The main difference between jaggery and sugar is that jaggery is a healthy, sweetening food product, whereas sugar is an unhealthy, sweet-flavored food item.
Jaggery and sugar are two sweeteners we commonly use in food. Although both jaggery and sugar are made using sugar cane, they have several differences. However, we can use jaggery as a substitute for sugar.
Key Areas Covered
1. What is Jaggery
– Definition, Features, Uses
2. What is Sugar
– Definition, Features, Uses
3. Similarities Between Jaggery and Sugar
– Outline of Common Features
4. Difference Between Jaggery and Sugar
– Comparison of Key Differences
Key Terms
Jaggery, Sugar, Sweeteners
What is Jaggery
Jaggery is a sugar product that one can mostly find in Asian and African countries. Jaggery is a popular healthy replacement for sugar. India produces the largest percentage of jaggery in the world. Producers mainly use sugar cane to make jaggery. But some producers also use palm trees to make jaggery.
Basically, there are three steps that take place in the traditional process of making jaggery. The first step is extraction. In this step, sugar canes or palms are pressed to extract the sweet juice. The second step is clarification, and under this step, the juice is put into large containers, and the sediments will settle to the bottom. After that, clear liquid is strained to produce a clear liquid to make jaggery. The third and final step in the process is concentration. In this process, the clear liquid is put in a large flat-bottomed container and boiled. After the process, a dough-like paste remains. Then, this dough is molded into containers and left to be cooled. The color of jaggery runs from light golden to dark brown. The color of jaggery is important because the color and texture contribute to the grading.
What is Sugar
Sugar refers to sweet-flavored substances used as food. Sugar is in all foods that are rich in carbohydrates, including vegetables, fruits, grains, dairy, and even bitter green vegetables. There are many types of sugar. Each type contains different levels of sweetness and calories. Carbohydrates are made up of three simple sugars known as monosaccharides: glucose, fructose, and galactose.
Table sugar or sucrose contains fructose and glucose. Sometimes, natural sweeteners like honey or agave syrup may be sweeter than table sugar. Overconsumption of sugar may cause several diseases. There can also be health effects like putting on weight, diabetes, tooth decay, obesity in children, and blood sugar as a result of over usage of sugar. Instead of using sugar, consumers can eat natural fruits like fruit juice to take natural sugars. Sugar is mostly used in making many other food items like cakes, pancakes, soft drinks, biscuits, snacks, and other pastry items. There are many natural alternative sweeteners to use instead of sugar. Some of them are honey, treacle, and jaggery. The sugar content of a food item is generally mentioned in packeted foods.
Similarities Between Jaggery and Sugar
- Both jaggery and sugar are sweeteners.
- Manufacturers use sugar cane to produce them.
- Moreover, jaggery and sugar contain sucrose.
Difference Between Jaggery and Sugar
Definition
Jaggery is a healthy sugar product that can be mostly seen in Asian and African countries, while sugar is a sweet-flavored substance used as food.
Nutrition
Jaggery is more nutritious than sugar since jaggery does not have ill effects in usage.
Benefits in Usage
Moreover, jaggery has effective health claims like improving digestive health, anemia prevention, liver detoxification, and improved immune function; however, the overconsumption of sugar gives health hazards like putting on weight, diabetes, tooth decay, obesity in children, and blood sugar.
Alternatives
There are natural alternatives for sugar, whereas there are no alternatives for jaggery.
Nutrition Level
Jaggery contains more vitamins and low sucrose levels than sugar.
Energy
Although jaggery boosts energy by providing iron to one’s body, sugar does not provide energy and iron.
Immunity
Although jaggery is used to boost immunity, sugar does not boost immunity; instead, it lowers the immunity in one’s body.
Conclusion
In brief, jaggery and sugar are two sweeteners we commonly use in food. The main difference between jaggery and sugar is that jaggery is a healthy, sweetening food item, whereas sugar is an unhealthy, sweet-flavored food item.
Reference:
1. “What is Jaggery and What Benefits Does it Have?” Health Line.
Image Courtesy:
1. “Jaggery cubes” By Mangosapiens – Own work (CC BY-SA 4.0) via Commons Wikimedia
2. “Sugar-485057” (CC0) via Commons Wikimedia
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