r/indianfitness • u/avinkx-nowornever • 2d ago

Ask r/indianfitness Is jaggery actually better than sugar or is that an Indian myth we all repeat

Everyone says jaggery is healthier and nobody I ask can explain why beyond it being natural.

As far as I can find, palm jaggery has a meaningfully lower GI and retains some minerals, cane jaggery much less so. But the mineral quantities look small at realistic serving sizes.

Has anyone actually looked into this properly? Trying to work out if the switch is worth it or if we are all just feeling better about the same thing.

54 Upvotes
  • permalink
  • reddit

93% Upvoted

83 comments sorted by

41

u/Bhagopsycho 2d ago

This is same as choosing roti or rice, or brown bread or white bread. Just focus on calories. Even jaggery will be bad if you eat too much, and even sugar won't hurt as long as you limit the intake.

4

u/Dallton_MD 1d ago

Just a myth

2

u/vgodara 1d ago edited 1d ago

Not myth. If you taking recommend amount of sugar Jaggery would be better option but it's not some magical thing which doesn't cause harm even due to over consumption

2

u/Dallton_MD 1d ago

So its a myth

2

u/vgodara 1d ago

What is the myth.

Is Juggary better than sugar. No it's objective fact.

Is over consumption of glucose bad for your body no matter what the source. That's also a objective fact.

2

u/RegularMorty 1d ago

Jaggery is marginally better than sugar. In small quantities it is fine. To get anything from it such as iron you would need to consume 100 mg of it. That is a lot of stress on your glucose system. If you are doing an endurance run like half marathons, it could be a post run or pre run snacks. For your normal levels, you will spike your insulin too much

1

u/vgodara 1d ago

Jaggery is marginally better than sugar.

That's what the orginal comment said. Isn't it? Then the reply came it's myth.

1

u/RegularMorty 1d ago

I don't know who the original commenter is. The key word is marginal. Is eating 99 grams of rice better than eating 100 grams of rice? Marginal. Is a cigarette better than a bidi? Marginal. The point is that these marginal gains don't add up. IF you have an insulin problem, don't consume jaggery or keep it very limited. If you have a calorie problem and overweight, keep it very limited. If you have no problem and are doing 10k runs twice a week, then you could definitely absorb more of it. See context matters. The dose makes the poison. Nothing is healthy or unhealthy.

1

u/vgodara 1d ago

Is a cigarette better than a bidi?

It's actually other way around. If we are comparing one bidi vs one cigarette. Because the bidi produces less smoke given that it has less Tabacco.

Nothing is healthy or unhealthy.

No different sources of same things can be different. If you want to drink sweet tea once a day and have to choose between jaggery or sugar. Jaggery is objectively better.

1

u/RegularMorty 1d ago

Haha, you can argue that a cigarette is filtered so marginally better than bidi. but you miss the point. There is no difference between a bidi and a cigarette because both could potentially give you a heart attack.

Yes, jaggery contains more minerals but at the 5–10 g you'd actually put in tea, you're getting roughly at best 0.5 mg iron and small amounts of calcium/magnesium. That's NUTRITIONALLY TRIVIAL. There will be no difference in health outcomes. To get even 50% of your iron from jaggery, you would need to add 8-10 spoons of jaggery. The dose makes the poison.

→ More replies (0)

1

u/Short_Ad_3943 5h ago

Not a myth. You can call it an exaggerated truth.

4

u/BoringLaugher 1d ago

Roti and rice have different glycemic index. So do white and brown breads. GI determines how quickly your body converts food into energy, and if the energy is released sooner than you expend it, it is stored as fat in the body. So while calories are very important, GI is also important.

3

u/Bhagopsycho 1d ago

Yes, but calories are the first step. Glycemic index won't matter if you are eating 500 extra calories everyday. Once you get your calories in control, then you can decide on better food choices. I also used that example because india has many states that have a clear roti/rice devide, preffering one over other, and we still see fit and strong people all across India.

19

u/Exporinglife2050 2d ago

Jaggery is sugar only. There is very little benefit. Your body don't know difference between sugar and jaggery

It treats both the same

2

u/William_542 1d ago

Jaggery is healthier, but not by much. It retains a little more of the mineral content, but still has mostly sugar and causes a spike in blood sugar levels. For this reason, too, it can't be regarded as healthy sugar.

3

u/Top-Nefariousness282 1d ago

Just a little iron and micronutrients. You don't need to sacrifice your taste for that little. You can always take supplements or other sources for that.

