More than 77 million Indians are living with diabetes.
And more than half of them don’t know how to manage their blood sugar levels. Diabetes is a chronic but manageable condition.
However, there are so many myths and misconceptions about diabetes that it often becomes difficult to take the right steps. One such common misconception is switching sugar with jaggery.
Jaggery or Gur is a traditional sweetener widely used in India. It is often considered a healthier alternative to refined sugar for its higher nutritive content as compared to sugar. Dietitians too often recommend jaggery desserts instead of sugar. This often confuses diabetics into thinking jaggery is a better alternative for them than sugar.
Jaggery in Diabetes – A patient’s story
A few days ago, one prediabetic patient informed me that he doesn’t take sugar at all. Instead, he has switched to jaggery for sweetener in his tea. He gulps down at least 7-8 cups of tea with jaggery in a single day.
But is it healthy?
Diabetics are often recommended to avoid eating sweets in order to manage their blood sugar levels. This is because the diabetic diet already contains carbs and some form of sugar. This is enough to keep the blood sugar levels stable and prevent them from dropping too low.
In most cases, diabetologists prescribe medication and direct the patient to a nutritionist. However, in India, the value of a nutritionist is often undermined. Most patients do not prefer spending their money on nutritionists. But in diabetes, it is the diet that plays the main role in managing the blood sugar levels.
Jaggery in Diabetes – Is it safe?
Studies suggest that jaggery has a number of health benefits as it is rich in iron, magnesium, and potassium.
Jaggery contains iron which can help in the regulation of blood pressure. It also helps in handling oxidative stress and aids in digestion. Jaggery also helps build immunity. During winter, jaggery is mixed with ghee and consumed to keep the body warm. It also helps purify the blood and detoxifies the liver. In women, jaggery can help relieve menstrual pain and because of its high iron content, it helps in combating the symptoms of PMS.
Jaggery also assists in weight loss and supplies a good source of energy to the body. It helps in maintaining blood pressure and lowers water retention in the body. A moderate amount of jaggery helps in relieving feelings of fatigue and helps in treating bile disorders.
However, despite the benefits, jaggery is not ideal for diabetes!
Research on jaggery in diabetes
Research suggests that jaggery is going to mess with blood sugar equally as refined sugar. Sugar and jaggery are obtained from the same source.
Jaggery contains 70% sucrose. And 30% are other sugars. Inside the body, sucrose is converted into glucose and fructose. When blood sugar levels are tested for only plasma glucose levels, other sugars are not detected. So, 30% part of jaggery is converted to sugars which are not detected in usual tests.
For diabetics, an ideal diet consists of foods that have a low Glycemic index. Jaggery’s Glycemic Index is 84.4 which is very high and jaggery is a form of sugar that gets absorbed rapidly and can cause a spike in blood sugar levels.
Thus, jaggery is not a safe replacement for sugar in diabetic people. However, it is a better replacement for sugar among non-diabetics. It is best to use the organic and unprocessed variants that too in moderation.
Jaggery vs artificial sweeteners
Artificial sweeteners are the worst when it comes to diabetes. It can result in insulin resistance in the long run. Natural and organic jaggery is a much better choice than artificial sweeteners even for non-diabetic people.
Jaggery vs white sugar
The traditional Indian Jaggery is high in sugar, but researchers say that it is less dangerous than white sugar. Jaggery also contains traces of healthy nutrients like iron, phosphates, and calcium, which are absent in white sugar. So, when compared to white sugar, jaggery is good for diabetes.
Jaggery vs honey
Compared to jaggery, honey is a better alternative, but it is still not healthy for diabetics. For diabetics, sugar, jaggery, honey, and dates, all can elevate blood sugar. So, it is better to avoid or limit the intake.
Your takeaway!
Jaggery is a better alternative to white sugar, but not for diabetics. For people who are healthy and have no blood sugar problems, jaggery is a good choice. But people suffering from diabetes should steer clear of jaggery.
Whether it is jaggery, corn syrup fructose, or inverted syrup, all of these can raise plasma glucose levels and are equally harmful as sugar. So, diabetic patients should not fall for these well-marketed products.
Also Read:
2 comments
[…] Is Jaggery Safe in diabetes? […]
[…] Is jaggery safe for diabetes? […]