I drink Chai or Tea like it is the fuel my brain runs on. I can have a cup any time of day or night. My only issue with tea was the sugar. I tried drinking Chai without sugar but I couldn’t get used to the taste. I tried artificial sweetener (only once) and this was completely against my own research but I hated the chemical aftertaste and the guilt of having something fake in the Chai which is special for me.
Finally, going back to old ancient wisdom gave me the solution. Our ancestors have always used pure organic jaggery to sweeten up all preparations. A small piece of Jaggery was eaten after meals as it helped in digestion and also gave a satisfyingly sweet end to the meal.
The guests were welcomed with a pale of cold water from an earthen pot, a fistful of peanuts and a small piece of Jaggery as peanuts and Jaggery would give instant energy after a tiring travel and also cold water with Jaggery would give the required hydration after spending long hours out in hot weather.
Unlike sugar which has no benefits, Jaggery is full of benefits that can help us improve our health. I love the taste of Ginger Chai with Jaggery. The rich earthy taste of jaggery actually improved my chai and I am able to stay away from white processed sugar for good.
Benefits of Jaggery:
1. Nutritious:
Jaggery is a rich source of Phosphorus, Calcium, Potassium, Magnesium, Manganese, and Iron.
2. Supports Weight Loss:
Jaggery helps in weight loss as it improves our metabolic rate and it also helps to remove water retention.
3. Helps in Digestion:
Ayurveda encourages a small piece of Jaggery after meals as it helps in digestion. Jaggery helps in secretion of the digestive juices. It improves the functioning of the digestive system and cures constipation and bloating.
4. Purifies Blood:
The iron in Jaggery works as a blood purifier. It improves the Hemoglobin and helps with cramps and body ache during menstruation. Jaggery prevents Anemia as it maintains the count of red blood cells.
5. Detoxes Liver:
Jaggery cleanses the liver by flushing out the toxins.
6. Boosts Immunity:
Jaggery is loaded with minerals and anti-oxidants. This makes us stronger to fight against diseases.
7. Improves Skin Health:
As discussed earlier Jaggery purifies blood and hence helps with skin problems like acne. The anti-oxidants in Jaggery fights signs of aging like dark spots and wrinkles.
8. Provides Instant Energy:
Jaggery is a good source instant energy as it is a complex carb that slowly digests. As mentioned above jaggery can help when one feels weak or even after a hectic day or long travel.
9. Cures Cough, Cold, Headaches:
Jaggery provides warmth in the body and a nice hot cup of ginger tea with jaggery is my most preferred cure for cough, cold, headaches, body aches, and tiredness.
An important point to remember:
Always buy pure organic Dark brown color Jagerry which is not treated with chemicals.
Avoid the light color (white or yellow) Jagerry as it will not give you any benefits.
Liza Thank you for your comment. Try Indian stores.
Where can I find jagerry?
Thank you for your comment 🙂 Hopefully, we will slowly embrace such Deshi Wisdom for our overall wellness.
Jaggery is preferable to any other form of sweet for its health benefits. Good that your post is creating awareness about a neglected deshi sweetener.
Thank you for the comment Greenmoksha. I am glad to know that you also enjoy Jaggery in your tea. Kindly share the link to my site instead of having the article as a guest post.
Thank you for the comment Ma’m. I am glad you found my post helpful.
Thank you for the comment Joie 🙂
Very nice article. Great benefits.
Hi Yamini, I knew jaggery is nice for the health but was not aware of the benefits. Thanks for letting us know the benefits in a very simple manner. I will certainly use jaggery in future.
Neeta Kharat
Very useful. I am a big fan of Jaggery and use it in all including tea coffee. Would like to share this post on our portal as a guest post. Do let me know