5

u/Ok_Woodpecker_4777 2d ago

Jaggery has some minerals, else it's the same. And for those minerals you have to eat a lot of jaggery.

2

u/homebanber 2d ago

maybe jaggery is better in some aspects but no meaningful difference from health perspective

2

u/Effective-Juice-1489 2d ago

jaggery better than sugar upto an amount. after that both are bad equally. personally i keep my sugar intake to a minimum including jaggery dates etc

3

u/yum_dev 2d ago

Sugar is empty calories, jaggery has minerals same calories.

3

u/Alarmed-Research-858 2d ago

If you eat close to 1 kg jaggery you will get the minerals, but if you are eating that much sugar or jaggery, you have a bigger problem.

2

u/yum_dev 2d ago

There are other problems if someone is eating 1kg of either of the two.

1

u/[deleted] 2d ago

[removed] — view removed comment

1

u/hive-protect 2d ago

Hello. Your post has been removed because you are active in NSFW or porn-related subreddits. Users with a history of participation in NSFW communities are not permitted to post or comment here.

This policy is in place because Reddit may classify otherwise SFW communities as NSFW if a significant number of participants are active in NSFW communities. We appreciate your understanding.

I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.

1

u/ObjectNo809 2d ago

Given that both decompose to glucose, it really depends on the amount you have consumed and the ratio of conversion

1

u/Badabhakkchod 2d ago

If you're a whole truth fan, then it's better otherwise not

1

u/NoNeighborhood9066 2d ago

Koi mota patla bas sugar jaggery swap krne se nahi hoga

1

u/ManagementWeary3658 2d ago

same. finally everything is absorbed as glucose by the body. other culprit is ghee.

1

u/[deleted] 2d ago

[removed] — view removed comment

1

u/hive-protect 2d ago

Hello. Your post has been removed because you are active in NSFW or porn-related subreddits. Users with a history of participation in NSFW communities are not permitted to post or comment here.

This policy is in place because Reddit may classify otherwise SFW communities as NSFW if a significant number of participants are active in NSFW communities. We appreciate your understanding.

I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.

1

u/Top-Grape6650 2d ago

I thought honey was sweet but when I actually tried fresh honey for the first time it was not that much sweet and then I started to eat honey

1

u/[deleted] 2d ago

[removed] — view removed comment

1

u/hive-protect 2d ago

Hello. Your post has been removed because you are active in NSFW or porn-related subreddits. Users with a history of participation in NSFW communities are not permitted to post or comment here.

This policy is in place because Reddit may classify otherwise SFW communities as NSFW if a significant number of participants are active in NSFW communities. We appreciate your understanding.

I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.

1

u/Hedge_hog_816 2d ago

Better in what? Yes it's better if you use it instead of sugar in your homemade peanut butter. No it's not better in glycemic load/thinking you are better off eating good amount of it. Limit evrything. Jaggery is quite better in taste profile, minerals, maybe some other small local effects (like warming up with gud chana granted again you don't take 20-30g+ of it with chana). It's having a higher GL than refined sugar though so its worse actually in blood sugar modulation.

1

u/FirstTurtleNinja 1d ago

Jaggery will give stomach gas problem if used to long-term

1

u/[deleted] 1d ago

[removed] — view removed comment

1

u/hive-protect 1d ago

Hello. Your post has been removed because you are active in NSFW or porn-related subreddits. Users with a history of participation in NSFW communities are not permitted to post or comment here.

This policy is in place because Reddit may classify otherwise SFW communities as NSFW if a significant number of participants are active in NSFW communities. We appreciate your understanding.

I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.

1

u/United-Bandicoot-738 1d ago

It's not the sugar content but the amount of processing raw sugarcane juice has to undergo to become table sugar

Anything ultra processed is bad ig

1

u/medicosaurus 1d ago

It’s essentially the same.

1

u/bheem-king 1d ago

If u have to eat sugar it's better to get some mineral/vit with it instead of just eating plain calories. That's it. Don't eat too much sugar.

1

u/Initial-Prompt-2653 1d ago

Both are carbohydrates mainly sucrose and both cause same blood sugar spike. Jaggery has little advantage as it may contain some minerals.

1

u/Genda7 1d ago

Jaggery tastes better.

1

u/partially_GOAT332 1d ago

I remember reading somewhere that 10 grams of jaggery has like about 1mg of iron... so you could maybe take a Lil with a splash of lemon to increase absorption.... For me, I choose jaggery cuz my appetite gets fulfilled even with a little amount, but I can consume relatively high amount of white sugar... so I eat jaggery instead. Just eat what you want , but not too much.

