While refined sweetener is axenic sucrose, jaggery contains hint minerals specified arsenic iron, magnesium, potassium, and calcium, acknowledgment to minimal processing. (File)
Jaggery, a accepted sweetener derived from sugarcane oregon thenar sap, is simply a beloved constituent successful galore cultures, particularly successful South Asia. Known for its earthy sweetness, it is often combined with nuts and spices to make wholesome treats specified arsenic chikki oregon laddu.
While jaggery boasts definite nutritional benefits, its superior constituent is inactive sugar, which raises concerns astir its consumption, peculiarly for diabetics and individuals monitoring their sweetener intake. How bash we past optimise its nutritional properties without raising our sweetener levels?
How does jaggery disagree from sugar?
That has to bash with processing and nutrient retention. While refined sweetener is axenic sucrose, jaggery contains hint minerals specified arsenic iron, magnesium, potassium, and calcium, acknowledgment to minimal processing. It is besides affluent successful antioxidants and has a little glycemic scale (which measures however rapidly a carbohydrate-containing nutrient raises humor sweetener levels) of 55 than refined sugar, which is astatine 65. One tablespoonful (20 grams) of jaggery provides astir 65-70 kcal, 15-16 gram sugar, 11 per cent of the regular recommended intake (RDI) for robust and 4 per cent of RDI for magnesium.
How operation with nuts helps
Nuts, similar almonds, cashews and peanuts, are affluent successful steadfast fats, macromolecule and fibre, which dilatory down sweetener absorption and forestall humor sweetener spikes. Spices similar cardamom, cinnamon and fennel not lone heighten flavour but besides connection anti-inflammatory and humor sugar-regulating properties. For example, chikki oregon jaggery-peanut brittle provides macromolecule and unsaturated fats, which assistance equilibrium the carbohydrate contented of jaggery.
Try Til ke Laddu oregon sesame-jaggery balls. Sesame seeds adhd calcium, robust and magnesium to the mix, complementing jaggery’s nutrient profile. Adding ginger oregon cinnamon to jaggery-sweetened beverage enhances its antioxidant and digestive benefits.
However, information power remains key
The WHO recommends that added sugars should beryllium nary much than 5 per cent of your regular calorie intake. For a 2,000-calorie diet, this translates to 25–50 grams of sweetener daily, including jaggery and different sweeteners. Non diabetics tin see 10–15 grams (approximately 1 tablespoon) successful their regular diet. For instance, bask a tiny portion of jaggery-nut brittle mid-morning and different post-lunch.
Diabetics tin person 5–10 grams per time lone erstwhile paired with macromolecule oregon fibre.
Time It Right
Consuming jaggery successful the greeting oregon arsenic portion of a post-lunch snack aligns with higher metabolic activity, allowing for amended sweetener use. Monitor full sweetener intake by factoring successful jaggery utilized successful teas, desserts, and savory dishes.
(Narang is nutritionist, Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals, New Delhi)
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First uploaded on: 18-11-2024 astatine 08:21 IST