• Home
  • Blogs
  • HerbsJaggery: Health Benefits, Uses, Dosage and Side Effects

Jaggery: Health Benefits, Uses, Dosage and Side Effects

User

By NS Desk 08-Dec-2020

Jaggery

Jaggery Health Benefits

Jaggery is produced from sugarcane, and it contains all the essential minerals and vitamins that are beneficial for the body. Jaggery is commonly known as ‘Guda,' and it is the unrefined form of sugar. Jaggery is available in three forms that are solid, liquid, and powder. You can consume jaggery for health benefits as it has a laxative property that helps treat constipation and also activates digestive enzymes. Jaggery has hot properties, and it can produce heat in the body. Some other benefits of jaggery are that it helps in improving digestion because of its ushna property, and it is also good for weight loss as it has potassium content. However, you must not consume jaggery in excess amounts as it can lead to an upset stomach.

Properties of Jaggery

Jaggery has so many beneficial properties that may help in the treatment of various health problems. Some of these properties of jaggery are as follows:

  • Laxative property
  • Ushna property
  • Pitta balancing property
  • Antioxidant property
  • Snigdha property
  • Vata balancing property
  • Kapha balancing property
  • Rasayana property
  • Hrdya property

So these are some of the properties of jaggery. All these properties are beneficial for the overall health of a person.

Historical Uses of Jaggery

Jaggery has so many health benefits and has been used by people for hundreds of years. Jaggery is used as sweeter in food and is used for medicinal purposes because of its medicinal properties. The use of jaggery dates back hundreds of years as it was used to treat all cold symptoms as has high potency. Some of the health benefits of consuming jaggery are as follows:

  • Good for improving digestion
  • Improves appetite
  • Helps in the treatment of constipation
  • Helps relieve the common cold
  • Helps in the treatment of chronic cough
  • Helps manage weight

So these were some of the health problems that can be treated with the help of jaggery. People for years have believed in the health benefits of jaggery. Moreover, people also consume jaggery as it has many health benefits for the body.

Benefits of Jaggery in Ayurvedic Treatment

Jaggery is highly valued for ayurvedic treatments. Jaggery has so many health benefits and useful healing properties. Check out all the benefits of jaggery in the treatment of various health problems.

Helps in the Treatment of Indigestion
Jaggery has ushna property that helps in balancing the pachak Agni and thereby improving digestion. The reason for indigestion is a weak digestive system and the consumption of unhealthy food. However, consuming jaggery can help improve digestion.

Tips for Consuming Jaggery for Improving Digestion

If you have a weak digestive system, you could consume jaggery by keeping the following tip.

  • You could take about 2-3 inches of jaggery piece.
  • You can consume it after having your meals.
  • Consuming jaggery pieces regularly after meals can help in improving the digestive system. 

Helps in the Treatment of Lost Appetite
The main reason for the loss of appetite is the weak digestive system and the aggravation of Vata, pitta, and Kapha doshas in the body, leading to improper food digestion. When the food is not digested properly, it leads to the secretion of gastric juice in the stomach, which thereby causes loss of appetite. Therefore, consuming jaggery can help in improving the appetite by improving the digestive system.

Helps in the Treatment of Anemia
Jaggery has a pitta balancing property that is beneficial for improving the condition of anemia, and it also has Rasayana property that is beneficial for the overall health of a person. The reason for anemia is an imbalance of pitta dosha in the body as anemia is a condition when the hemoglobin in the blood is reduced beyond the average level. Therefore, consuming jaggery can be beneficial for patients suffering from anemia.

Tips for Consuming Jaggery to Treat Anemia

If you are suffering from anemia, you can follow these steps to consume jaggery for treatment.

  • You could take 2-3 small pieces of jaggery and consume them along with or after having your meals.
  • You can consume 2-3 pieces of jaggery daily for treating the symptoms of anemia.

Helps in Managing Weight
The reason for obesity or weight gain is because of the weak digestive system and due to an unhealthy lifestyle that includes eating unhealthy food that leads to the accumulation of Ama in the body. Ama is the toxic waste that is retained in the body because of weak or improper digestion. However, jaggery has ushna property that is beneficial for improving the weak digestive system and thereby helps in managing weight. Moreover, jaggery has Snigdha property, which is the oily property of jaggery that is beneficial for the proper excretion of waste from the body.

Tips for Consuming Jaggery for Managing Weight

If you want to manage your weight, then you can follow these steps.

  • You could make a cup of tea and could replace sugar with jaggery as jaggery can play the same role as sugar as it is used as a sweetener.
  • Replacing sugar with jaggery can be beneficial for improving your metabolism and managing your weight.

