A lot of us wait for the winters to arrive as it brings relief from the summer humidity and heat. But with the germs in the air, you need to be extra careful with your physical regime and dietary habits by including seasonal foods so that the body’s immunity works well. While there are a lot of foods that could help you have good health, have you tried jaggery in combination with the other common ingredients?
Health benefits of jaggery
1. Cleanses the whole body
According to a study published in Food Chemistry, minerals and antioxidants in jaggery offer it a cytoprotective property, which means that not only could it clear mucus off the two lungs but also cleanse the digestive and respiratory tracts from inside. Eating jaggery at least daily might help detox the entire body.
2. Improves digestion
There is a reason why jaggery is generally consumed after meals. It stimulates bowels and helps in the release of the digestive enzymes. It is also thought that jaggery is beneficial for those people who suffer from constipation and digestive problems.
3. Prevents anemia
No doubt Jaggery is rich in minerals like phosphorus and iron, which help in the production of the hemoglobin in body. For people with low iron content in their diet or having the risk of developing iron-deficiency anemia, eating jaggery is the best preventive measure.
4. Improves immune function
Any food which is packed with essential nutrients helps detox the body and is great for the immune system. So, jaggery is found to be the best immune-boosting food available to the people. This is the reason why jaggery is eaten more during the winters when the body needs some extra immunity boost to prevent keep flu, cold, and many diseases.
5. Helps in glucose control and weight loss
Jaggery is a perfect alternative to calorie-rich white sugar, which can increase the blood glucose levels and the risk of obesity and weight gain. Choosing jaggery as a sweetener could keep the blood sugar levels in control and also help control your weight. What is more important is that jaggery can make you feel full for longer time, which could also help control your cravings when you are trying to lose weight.
6. Cleanses the liver
Jaggery is a natural liver cleanser, reducing the workload of liver. It helps cleanse your liver by driving out the harmful toxins from body, which further helps detoxify your liver. So, if you want to detoxify the body, start eating jaggery.
7. Treats flu
Fight symptoms of cough and cold with jaggery. You need to mix it with some warm water and then drink, or add it in your tea in place of sugar to get the benefits. It produces heat in your body, so generally people have it in winters. The warming effect in the jaggery makes it an excellent sweet that could treat cold and flu.
8. Blood purifier
One of the most important benefits of jaggery is its unique ability to purify blood. When eaten on a regular basis and in considerable amount, it cleanses blood, keeping your body healthy. Clean blood would mean the healthier body and would ensure that it is free from all diseases.
9. Eases menstrual pain
Jaggery being rich in essential nutrients is a very effective natural treatment for several menstrual problems, like providing relief from cramp. If you experience sudden mood swing right before the period, you must eat a small piece of jaggery to combat the symptoms of PMS as it leads the release of endorphins. The endorphins relax your body, and preventing premenstrual syndrome.
10. Prevents blood contaminations
Jaggery is rich in folate and iron which helps prevent blood contamination by maintaining the levels of the red blood cells. This is really beneficial for pregnant women. It helps to ensure that the normal levels of red blood cells are maintained. Also, it offers instant energy to the body.
11. Boosts intestinal health
Jaggery boosts the intestinal strength due to its magnesium content. Every 10 gram of jiggery has 16 mg of magnesium, which is four percent of daily requirement of the mineral.