Jaggery is called Gur in India. It comes from a Portuguese word called Jagara. It is known as Panela in other parts of the world. It is one of the traditional sugarcane-based sweeteners. It is a natural combination of both sugar and molasses. It is available in the market in three forms - Solid jaggery, liquid jaggery, and granular jaggery. Liquid jaggery is very popular in many parts of Maharashtra and West Bengal, while granular jaggery is very popular among rural people.

Jaggery has different colours, which vary from golden brown to dark brown. Jaggery is obtained by boiling raw concentrated sugarcane juice. Although jaggery is also made from date palm and sap of coconut, the one made from sugarcane is the one that is preferred by people. Research shows that jaggery or gur is healthier than white sugar. In India, chikkis are quite commonly eaten by both children and adults. Chikkis are made of groundnuts and jaggery. Jaggery is called as Gur in Hindi, Bella in Kannada, Vellam in Tamil, Bellam in Telugu and Gul in Marathi. Jaggery has numerous health benefits. It is rich in iron which prevents anemia. It is believed that eating a small piece of jaggery after your meals help in better digestion. According to a report, more than 70% of jaggery is produced in India and very soon jaggery might replace white sugar all over the country. Traditional jaggery is unrefined and full of nutrients such as magnesium, iron, calcium, and phosphorus.

One of the most important things to note is that the darker the jaggery, the richer and deeper the flavour. Jaggery is widely used in sweets and savory dishes in India. A pinch of jaggery is added to sambar, dal and other Indian staples. It is also used in herbal and traditional medicines. Jaggery is one of the major agro-processing industries in India. India is the largest producer and consumer of jaggery, accounting for 70% of the total world production. Jaggery is rich in mineral salts and it is very easy to digest. We can also add jaggery to other natural flavours such as ginger, pepper, cardamom, lemon etc.

Jaggery is widely consumed in America, Asia, and Africa. Different kinds of jaggery include sugarcane jaggery, date palm jaggery, palmyra jaggery, toddy palm jaggery etc. The process of making jaggery is much easier than that of sugar and also has more health benefits. Jaggery is also used for making sweets, alcoholic drinks and also ayurvedic medicines. It is used in chocolates, candies, tonics, syrups, sorbets etc. Using jaggery with pepper tends to increase appetite.

Although both sugar and jaggery do not contain vitamins and minerals, it is believed that jaggery retains some minerals as compared to sugar. Jaggery making is a simple process and free from any harmful chemical processes. It is in fact also called medicinal sugar. Another name for jaggery is country sugar. In winter, date palm jaggery is manufactured and consumed. It is very nutritious and has a warming effect on the body. In fact, jaggery is considered sacred and taken before the starting of a new venture, journey or business.

It is an integral part of almost all harvest festivals celebrated in India. In Southern India, rice is cooked along with boiled jaggery to make a dish which is offered to the sun god. Palmyra jaggery has a cooling effect on the body. Because of the abundant minerals and vitamins present in sugarcane juice, it is known to be the healthiest sugar in the world. Molasses is a byproduct of jaggery and is used in rural areas of Maharashtra and Karnataka as a sweetener. For the natural dyeing of fabric, jaggery is used. Jaggery is used in the Oriya cuisine for making pithas, a traditional Oriyan dish, and cakes. Palm wines are made using jaggery. Sour burps can be cured by taking jaggery along with rock salt. It is believed that adding jaggery to millet porridge can help improve the vision of a person, when taken regularly. It is also said that jaggery makes the skin acne-free. It also helps regulate the temperature of the body.

Some basic facts about jaggery:

• Botanical name: Saccharum Officinarum (For sugarcane - Jaggery is a byproduct of sugarcane)
• Family: Gramineae
• Common name: Gud
• Sanskrit name: गुडः (Gudd) / शर्करा(Sarkara)
• Parts used: Stalk (Sugarcane)
• Native region and geographical distribution: Some say that jaggery took its origin in Eastern India while others say that the Portuguese introduced it to India. India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Nepal, and Sri Lanka are large producers of jaggery. Latin America and the Caribbean also have high sugarcane growth and jaggery production.
• Interesting Fact:  Jaggery is often referred to as a “Superfood sweetener”. In Myanmar, people eat jaggery as candies.

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