Dosage of Jaggery Recommended By Doctors

Jaggery powder: You could consume about 5 grams to 30 grams of jaggery powder in a day.

Usage of Jaggery for Ayurvedic Treatment

Jaggery can be consumed and used for ayurvedic treatment. Check out how you can consume and use jaggery for your treatments.

Jaggeryroti

You can consume jaggery in the form of a chapati. You can follow these steps for preparation.

  • You could take about half a cup of milk in a boiling pot and add about 2-3 cups of grated jaggery to the pot.
  • Let the jaggery dissolve in the milk on low heat.
  • After it is dissolved, let the mixture cool down.
  • After the mixture has cool down, you could add some salt, ghee, and a cup of milk to the mixture.
  • Now start making dough with the mixture by adding milk.
  • Now you can make chapatis from this dough.
  • Jaggerychapati is nutritious and good for the overall health of a person. 

Precautionary Guide for Using Jaggery

Certain precautions must be considered before the consumption of jaggery. Check out certain precautions that must be followed seriously:

For Pregnant Ladies
There is not enough evidence to support the consumption of jaggery during pregnancy. Therefore, it is better that you consult your doctor before consuming jaggery, or you can avoid jaggery during pregnancy.

For Diabetic Patients
If you have diabetes, then you must know that jaggery has sucrose contents that can lower blood glucose levels. Therefore, it is advised to consult your doctor before consuming jaggery along with any anti-diabetic medicines, or you can avoid jaggery if you have diabetes. 

Frequently Asked Questions About Jaggery

Q. What is the right way to identify pure jaggery?
Ans.
There are some ways in which you can differentiate pure jaggery from adulterated one. Check out how you can check if jaggery is pure or not. 

  • Pure jaggery will always have a dark brown color, whereas an adulterated one will be light brown. 
  • If there are crystals in the jaggery, then it means that it has been processed to make it taste sweeter. However, pure jaggery will have the right taste, color, and flavor. 

Q. What is the right procedure for adding jaggery to the milk?
Ans.
You can add jaggery to the milk for replacing sugar by grating the jaggery and mixing it in the milk, or you also have the option of using jaggery powder that can be used in place of sugar. 

Q. What are the types of jaggery?
Ans.
According to Ayurveda, jaggery does not have any types, but they are divided based on their expiry date. Check out the types of jaggery based on time intervals.

  • Naveen Guda: This is referred to as the new jaggery that has been produced from sugarcane. 
  • Purana Guda: This is jaggery which is about one year old. 
  • Prapurana Guda: This is jaggery that is about three years old.

According to ayurvedic studies, the older the jaggery, the more beneficial it is for health. However, if the jaggery exceeds 4 years' time, it starts to lose its effectiveness and could even lead to cough and dyspnea. 

Q. What is the procedure for producing jaggery?
Ans.
Jaggery is produced from the sugarcane by extracting the sugarcane juice and then boiling it. The sugar cane juice is boiled so that it solidifies and can be produced into jaggery.

Q. Are there side effects of consuming jaggery regularly?
Ans.
There are no side effects of consuming jaggery every day as it could be consumed after or along with your meals. Jaggery is good for health and is beneficial for preventing constipation and promoting good digestion of food. Therefore, you can consume jaggery regularly with your meals.

Q. Are there any side effects of consuming jaggery in excess?
Ans.
It is not recommended to consume jaggery in excessive amounts as it could be harmful to the body. The recommended amount of jaggery is between 5 grams to 30 grams in a day. However, if you exceed the consumption, it could deplete the immune system and increase blood glucose levels. 

Q. Is there any difference between sugar and jaggery?
Ans.
Sugar and jaggery are completely different as sugar is produced from a simple sucrose form that is digested faster. On the other hand, jaggery is produced from longer chains of salts, sucrose, fiber, and minerals. You could replace sugar with jaggery as jaggery is more beneficial for the body since it is rich in iron, and it can be beneficial for people with iron deficiency. Moreover, jaggery can be used for detoxification as it could clean the lungs and respiratory tract. 

Q. Can we consume jaggery for managing weight?
Ans.
Jaggery has potassium content that is beneficial for managing or losing weight. This happens because potassium's high content is good for preventing water retention in the body which leads to weight loss.

Q. Can we consume jaggery for preventing anemia?
Ans.
Jaggery has a pitta balancing property that is beneficial for improving the condition of anemia, and it also has Rasayana property that is beneficial for the overall health of a person. The reason for anemia is an imbalance of pitta dosha in the body as anemia is a condition when the hemoglobin in the blood is reduced beyond the average level. Therefore, consuming jaggery can be beneficial for patients suffering from anemia.

