Yes, when used as a substitute for sugar, jaggery can help you lose weight. Though similar in calorie content, jaggery is sweeter than sugar and thus you require less of it to sweeten your food. This can help you cut down on calories. Also, unlike sugar, jaggery is rich in antioxidants, essential minerals and vitamins, and is not considered to be addictive. However, make sure to restrict your daily consumption of jaggery to around 10 or 15 g if you are trying to lose weight.
Jaggery or gur has been a staple ingredient in most Indian kitchens for millennia. It was briefly replaced by sugar as the main sweetener in most households, but has had a resurgence recently, mostly due to people becoming more health-conscious. But is jaggery good for weight loss? What makes it better than sugar or honey as a sweetener? How much jaggery should you eat to lose weight? Read on to find out how jaggery helps you lose weight!
What is Jaggery?
Jaggery is an unrefined, non-centrifugal sweetener made from sugarcane and toddy palm trees. It is called non-centrifugal because unlike sugar, for jaggery making, the sugarcane juice is not “spun” or centrifuged to remove molasses, which contains most of the nutrients.
India is the largest producer of jaggery in the world, with about a 70% share of the global production. Jaggery is known as gur, gul, bellam, sharkara, or gola across India. It is widely used in South and South-East Asian cuisines.
Jaggery: Nutritional Profile
Good quality jaggery contains over 70% sucrose, about 10% of glucose and fructose combined, with less than 3% of moisture. Jaggery is almost entirely composed of simple carbohydrates. The amount of protein, fibre, and fats in jaggery is almost negligible. Jaggery contains a moderate to a good amount of electrolytes like sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, and chloride. It is also rich in iron, copper, manganese, and antioxidants. It also has small amounts of vitamins A, B-complex, C, D2, and E.
The following are the nutritional profiles for 100 g of jaggery, granulated sugar, and honey, according to the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).
Total Sugar
75 to 100 g
65 to 85 g
10 to 15 g
0 g
0 g
99.8 g
99.8 g
0 g
0 g
0 g
82.1 g
0.89 g
76.7 g
1.44 g
3.1 g
As seen in the above table, jaggery has more micronutrients compared to sugar and honey. Thus, when compared to jaggery, the calories in sugar and honey can be considered empty (without nutrients). Though jaggery is slightly higher in calories when compared to honey, it has more electrolytes and trace minerals that boost its nutritional value and make it the healthiest alternative to sugar for weight loss.
What are the Benefits of Jaggery for Weight Loss?
How Much Jaggery Per Day is Good for Weight Loss?
If you are trying to lose weight, limit your consumption of jaggery to 10 to 15 g a day. As jaggery is made up completely of sugars like sucrose, glucose, and fructose, eating more than 15 g of jaggery a day can lead to weight gain.
When Should You Eat Jaggery for Weight Loss?
There is no ideal time to eat jaggery for weight loss. As jaggery is rich in antioxidants, adding it to your morning detox drink can help boost your metabolism. Consuming jaggery after your meals can help improve digestion.
How to Eat Jaggery for Weight Loss?
What are the Risks of Overconsumption of Jaggery?
What are the Other Health Benefits of Jaggery?
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Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, when used as a substitute for sugar, jaggery can help you lose weight. Though similar in calorie content, jaggery is sweeter than sugar and thus you require less of it to sweeten your food. This can help you cut down on calories. Also, unlike sugar, jaggery is rich in antioxidants, essential minerals and vitamins, and is not considered to be addictive. However, make sure to restrict your daily consumption of jaggery to around 10 or 15 g if you are trying to lose weight.
Jaggery has high amounts of simple carbohydrates, which can lead to weight gain if consumed in excess. Limit your daily intake of jaggery to 10 to 15 g for maintaining a healthy weight.
Though jaggery has no fat content, it is rich in simple carbohydrates. Consuming too many simple carbs can lead to weight gain and an increase in belly (visceral) fat. Thus, jaggery, if consumed in excess, can contribute to belly fat.
Yes, adding jaggery to tea can help with weight loss. However, adding jaggery to milk tea would not make much of a difference to your weight as the composition and preparation of milk tea negates the weight loss properties of jaggery, milk, and tea. Instead, try drinking green tea or black tea with half a teaspoon of jaggery instead of sugar, in order to lose weight.
Jaggery is a better alternative to sugar for weight loss as it is sweeter than sugar, which means you require less of it to sweeten your food. This can help you cut down on calories. Jaggery is also rich in electrolytes, minerals, vitamins and antioxidants which improve digestion.