Honey has been used as a sugar alternative for a long time now. In fact, it is one of the most popular sweeteners used by people around the world. Fructose and glucose are the two main sugars present in honey. The presence of high dosage of fructose is rather ironical if you were to consider switching to honey as a sweetening alternative as fructose is known to be more sweet than glucose or sucrose. However, it’s level is relatively low on the glycemic index, which makes it a preferred sugar substitute as it is known to lower blood sugar levels to a certain extent.
Plus, honey is an excellent source of antioxidants and electrolytes. Not to forget its ability to reduce weight gain.
If you were to switch to honey as an alternative, pure raw honey would be the most preferred choice as most honey available in the market is either adulterated or artificially sweetened, which is a whole new problem in itself.
Jaggery is another contender for the sweet spot. This sweet alternative is made from the same ingredient as sugar— sugarcane. The only difference is that it does not undergo the refining process which separates the molasses and crystals. Molasses is a by-product of sugarcane in the sugar making process. It is obtained after boiling the sugarcane juice twice.
Jaggery is known to be less sweet than fructose but relatively more sweeter than glucose. It is also known to have a very high glycemic index.
But the one aspect which makes jaggery unique is the nutritional value it possesses as a result of the molasses content. It is rich in minerals such as iron, magnesium, potassium, and B vitamins.
The verdict?
Switching to alternatives such as jaggery and honey can prove to be a wise choice if we want to cut down on our sugar intake. There is no denying the fact that both jaggery and honey possess their own unique benefits in terms of nutritional value but that does eliminate the fact that both these products contain one form of sugar or the other, if not all. They are still viable to be as harmful as regular sugar if taken in excess.
Thus, when it comes to consuming jaggery and honey, it is always advisable to refrain from excessive consumption.
