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Jaggery or honey not healthier than sugar in tea
Replacing sugar with jaggery or honey in tea does not make it significantly healthier, according to dietary experts. While these alternatives are often considered more natural, they are still sources of added…
Replacing sugar with jaggery or honey in tea does not make it significantly healthier, according to dietary experts. While these alternatives are often considered more natural, they are still sources of added sugar that contribute calories and can raise blood sugar levels. The quantity consumed matters more than which sweetener is chosen.
General dietary guidance recommends keeping added sugar below 10 percent of total daily calorie intake, which translates to around seven to eight teaspoons a day for an average person. A more conservative limit of three to four teaspoons is advised when accounting for sugar from all sources. Jaggery contains small amounts of iron, but meeting iron requirements through jaggery would require consuming too much sugar.
Indian Opinion Analysis
The debate over natural sweeteners often misses the core issue: all added sugars, whether from refined sugar, jaggery or honey, contribute to the same daily limit recommended by the World Health Organisation (WHO). The WHO has long advised that added sugars should make up less than 10 percent of total energy intake, and ideally below 5 percent for additional health benefits. For an Indian diet heavy on chai, sweets and packaged foods, hitting even the lower limit of three to four teaspoons daily can be challenging without conscious reduction. The iron content in jaggery is often overstated, the National Institute of Nutrition's dietary guidelines list lentils, leafy greens and meat as far more effective sources. The practical takeaway is to focus on reducing overall sweetness rather than swapping one sugar source for another, with the next step being to check the sugar content in packaged foods labelled as healthy.
Source: english.mathrubhumi.com
This brief was synthesised by AI from the source linked above.
