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Jaggery is a sweetener made of sugarcane juice. Although it is commonly used to prepare several sweet dishes, you might not know if it is safe to consume jaggery during pregnancy.
Jaggery is a rich source of iron and mineral salts and consuming it during pregnancy is safe for the mother and baby. If taken in the right amount, jaggery acts as a good nutritional source that helps in a healthy pregnancy.
Read the post to know more about the nutritional value of jaggery, its health benefits during pregnancy, and its side effects if taken in excess amounts.
Is It Safe To Eat Jaggery During Pregnancy?
You can eat jaggery (gur) in pregnancy but in limited quantity. Jaggery is rich in iron and contributes to your daily iron requirement (1). The natural source of sugar boosts the overall health of the expectant mother.
It is also known to purify blood and breast milk, thereby offering nourishment to the baby during pregnancy and even after birth. Therefore, you may replace refined sugar with jaggery in your diet.
Nutritional Value Of Jaggery
Jaggery is referred to as “superfood sweetener,” that is mostly made of sugar cane, and also date palm. Good quality jaggery contains more than 70% sucrose, less than 10% glucose, and fructose, and less than 5% minerals. The nutrition may vary, depending on the source used to make it (cane or palm).
According to a study published in the Journal of Food Processing and Technology, half a cup (100g) of jaggery contains calcium (40 to 100mg), potassium (1056mg), magnesium (70 to 90mg), sodium (19 to 30mg), iron (10 to 13mg), phosphorus (20 to 90mg), zinc (0.2 to 0.4mg), manganese (0.2 to 0.5mg), copper (0.1 to 0.9mg), and chloride (5.3mg). It also contains trace amounts of vitamins (2).
Do You Need Jaggery During Pregnancy?
Jaggery not only adds sweetness to your food but is also believed to offer benefits because of its nutritional profile. The sweetener is believed to be beneficial in the following ways. However, there is not enough scientific evidence to back these claims:
- Iron helps in reducing the chances of anemia that is common during pregnancy.
- Potassium helps in stabilizing electrolytic balance in the body and treating edema.
- Vitamins and minerals help nourish bones and joints.
- Unrefined sugars are believed to trigger the secretion of digestive enzymes and aid in digestion. It could help in smooth bowel movements.
- Minerals and antioxidants in jaggery are said to support the immune system and treat illnesses such as cold and flu.
Possible Side Effects Of Jaggery During Pregnancy
Although jaggery could be beneficial, consuming it in large amounts is not a good idea since it is the same as sugar just unrefined. Also, adulterated or impure jaggery may lead to some problems.
- Eating jaggery excessively will increase the calorie count and might lead to weight gain.
- Sugars could raise blood sugar levels, and this will be problematic if you already have gestational diabetes.
- Impure jaggery may have microbes.
In order to make sure that you are not having excessive amounts of sugar, replace the regular sugar with jaggery.
Ways To Include Jaggery In Your Pregnancy Diet
Jaggery is a versatile ingredient that can be used in several ways.
- Add to milk or tea.
- Include it in desserts and puddings
- Mix it with peanuts or grated coconut to make sweets
- Add to toffees, muffins, and cakes
Jaggery is a sweetener made from date palm or sugar cane, and it contains more sucrose than glucose. It is safe to consume moderate amounts of jaggery during pregnancy. Moreover, it is the best alternative to sugar and helps manage a balanced diet. Jaggery also benefits your daily iron requirements. The nutritional value of jaggery may vary depending on what it is made of. However, avoid excess consumption since it may increase calories and weight gain.
References:
2. Nath A et al.; Review on Recent Advances in Value Addition of Jaggery based Products; Journal of Food Processing & Technology (2015)
Reviewer
Jyoti Benjamin
(MS, RD, CSO, FAND, CD)
