Is jaggery a healthy replacement for sugar?

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Photos: iStock/mescioglu/Vinayak Jagtap

Fitness enthusiasts and health experts have been debating over whether jaggery is a healthy replacement for processed sugar. Sugarcane juice is processed to make sugar while jaggery is produced from unprocessed sugarcane juice.

Is sugar dangerous?

Sugar can weaken the cells in the body. It slips into the cells to weaken the DNA. It disrupts the structure of the cells and can even slow down the physical growth and development. Meanwhile, celebrity nutritionist Rujutha Diwekar, in a viral Instagram post, answers whether jaggery is a replacement for sugar. She says that one should be extra careful while choosing sugar or jaggery as the sweetener. In the winter, jaggery is good. Dishes like bajra roti and thil ka laddoo are perfect winter comfort food. However, during summer, when consumption of refreshing drinks is high, sugar could be added in these drinks.

Rujutha says that jaggery is not the perfect replacement for sugar. However, she reminds that sugar could be completely avoided or replaced in the sweet desserts that are cooked at home. She vows that by avoiding processed sugar, one could achieve a fit body and glowing skin.

The sugar in packaged food and processed food is extremely dangerous. However, homecooked food that suits the weather and the sugar that is added in tea or coffee need not be avoided.

Rujutha observes that the society has a concern about the consumption of sugar. Many companies often exploit this to push their products in the market. It must be noted that most companies that produce processed sugar often makes food items that are marketed as low sugar also. Rujutha says that low sugar ice creams and low sugar yoghurts are often marketed like this.  

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