jaggery in Ayurveda, it is also called “medicinal sugar”. It is prepared by processing or boiling sugarcane juice, obtained from the sugarcane plant “Saccharum officinarum”. Jaggery is also known as gud, vellam, Bella or bellam. In an Indian diet, it is consumed either directly or used to prepare several sweet-based foods. Jaggery is used to prepare several traditional sweet dishes like karadantu, godhi huggi, chikki, gazak, payasam, etc.1 This nutritious unrefined sugar offers several benefits. Daily consumption of jaggery may help in asthma, cold, cough and anaemia and act as a natural cleansing agent.

BENIFITS

• Consuming jaggery in moderation may help improve digestion and prevent digestive disorders like constipation. 
  
• Regular consumption of jaggery can help boost immunity due to its high content of antioxidants and minerals.
  
• Jaggery contains natural phytochemicals that have anti-inflammatory properties, which may help reduce inflammation in the body. 
  
• Jaggery is a good source of energy and can provide a quick boost of energy, making it a popular choice among athletes.
  
• Jaggery may have detoxification properties, and daily consumption of jaggery may help remove toxins from the body and keep the liver toxin-free and healthy.
  
• Asthma is characterised by narrowing and inflammation of the airways, making breathing difficult. Jaggery is a rich source of iron, which improves the level of haemoglobin in the blood. An increase in haemoglobin levels increases the oxygen-carrying capacity of the blood, which in turn helps improve breathing and provide symptomatic relief in asthma.