which hemoglobin (blood) levels are significantly dropped. Hemoglobin is a protein which responsible for delivering oxygen to tissues of the body. Low hemoglobin levels can cause shortness of breath, tiredness, irregular heartbeats, dizziness, headaches, cold hands and feet, yellowish skin, etc.
If blood deficiency rises, then it can cause many major health issues.
Jaggery is known to be rich in iron and folate which helps in preventing anemia. The iron and folate in jaggery works by increasing hemoglobin levels in the blood.
Doctors usually recommend consuming jaggery (gur) to adolescents and pregnant women.
8. Reduce Joint Pain
If you have joint pain or arthritis, then jaggery can help in providing massive relief.
It contains magnesium, phosphorus, and calcium which keeps the bones healthy and strong. These nutrients combine and work together to remove bone pain and problems.
If jaggery is consumed with ginger, it can improve its overall effectiveness.
Additionally, jaggery has anti-inflammatory compounds such as flavonoids and phenols. These anti-inflammatory compounds can provide relief from stiffness and joint pain.
Drinking a glass of warm milk with jaggery can help strengthen bones and reduce joint pain.
Final Words
As jaggery (gur) doesn’t undergo extensive treatment and refining other than boiling of sugarcane syrup; therefore, its nutritional content such as fiber, mineral salts, irons, etc is retained.
Being rich in vitamins, fiber, iron, and minerals, it has numerous benefits for health.
Now you have a comprehensive view of the health benefits of jaggery. Therefore, you should start consuming jaggery today. It can be taken in raw form or used in drinks.
If you’ve diabetes or any other medical condition, then you should consult the best nutritionist in Pakistan.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. What Happens If We Eat Jaggery Daily?
Jaggery should be consumed in moderation, or else it can cause diarrhea, abdominal pain, and cause weight gain. Moreover, it is not recommended to consume jaggery for sugar patients.
2. Is Jaggery Healthy than Sugar?
Many researches have shown that jaggery is healthier than white sugar. White sugar is refined and has more sugar levels whereas jaggery is unrefined form and has complex carbohydrates which take time to digest.
3. Can Diabetics Eat Jaggery?
Jaggery is healthier than white sugar but it is not suitable for diabetics. Diabetes patients should use jaggery in moderation to fulfill their sugar cravings only on the recommendation of the doctor.
4. Are Jaggery and Sugar the Same?
Jaggery and sugar are made up of sugar cane but the processing method of both of these makes them entirely different products. Sugar is in refined form whereas jaggery is in unrefined form.