Jaggery VS Sugar: Is ‘gur’ better for weight loss?

Jaggery is often touted as a healthier option as compared to sugar. But is it a good option for weight loss? Read on to find out.

By: Arushi Bidhuri | | Updated: December 23, 2020 8:35 am

Jaggery is often touted as a healthier option as compared to sugar. But is it a good option for weight loss? Read on to find out.

Are you someone trying to lose weight but melt at the sight of something sweet? Sugar is definitely not your best friend if you are trying to get rid of extra kilos. Added sugar is one of the worst foods to have when on a weight loss diet. When it comes to shedding the extra flab, jaggery or what is popularly known as gur in India is touted as a better option. But is it really a better alternative? Let’s find out. Also Read - Is it healthy to eat Roti when a weight loss diet?

What Is Jaggery Made Of?

Jaggery is a type of unrefined sugar made from sugar cane. It is obtained by boiling it and turning it into a block. Other commonly used sources for making gur include date palm and the sap of the coconut. The colour may range from light golden to dark brown. Also Read - Jaggery: Stock up on gur this season to ward off several health woes

Sugar Vs Jaggery

Jaggery is wonderful, scrumptious food that has been a part of Indian households for thousands of years. It has become popular as the “healthy” replacement for sugar in the fitness world. This natural substitute for sugar is lower in calories and contains nutrients, which makes it a better option. Also Read - Reasons you are not losing weight and how to fix them

Scientifically, jaggery is healthier because if its molasses content, which is a nutritious by-product of the sugar-making process. Including molasses adds a small number of micronutrients to it. It also contains sucrose, protein, fat, iron, magnesium, potassium, and manganese. It also contains B vitamins and minerals.

Not only is it more nutritious but is also low in calories as compared to sugar. Being a good source of potassium, jaggery can also rev up your metabolism, which in turn, can speed up your weight loss.

Potassium and zinc in jaggery also make it a good option to maintain electrolyte balance in the body and helping it get rid of water retention, both of which help with weight loss.

Based on its nutritional value, health professionals recommend replacing sugar with jaggery. While both are processed, sugar goes under rigorous processed due to which it loses its nutritional value. But jaggery undergoes only the process of boiling, which ensures that it doesn’t completely lose all the nutrients. Due to this, we can say that it is a healthier option than sugar.

But hold on! It is still too early to say that jaggery is good for weight loss.

So, Is It Really Good For Weight Loss?

So far, we talked about the nutritional value of jaggery and how is it better than sugar. Yes, it facilitates digestion and rich in nutrients that help you lose weight. However, it is important to keep a check on how much of jaggery you consume per day. Anything consumed in excess can harm your bodily functions and add to the problems. What’s more, is that gur may be better than sugar, but it still contains calories. When consumed in excess, jaggery can have detrimental effects on your health.

The key here is to balance your intake in a way that it doesn’t sabotage your weight loss plans. Plus, the ideal way to bid adieu to extra fat is by eating a healthy diet and exercising regularly.

Published : December 22, 2020 5:46 pm | Updated:December 23, 2020 8:35 am

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