Sugar vs Jaggery for Weight Loss: Most of the people have a habit of finishing their meals with a small piece of jaggery. This is because it stimulates digestion in the system. Apart from it, this natural sweetener is a powerhouse of antioxidants that offers a multitude of health benefits.
When compared to sugar, it has low amounts of calories that aids in weight reduction in the body. It energizes the body and relieves fatigue. Jaggery possesses remarkable immune boosting attributes that keep you strong and healthy. Here are some of the reasons that make jaggery beneficial over sugar.
Jaggery for Weight Loss – Highlights
Stimulates digestion
Jaggery has beneficial compounds that help activate the digestive enzymes in the body. This action accelerates the speed of digestion.
Effective detoxification agent
Jaggery works as an effective detox that helps eliminate harmful toxins out of the body. It cleanses the blood and helps in the weight loss journey.
Boosts metabolism
Another benefit of jaggery is that it increases the metabolic rate in the body. The high amounts of potassium in it speeds up the calorie-burning process. This, in turn, leads to weight loss in the body. (1)
Prevents water retention
Jaggery for Weight Loss is powerful because of minerals like potassium, and zinc that helps maintain the right electrolyte balance. It prevents water retention in the body and contributes to weight loss.
Note: As jaggery is sweet in nature, you should eat it in moderate amounts (up to two teaspoons a day). This will help to prevent weight gain in the body and use Jaggery for Weight Loss.
Jaggery Weight Loss Drink
So, we have seen that the high amounts of antioxidants and minerals in jaggery helps you reduce body weight. Here, we are going to show the right way to consume jaggery to shed excess weight naturally and gradually. Jaggery weight loss drink is an amazing concoction made with jaggery and lemon. Drink it on an empty stomach as the first thing in the morning to realize its benefits. Regular consumption of this drink will help manage your body weight.
The two primary ingredients of the drink are lemon and jaggery. Their combination provides you a high amount of Vitamin C, antioxidants, zinc, and potassium. The goodness of both the ingredients keeps your respiratory system and digestive system clean and clear.
Now let us look at the procedure to prepare this interesting health drink.
- Get one glass of lukewarm water.
- Now add one teaspoon of crushed dry jaggery and one teaspoon of lemon juice in it.
- Mix everything nicely. Keep stirring till the jaggery fully dissolves in water.
Your jaggery and lemon drink is ready. In the summer season, you can also add a few mint leaves in it to make it refreshing and more flavorful. (2)
9 Jaggery for Weight Loss Benefits
Prevents constipation
Jaggery is a diuretic. It has the property to activate the digestion boosting enzymes that stimulate bowel movements in the body. In this way, it aids in the prevention and cure of constipation. Consume a piece of it after your meals to boost digestion.
Increases Immunity
Jaggery is packed with Vitamin C (antioxidants) and minerals like selenium and zinc that help protect your body against free-radical damage. It also makes your body resistant to infections. Regular consumption of jaggery also enhances the hemoglobin levels in the blood.
Eases menstrual pain and joint pain
Jaggery has several essential nutrients that are good for treating menstrual issues in the body. It helps provide relief from menstrual cramps and PMS symptoms like sudden mood swings etc. Jaggery releases endorphins in the body that relax the body and helps prevent premenstrual syndrome.
Detoxifies your liver
Detoxification is one of the important functions of the liver in the body. Jaggery is a natural and potent body purifier that lowers the burden on the liver. It purifies the liver by eliminating harmful toxins from the body. It effectively cleans the entire respiratory tract that includes intestines, lungs, food pipe, and stomach. When your body becomes clean, it becomes more efficient and productive.
Treats flu
Jaggery for Weight Loss is quite beneficial in cold as well. If you have a cough and cold, then drink jaggery water. It is the simplest and very effective way to fight the signs of cough and cold. Add a piece of jaggery in a glass of lukewarm water, or in your tea in place of sugar, to get rid of flu. The addition of ginger to this drink will increase its benefits manifolds.
Cleanses the blood
When clean blood flows in your body, it contributes to a healthy and disease-free body. Jaggery is a natural blood purifier. When you consume it on a daily basis and in restricted amounts, then it purifies the blood and makes you your body healthy.
Prevents anemia
Jaggery has good amounts of folate and iron that increase hemoglobin in the body. Its regular consumption helps maintain the right amount of red blood cells. In this way, it prevents anemia too. Due to this property, consumption of jaggery is beneficial for pregnant women too.
Cools the stomach
Another benefit of jaggery is that it cools the stomach. Sipping cool jaggery water throughout the day keeps your stomach body. It is a perfect drink to beat the scorching heat in summers.
Controls blood pressure:
Jaggery is helpful for people who have high blood pressure. It is rich in two minerals, sodium, and potassium that plays a major role in regulating acid levels in the system. The presence of potassium helps maintain the right level of blood pressure in the body. However, if you are on a blood pressure-lowering medication, you should talk to your doctor before consuming it.
5 Jaggery Side Effects
In specific health conditions, eating jaggery can cause you trouble. Inferior quality jaggery can cause harm than good on your body. Let us see in what ways jaggery can be harmful to your health.
Can elevate the blood sugar levels
Jaggery is no doubt better than regular sugar, but there is no denying from the fact that it is also a form of sugar. A high intake of jaggery can cause raise your blood glucose levels in the body. If you are a diabetic, then over-consumption of jaggery can worsen your symptoms.
Increases chances of parasitic infections
Impure jaggery can have impurities in it. Consuming such inferior quality jaggery can lead to the formation of worms and parasites in your gut. If it is prepared in unhygienic conditions, then it can be laden with microbes. This can ultimately impact your health.
Cause indigestion
There have been instances when freshly prepared jaggery has caused intestinal issues like diarrhea in people. A few of them have also reported constipation after they consumed freshly prepared jaggery.
Can cause nose bleeding
Excessive consumption of jaggery in the summer season can also lead to nose troubles. Though jaggery is cooling and relieving in hot days of the year, it should be consumed in moderation.
May aggravate inflammatory health issues.
Jaggery has got a lot of sucrose in it. It is also not refined. So, people who suffer from rheumatoid arthritis or any other inflammatory condition should not consume it. It is reported that the presence of sucrose in it interferes with the omega-3 fatty acids, and can aggravate inflammation in the body. (3)
Commonly asked questions about Jaggery For Weight Loss
Here are a few commonly asked questions on the impact of jaggery on weight loss.
Is jaggery good for losing weight?
Jaggery is a highly effective ingredient for complete detoxification of the body. It cleans the body by expelling harmful toxins from it and, in this way, promotes weight loss. By adding jaggery to your diet, it helps accelerate the metabolism of the body, and burn excess fat around the tummy region quickly.
Is it OK to eat jaggery every day?
Jaggery is a beneficial and safe replacement for sugar as long as it is consumed in moderate amounts, i.e., up to two teaspoons a day. Though jaggery is seen to be beneficial for the body but is overconsumption can lead to harmful effects on the body. These side effects can be seen in the form of weight gain, raised blood sugar levels, etc.
Will jaggery make me fat?
Jaggery is one of the forms of sugar that are high in carbs and calories, so if you eat it in excess, then it can cause calorie gain in the body. Excess calories can contribute to weight gain. It is best to restrict your daily consumption of jaggery to not more than two teaspoons a day.
Is jaggery tea good for weight loss?
The drink works by stimulating the metabolism in the body. It assists in burning the visceral fat (fat deposited around the tummy area) fast. Enjoy it daily on an empty stomach in the morning.
Do let us know in comments if you any issue while using Jaggery for Weight Loss.
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