Jaggery is a natural sweetener that’s also a healthier alternative to refined white sugar. It is prepared from the sap or the juice of plants that contains a considerable amount of sucrose or sugar. This includes plants like sugar cane and certain palms like date palm and Palmyra. 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. Traditional Jaggery is unrefined and non-distilled, so no chemicals are used in making it and all the nutrients like magnesium, iron, calcium, and phosphorus are retained.

How Is It Made?

Jaggery is made using traditional methods of pressing and distillation:

1. Extraction: The canes or palms are pressed to extract sweet juice or sap.

2. Clarification: The juice is allowed to stand so that any sediment settles to the bottom.

3. Concentration: The juice is then boiled in a flat bottomed pan.

Jaggery is considered healthier in comparison to refined sugar because there are different plant minerals and phytochemicals preserved in jaggery. There are a lot of people who avoid having jaggery mainly because of its raw appearance that is not very appealing. Nevertheless, it is always a good idea to make it a regular and integral part of one’s diet because it offers essential nutrients and also because it is one of the most effective remedies for different medical problems.

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. Below are some benefits of Jaggery which will make you want to replace your everyday sweetener:

 Blood purifier: This is one of the well-known benefits of jaggery. When consumed on a regular basis and in limited quantities, it cleanses the blood, leaving your body healthy.Clean blood will mean a healthier body and will ensure that it is free from any disease. 

 Combat PMS symptoms: Jaggery, due to its richness in many essential nutrients, is an effective natural treatment for menstrual problems, especially providing relief from cramps. Eating apiece of jaggery daily can help women combat issues like menstrual cramps, mood swings and abdominal pain, as it releases endorphins which help to relax the body and prevents pain.

 Rich in Iron: Jaggery is quite rich in its content of folate and iron and therefore it helps in increasing the haemoglobin content in blood and prevention of anemia. It also offers instant energy, preventing weakness and fatigue of the human body.

 Controls blood pressure: Jaggery contains potassium and sodium, which play an important role in the maintenance of acid levels in the body. It makes sure that a normal level of blood pressure is properly maintained.

 Improved Digestive Function:Eating a piece of jaggery after meals has a positive effect on the digestive process.It boosts secretion of digestive juices, speeds up the process and helps maintain proper digestion.

 Water Retention: Minor health issues like water retention and bloating can be treated with the help of jaggery. All that has to be done is mixing jaggery in warm water and use it in your tea for instant benefits.

 Detoxes the liver: Jaggery is a natural body cleanser. It helps to cleanse the liver by flushing out the harmful toxins from the body.