Feel unwell? Jaggery, refined sugar alternative, may soothe a sore throat and cough, and keep other common ailments at bay
- Pairing jaggery with ginger and basil can help heal sore throats, seasonal flus, colds, coughs and fevers, an Ayurvedic practitioner says – one of its many uses
- Shilpa Shetty and fellow Bollywood star Suno Sood promote jaggery on Instagram for its health qualities – nutritionists say it helps build strength and immunity
In autumn the streets of India are flooded with vendors hawking pretty, caramel-coloured brittle. Peanuts, sesame, puffed rice, candied or toasted nuts and other ingredients often find their way into these treats, which are known to keep the winter chill at bay.
The ingredient common to these sweets is jaggery, also known as gur or medicinal sugar in India. The country produces more than 70 per cent of the world’s jaggery, which can be found in wholesale markets in major cities.
Many South Asian and African cuisines use jaggery, which can also be found in other parts of the world under names such as muscovado (Portugal), panela (Colombia), kokuto (Japan) and rapadura (Brazil).
Jaggery is believed to have been introduced to the Indian subcontinent around 6000BC through the Malay Peninsula that runs between present-day southern Thailand and Singapore. It is used in sweet and savoury dishes.
The sugar cane crop from which jaggery is made is cultivated in the Indian countryside. After the cane is harvested, the juice is extracted and simmers in huge vats until it thickens. After impurities are removed, the golden liquid is poured into disc-shaped tin moulds.