Q. Which is best for a diabetic patient to consume- jaggery or sugar?
Ans.
In case you have diabetes, it is recommended not to consume any sugar or jaggery. However, suppose you want some sweetness in your meals. In that case, it is recommended to consume jaggery over sugar as sugar is made with sucrose that is fast absorbed in the body, which thereby leads to a rapid increase in blood glucose levels. However, jaggery is not rapidly absorbed by the blood, and it takes time the break down. Therefore, if you have diabetes, you could consume jaggery over sugar, as it will not cause a rapid increase in blood sugar levels.

Q. Does jaggery help in managing acidity?
Ans.
Ayurveda: According to ayurvedic studies, the reason for acidity is due to a weak digestive system. However, jaggery has ushna property that is beneficial for improving the pachak Agni which thereby helps in improving digestion and managing acidity. Therefore, you can consume jaggery for managing your acidity.

Science: According to scientific studies, jaggery has potassium content that is beneficial for managing acidity as it helps in reducing the accumulation of acid in the stomach. Therefore, one can consume jaggery for managing acidity.

Q. Can we consume jaggery for managing asthma?
Ans.
Ayurveda: According to ayurvedic studies, the reason for asthma is the imbalance of Vata and Kapha dosha in the body. However, jaggery has Vata and Kapha balancing properties that are beneficial for managing asthma. Moreover, jaggery also has Rasayana property that is beneficial for maintaining the overall health of a person. Therefore, you can consume jaggery for managing asthma and promoting your overall health.

Science: According to scientific studies, jaggery is good for body toxification and cleansing. Therefore, consuming jaggery can help in cleansing the lungs and respiratory tract, thereby managing asthma by cleaning the air passages of any dust. 

Q. Are there any benefits of jaggery for arthritis?
Ans.
Ayurveda: According to ayurvedic studies, jaggery has Vata balancing properties that are beneficial for providing relief from joint pains in arthritic patients. The reason for arthritis is the imbalance of Vata dosha in the body. Therefore, consuming jaggery can be beneficial for treating arthritic pain.

Science: According to scientific studies, there is not enough evidence available to support whether jaggery is beneficial for arthritis or not.

Q. Does consuming jaggery help in the fast digestion of food?
Ans.
Jaggery has a high content of potassium, which is beneficial for the fast digestion of food. Moreover, the potassium content in the jaggery also helps manage acidity as it helps reduce the accumulation of acid in the stomach. Therefore, one can consume jaggery for managing acidity and promoting the fast digestion of food. 

Q. Can we consume jaggery for bodybuilding?
Ans.
Ayurveda: Jaggery has Balya property that is beneficial for bodybuilding as consuming jaggery provides energy and strength to the bones and muscles in the body, thereby promoting bodybuilding.

Science: Jaggery has a high potassium content that may be beneficial for bodybuilders as potassium helps improve the metabolism and digestive system. Therefore, consuming jaggery can be beneficial for bodybuilding.

Q. Does jaggery help in managing blood pressure?
Ans.
Jaggery has a high amount of potassium content and a low amount of sodium content, which is beneficial for blood pressure. Consuming jaggery can lower high blood pressure.

Q. Is jaggery good for reducing bloating?
Ans.
Ayurveda: According to ayurvedic studies, the reason for bloating is because of the weak digestive system. However, jaggery has ushna property that is beneficial for improving digestion and balancing the pachak Agni which thereby reduces the bloating. Therefore, you can consume jaggery for reducing bloating.

Science: According to scientific studies, Jaggery has a high amount of potassium content and a low amount of sodium content, which is beneficial for reducing bloating. This happens as jaggery can help reduce the acidity in the stomach, which thereby reduces bloating.

Q. Can we consume jaggery for managing the nervous system?
Ans.
Jaggery has magnesium content, which is good for managing the nervous system as magnesium helps strengthen the nervous system of a person and helps in the relaxation of the muscles. Moreover, jaggery also has antioxidant property that is beneficial for preventing any cell damage. Therefore, you can consume jaggery for managing your nervous system.

Q. What is the procedure for making jaggery chapati?
Ans.
You can follow these steps for the preparation of jaggery chapati.

  • You could take about half a cup of milk in a boiling pot and add about 2-3 cups of grated jaggery to the pot.
  • Let the jaggery dissolve in the milk on low heat.
  • After it is dissolved, let the mixture cool down. 
  • After the mixture has cool down, you could add some salt, ghee, and a cup of milk to the mixture.
  • Now start making dough with the mixture by adding milk. 
  • Start making round chapatis from the dough that you prepared in the previous step.
  • Now heat a pan and put the chapati over the heated pan. 
  • Flip and make the chapatis as usual. 
  • You also have the option of applying ghee to the chapatis. 
  • Now your chapatis are ready to serve.
  • Jaggerychapati is nutritious and good for the overall health of a person. 

