I read the following article through Flipboard and it’s fascinating to read about “black sugar”, the good old unrefined sugarcane juice making a comeback :). Am thrilled actually because now our desi boys and girls will switch to jaggery aka black sugar. All that matters is, they eat healthy.
Discover what makes black sugar unique. Plus, learn how to make black sugar syrup and ways it’s used.
— Read on www.eatingwell.com/article/7822721/black-sugar-is-what-your-coffee-needs-right-now/
According to the article, black sugar syrup in coffee and bakery products is the latest craze around the world.
An important excerpt from the article on Nutrition.
“Nutrition
In Asian cultures, black sugar is eaten like candy, but it’s also appreciated for its nutrients. Because the molasses is not removed, black sugar has more minerals and nutritional value than regular white sugar. Nutrition data is not readily available for black sugar, but to give you some perspective on its possible nutritional value, molasses by itself is considerably more nutritious than plain white sugar. For 1 teaspoon of white sugar, you get 4 grams carbohydrates and 4 grams sugars. While 1 teaspoon of molasses contains 5 grams sugar and 5 grams carbs, it also delivers some magnesium, iron, potassium, selenium and calcium. Because of the minerals in black sugar, it’s thought to have some health benefits. It’s sometimes used by Japanese women to ease symptoms of premenstrual syndrome.”
My paternal grandmother would keep jaggery syrup ready for morning coffee ! I doubt if she has ever tasted sugar because white sugar is refined using bone ash and she was a devout Hindu who wouldn’t even touch meat. Even now, in temples, the food for the Deity is made with jaggery and never with sugar for the same reason.
At home we have started using Palm Jaggery since it has a very low glycemic index and is very beneficial for those with diabetes. Tea and coffee are drunk with no sweetener but if we feel like making some sweet, it’s Palm Jaggery (Karupatti).
Go ahead, enjoy black sugar, jaggery or karupatti and lead a healthy life !!