Importance of Jaggery during pregnancy

You have to engage in a healthy diet for your pregnancy to proceed smoothly. It’s also important to understand the nutritional value offered by each food. Certain foods manage the hormonal imbalances that are common occurrences during pregnancy and also strengthen your immune system.

Jaggery is a food item that’s extremely helpful during pregnancy.

What is jaggery?

Jaggery, commonly known as Gur is a traditional Indian sweetener that is produced in addition to sugar from sugarcane. It’s a natural mixture of sugar and molasses. When pure clarified sugarcane juice is boiled, the residue left behind is the jaggery.

Is Eating Jaggery Safe?

Jaggery is a good source of glucose as it’s a natural, non-processed form of sugar. When you take glucose taken in large doses it can be detrimental for your health, irrespective of which form of sugar you are consuming. So, even jaggery must be consumed in moderation during pregnancy. Jaggery helps clean your blood and prevents anaemia. Jaggery also has essential mineral salts and iron that are useful. It’s totally safe to eat jaggery during pregnancy. It can keep you away from the risk of anaemia or iron deficiency. Palm jaggery is considered even healthier. But in the 2nd month of the pregnancy, you need to watch out how much you eat. Consult your doctor for the number of servings.

What is the Nutritional Value of Jaggery?

Jaggery is rich in iron and mineral salts. It is also high in potassium and has a limited amount of glucose in it. It has very less fat, about 0.1 gram in 100 grams of jaggery, making it a good option during pregnancy.

What are the Types of Jaggery you should eat during pregnancy?

Remember that the quality of jiggery depends on the cane juice it comes from. This in turn depends on the environment in which the cane is cultivated and other external factors. Here are the types of jaggery:

1. Sugar Cane Jaggery

This type is characterized by a golden brown to dark colour and is prepared after boiling sugarcane juice. Extracting the juice is the first step in the process. Then comes the juice clarification and the concentration of the juice by boiling and cooling. The last step is the moulding and storage of the juice.

2. Date Palm Jaggery

Date palm jaggery is an extract made from palm trees and is more common in South India. It is said have medicinal properties and brings about health benefits. Date palm is also a good source of the vitamin B complex, mineral salts and ascorbic acid. Black jaggery is another form you can eat during pregnancy. This is commonly called palm sugar and is more nutritional than cane sugar and has more medicinal benefits than cane sugar.

3. Liquid Jaggery

Liquid jaggery is used as a sweetener in food and drinks. Normally after 7 months of pregnancy, liquid jiggery concoctions are served to pregnant women to ease the difficulties faced during pregnancy. This is an ancient practice in states like Tamil Nadu where black jiggery is used.

What are the benefits of Jaggery during pregnancy?

1. Checks Blood Pressure

Pregnant women should have a low sodium diet. Jaggery helps to lower the sodium level in the body and helps to regulate blood pressure.

2. Maintains water retention

Water retention is common during pregnancy. Jaggery has a high content of potassium that helps to reduce water retention and also checks body weight during pregnancy. Consumption of jiggery also helps prevent Oedema.

3. Prevents Anaemia

Jaggery improves the Red Blood Cell count and reduces the risk of anaemia. It also makes the immune system stronger and keeps you energized during your pregnancy days.

4. Purifies the blood

Consumption of jaggery during pregnancy eliminates wastes and toxins and leads to purification of blood.

5. Enhances the functioning of the digestive system

Jaggery makes the digestive system function more efficiently. The unrefined sugar in jaggery promotes the secretion of digestive enzymes, thereby reducing the risks of indigestion, flatulence, intestinal worms, and other digestive disorders. Eating jaggery also eases bowel movements and prevents constipation.

6. Reduces Joint Pain

Jaggery has essential vitamins and minerals that help to cure bone-related and joint stiffness problems.

7. Improves Bone Density

Consumption of jaggery also helps to improve your bone density when you are pregnant.

8. Reduces Inflammation

The anti-inflammatory properties of jaggery enable the reduction of inflammation during the latter part of your pregnancy.

9. Maintains Electrolyte Balance

As jaggery is rich in potassium, it helps to regulate the electrolyte balance in your body.

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Q&A

You ask and we answer!

What happens if we eat jaggery daily?

Maharatna Ghosh, Siliguri.

It acts as a detox, as it helps cleanse the liver by flushing out nasty toxins from the body. Jaggery is loaded with antioxidants and minerals like zinc and selenium, which help prevent free-radicals that are responsible for early ageing. It helps boost resistance against infections, hence building stronger immunity.

How much jaggery can I eat in a day?

Shruti Singhal, Mumbai.

Take a small piece of Jaggery, around 10-15 grams. Consume it daily in any form with food.

Does jaggery increase weight?

Vina Pancholi, Singapore.

It is said that when you add jaggery to the diet, you boost the body's metabolism, which in turn helps you burn the fat around the belly area faster. And lemon water or lemon juice is anyway considered to be a magical remedy for skin woes. It helps clean the body by flushing out toxins, thereby promoting weight loss.

What is the best time to eat jaggery?

Ruchi Srivastava, Chandigarh.

Drinking jaggery and warm water in the morning can clear up your stomach, improve your digestion and keep problems like acidity, constipation and digestive ailments at bay. It also assists in the right secretion of gastric juices, hence, keeping away the root cause which leads to weight gain away.