All health-conscious people often ask this question, especially those who fear or suffer from diabetes. Which is better: sugar or jaggery? This is a common myth that diabetic patients can eat jaggery as a replacement for sugar (Gurr or Shakkar). In fact, neither is good for diabetic patients. Yes, they differ significantly in their health benefits. If you are not diabetic, you should prefer jaggery over sugar.

Let’s understand them individually.

Sugar

1. To reach its refined form, sugar loses all its nutrients, such as vitamins and minerals, during processing.

So it carries no nutritional value. It contains only sweet-tasting calories. 

 No nutritional value.

2. Sugar is glucose that is absorbed right away and quickly raises the sugar level in the blood.

It raises blood sugar quickly

3.It is absorbed quickly and causes sudden spikes in sugar levels and causes obesity.

It causes obesity

4. Because it contains no vitamins or minerals and is not an antioxidant, it does not provide any protection against diseases like the flu, anaemia, and indigestion.

Does not protect against common ailments.

5. It is simply a sweetener and does not add extra taste to the food.

Has no flavour, only a sweetener.

Jaggery.

1. It contains minerals, particularly iron. Other minerals are calcium, potassium, magnesium,magnessium and zinc, which benefit health in general

Has Good nutritional value.

2.It is more likely a sucrose, so it is absorbed more slowly than the sugar that is glucose. It raises blood sugar levels not as quickly as sugar

It is digested slowly because it contains so many minerals, so it raises blood sugar at a slower rate.

3.Jaggery boosts metabolism that helps burning fat.

Helps loosing weight

4.It is an antioxidant, a good source of minerals like iron and many others. It protects against allergies, improves digestion and helps cure anaemia.

A Good protection against allergies, prevents anaemia and improves digestion.

5. Apart from being a sweetener, it has its own flavour that makes it perfect for Indian dishes. 

Adds flavour to food

Despite jaggery having so many health benefits over sugar but patients with diabetes should never make it a sugar substitute, as both raise blood sugar and should be avoided. For sweetness, diabetic patients can opt for natural sweeteners like stevia, monk fruit or chemical sugar-free sweeteners available on the market.