Jaggery Or Honey

Submitted by Stella Morgan on September 22, 2009

Make Healthy Choice Between Honey And Jaggery - Know What Is Good For You? Jaggery, an unrefined whole sugar, is rich in many minerals, especially iron. Jaggery is also produced from sugarcane and is a much healthier substitute for sugar. Jaggery and honey both are sweet to taste and are therefore rarely ever mixed together. In fact, a weak solution of jaggery is sometimes used to adulterate honey. Honey is easily assimilated in the body and is rich in enzymes that improve the oxidation of food.

Honey, like jaggery is also a healthy substitute for sugar. Both honey and jaggery are rich in sucrose and glucose. Jaggery is also rich in magnesium and helps in relaxation of muscles and nervous system. Asthma, acidity, soreness in muscles, severe headaches and migraine can also be treated with jaggery.

Jaggery has proven to be useful in maintaining a normal blood pressure. Since it is rich in potassium, jaggery not only relieves blood pressure but also helps to reduce the retention of water by the body. A mixture of honey and jaggery makes for a good source of nutrition.

Though the mix of the two is not commercially available, many women use a diluted mix of honey and jaggery as a pre-lacteal feed. The nutritional value of the two mixed is quite high though the taste might not be quite so appealing. It is strongly advised that pregnant and lactating women avoid raw honey and opt for processed honey instead.

Raw honey often contains a type of bacteria that are easily overcome by an adult; however, a baby’s immune system is comparatively weaker and the baby can suffer from the ill effects of this bacteria. Drinking milk with honey is a very common practice. The combination of the two has many health benefits. A glass of milk with a spoonful of honey is known to increase stamina. The mix of proteins and carbohydrates can help invigorate the body, repair damaged muscle and tissue and give instant energy. Milk and honey also have anti aging properties. It has been seen that milk and honey together make the skin appear youthful and supple. Even in the most ancient of civilizations, honey and milk were consumed to preserve youth and to ensure a long and fulfilling life. Milk and honey also have many anti bacterial properties. A warm concoction can even cure constipation and other digestive disorders like flatulence or acidity. The concoction is also good for a common cold and cough. In many countries, clarified butter is used as a staple food. In fact clarified butter is the fat which is used for cooking in almost every household in countries like India. A much healthier substitute for plain butter, clarified butter is produced naturally and is usually home made. There are, however consequences of ingesting too much of clarified butter. Although there is no scientific evidence to back up the theory that a mixture of honey and clarified butter has a negative impact on one’s health, most people avoid it. This is because it is thought that The enzymes of honey heat up the body by encouraging oxidation whereas, clarified butter has a cooling effect. The two taken together not only mar each others effects but can also lead to problems in digestion.