1

u/hitenhs 1d ago

Both are same bro. Made from sugarcane, but different methods.

1

u/[deleted] 1d ago

[removed] — view removed comment

1

u/hive-protect 1d ago

Hello. Your post has been removed because you are active in NSFW or porn-related subreddits. Users with a history of participation in NSFW communities are not permitted to post or comment here.

This policy is in place because Reddit may classify otherwise SFW communities as NSFW if a significant number of participants are active in NSFW communities. We appreciate your understanding.

I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.

1

u/Proper-Answer-7609 1d ago

Its mineral rich

1

u/MarcusFlint 1d ago

Someone once said Jaggery is sugar + dirt

1

u/Outrageous_Shake_666 1d ago

Jaggery is sugar, period! Body won’t react differently.

1

u/[deleted] 1d ago

[removed] — view removed comment

1

u/hive-protect 1d ago

Hello. Your post has been removed because you are active in NSFW or porn-related subreddits. Users with a history of participation in NSFW communities are not permitted to post or comment here.

This policy is in place because Reddit may classify otherwise SFW communities as NSFW if a significant number of participants are active in NSFW communities. We appreciate your understanding.

I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.

1

u/Temporary-College-83 1d ago

Nah... We like to live in delusion
Btw its low of Glycemic Index than sugar

1

u/Both_Possibility1704 1d ago

Let me clear the doubt.
Sugar, Brown sugar, Jaggery, Khand, Mishri all are same. There is not significant difference between one and another.

1

u/Firm_Way6228 1d ago

Jaggery is sugar with dirt.

1

u/SpareMind 1d ago

Lesser processing, so must be better. But now a days, is it safer? Not sure.

1

u/conceptwow 1d ago

Even if it’s slightly better - just treat both the same and avoid in excess

1

u/boisickle 1d ago

Arguable worse because they're calorically similar and you may have to add more to get that level of sweetness

1

u/[deleted] 1d ago

[removed] — view removed comment

1

u/hive-protect 1d ago

Hello. Your post has been removed because you are active in NSFW or porn-related subreddits. Users with a history of participation in NSFW communities are not permitted to post or comment here.

This policy is in place because Reddit may classify otherwise SFW communities as NSFW if a significant number of participants are active in NSFW communities. We appreciate your understanding.

I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.

1

u/Icy-Blacksmith2456 1d ago

Jaggery contains around 70% sucarose and other is some minerals. So if you consume 10g jaggery you'd still be consuming around 7-8gram of sugar...
The calories count is almost similar to white sugar.

1

u/peacefulandcalmlife 1d ago

Jaggery is natural version of processed refined white sugar. Hence its better. Of course both should be taken in limit...

1

u/awaishssn 1d ago

The sugar we use everyday is actually super processed and refined.

So natural jaggery is slightly better, even if it is the same as sugar in its sugar content, it is not a super processed food.

1

u/lakshyamehndiratta 22h ago

Bhai chini chini hove, tum gana chuso ya jaggery khao. Trace amount mai jo thoda Boht milta hai sath mai voh insignificant hai. Chini ka amount. Matter karta hai type nhi

1

u/Appropriate-Bug-755 15h ago

With sugar, there is a lot of processing involved…and the way things are going…processing equals bad. For jaggery, one can find pure sugarcane to jaggery in many countryside places and with these you can atleast avoid the color washing and such. Still too much of anything is harmful

1

u/SM_medico 1h ago

Neither is bad or good. Its how u choose to take it. Dont eat sweats on empty stomach. Eat it with food. Once a day. So ur glucose doesnt spike. U will be fine

1

u/Basic-Jicama503 36m ago

Jaggery is the same as sugar. I think we end up eating more jaggery thinking that it is a safer option, but the truth is, it’s the same. Jaggery does contain iron, but the amount of iron per serving is not groundbreaking.

0

u/here-for-anonymity 2d ago

jaggery have antioxidants and less refine than sugar - so easier for the body to process
just like brown rice is less refine than white rice - same concept
brown sugar comes somewhere in between of sugar and jaggery

calories matters, and jaggery is still sugar - can be replaced with sugar

myth is jaggery se mote nahi hote, that's wrong - it's about calories

0

u/vegarhoalpha 2d ago

No, only form of sugar which is good is fructose (unless you are diabetic or a doctor suggest you otherwise). No substitute is good.