Q. Can we treat cough and cold by consuming jaggery?
Ans.
Jaggery is good for body toxification and cleansing. Therefore, consuming jaggery can help manage cough and cold by cleansing the lungs and respiratory tract, which helps ease breathing by cleaning the air passages from any dust.

Q. Is jaggery beneficial for lowering bad cholesterol levels?
Ans.
Ayurveda: According to ayurvedic studies, the reason for cholesterol is the weak digestive system and Ama's accumulation, which is the toxic waste in the body that leads to high cholesterol levels. However, jaggery has ushna property that is beneficial for getting rid of toxins from the body. Moreover, jaggery also has Snigdha property that is beneficial for preventing constipation and thereby helps in maintaining the cholesterol levels in the body.

Science: According to scientific studies, there is not enough evidence available to support whether jaggery is beneficial for managing cholesterol levels. 

Q. Are there any benefits of consuming jaggery for the eyes?
Ans.
There is not enough evidence to support whether jaggery is beneficial for the eyes or not.

Q. Are there any benefits of consuming jaggery for improved fertility?
Ans.
There is not enough evidence to support whether jaggery is beneficial for fertility or not.

Q. Are there any benefits of consuming jaggery for GERD?
Ans.
There is not enough evidence to support whether jaggery is beneficial for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). However, jaggery has a high magnesium content that is beneficial for improving digestion and reducing stomach acidity.

Q. Are there any benefits of consuming jaggery for PCOS?
Ans.
There is not enough evidence available to support whether jaggery is beneficial for PCOS.

Q. Are there any benefits of jaggery for the heart?
Ans.
Ayurveda: According to Ayurvedic studies, Jaggery has hrdya property that is beneficial for the heart as it helps strengthen the heart muscles and improve heart functioning. Therefore, one can consume jaggery for improving heart health.

Science: According to scientific studies, there is not enough evidence available to support whether jaggery is beneficial for the heart or not. However, jaggery has antioxidant properties that may help manage the heart's functioning and clean out the toxins from the body. 

Q. Can we consume jaggery for the treatment of piles?
Ans.
The reason for piles is chronic constipation. Jaggery has Snigdha property that is beneficial for managing piles. It helps reduce the intestines' dryness and provides oiliness in the intestines that lead to ease in passing the stool. 

Q. Does consuming jaggery lead to gas?
Ans.
There is not enough evidence available to support whether jaggery leads to gas or not.

Q. Does consuming jaggery lead to diarrhea?
Ans.
Jaggery does not lead to diarrhea, but instead, it helps in preventing diarrhea when consumed along with bael fruit. You can consume jaggery 3 times a day to prevent diarrhea.

Q. Can consume jaggery lead to weight gain?
Ans.
Jaggery has medoyriddhi property that helps in gaining weight. Therefore, consuming jaggery can lead to an aggravated Kapha dosha in the body, which thereby leads to weight gain. 

Q. Are there any differences between palm jaggery and normal jaggery?
Ans.
There are some differences between palm jaggery and normal jaggery. However, both of them are plant bases. Check out the differences between palm jaggery and normal jaggery.

  • The procedure of making palm jaggery is by reducing the sap of palms, and on the other hand, jaggery is made out of sugarcane.
  • The taste of palm jaggery and normal jaggery may differ.
  • Normal jaggery is a bit sweeter as compared to palm jaggery.
  • Palm jaggery is full of nutrients like vitamins and minerals, which are good for fast digestion and help in preventing constipation. 

Q. What is the nutrition profile of jaggery?
Ans.
Jaggery is produced from sugarcane and palm, and therefore the nutrition profile depends on the type of plant used for the production of jaggery. However, jaggery is rich in nutrients like minerals and vitamins that include calcium, zinc, potassium, magnesium, phosphorous, and more. Moreover, jaggery has a number of health properties like antitoxic properties, anti-carcinogenic properties, antioxidant properties, and more.

Q. Are there any benefits of consuming jaggery tea?
Ans.
Jaggery tea is beneficial as you can replace sugar with jaggery, which is more beneficial for your health. Some of the health benefits of adding jaggery in place of sugar in your tea are as follows:

  • Jaggery in tea can help improve your digestive system by balancing your pachak Agni.
  • Consuming jaggery, along with tea, can also help in improving your metabolism.
  • Jaggery helps in getting rid of the toxins from the body and helps manage weight.
  • So these were some of the benefits of consuming jaggery tea.
Disclaimer - The aim of the article is just to convey information to you. Use any medicine, therapy, herb or fruit please do it under the guidance of a qualified Ayurveda doctor.