These five reasons will make you want to get rid of white refined sugar instantly.Jaggery (or gur) is made from unrefined sugar, and is obtained by boiling raw, concentrated sugar cane juice till it solidifies. Although jaggery is also made from the sap of coconut and date palm, the one made from sugar cane is the one that’s used most widely.
Not only is gur better than white sugar–which only adds empty calories to your body–it also has a number of health benefits, including its ability to cleanse the body, aid in digestion and provide good amounts of minerals. Here are some health benefits that will make you want to adopt jaggery as your go-to sweetener for everyday purposes:
* It prevents constipation by aiding digestion. It activates the digestive enzymes in our body, thus helps in proper digestion of food. That’s why many people prefer eating jaggery after a meal.
* It acts as a detox, as it helps cleanse the liver by flushing out nasty toxins from the body.
* Jaggery is loaded with antioxidants and minerals like zinc and selenium, which help prevent free-radicals (responsible for early ageing). It helps boost resistance against infections, hence building stronger immunity.
* Eating a piece of jaggery daily can help women combat PMS symptoms including mood swings, menstrual cramps and abdominal pain.
* Jaggery acts as a natural sweetener and provides energy over an extended period of time. Even factory-made honey has been deemed unhealthy because it gets ripped of its nutrients. That’s when jaggery steps in!
* Jaggery helps in the maintenance of proper functioning of the digestive system. This, in turn, prevents many digestive problems and improves digestion as well.
* Jaggery stimulates digestive enzyme secretion, and it also gets converted into acetic acid. Therefore, it speeds up the process of digestion, as the load on the digestive tract is significantly reduced.
* As it helps in maintaining proper digestion, jaggery also helps in regulating the bowel movement and preventing problems such as indigestion, constipation, flatulence, intestinal worms, etc
* One of the most well-known benefits of jaggery is its ability to purify the blood. When consumed on a regular basis, it cleanses the blood, leaving your body healthy.
* Jaggery helps in boosting the total count of hemoglobin in the blood. It also boosts the immunity that, in turn, helps in preventing a wide variety of blood disorders and diseases.
* Jaggery is rich in iron and folate that help in preventing anemia by ensuring that a normal level of red blood cells is maintained. This is especially beneficial for pregnant women. It also provides instant energy that prevents fatigue and weakness of the body.