Let us know about Jaggery during pregnancy. During a healthy pregnancy, it is important for every pregnant woman to eat a healthy diet and understand the nutritional value of healthy foods before including them in your diet. Consuming certain foods during pregnancy can regulate the body’s hormones, improve the immune system, and even help heal inflammation and pain. Among many nutrition-rich foods, jaggery is also one such food item which is beneficial and safe for a pregnant woman.
Is it safe to consume jaggery during pregnancy?
Many people consider jaggery to be a good source of glucose. It is considered to be the natural and unrefined form of sugar. Consuming too much glucose during pregnancy can be harmful, regardless of the form in which you consume sugar.
Can jaggery be consumed during pregnancy? The answer is yes, but in moderation. Jaggery contains essential minerals, salt and iron which can be beneficial for pregnancy. If jaggery is consumed in moderation, it can be healthy for your pregnancy as it helps to cleanse your blood and prevent anemia.
Nutritional value present in jaggery
When using an ingredient, it is important to understand the nutritional value it contains. For example, jaggery contains iron, minerals, salt as well as potassium and is also capable of providing a substantial amount of glucose if consumed in limited quantities. Following is the approximate nutritional value of 100 grams of jaggery.
- Calories: 383
- Carbohydrates : 84.8 grams
- Protein: 1.85 grams
- Fat: 0.16 grams
- Iron: 4.63 mg, or 61% of the RDI*
- Magnesium: 115 mg, or about 20% of the RDI*
- Potassium: 488 mg, or 30% of the RDI*
- Manganese: 0.72 mg, or 10–20% of the RDI*
* RDI (Recommended Dietary Intake) refers to recommended dietary intake.
Health Benefits of Jaggery for Pregnant Women
Due to the many health benefits present in jaggery, it is recommended to consume it during pregnancy. Following are some of the benefits of jaggery during pregnancy, let us find out;
- Prevents anemia – Deficiency of iron in the body can lead to anemia and jaggery has high iron content which helps in preventing anemia.
- Purifies the blood – Jaggery has many antibacterial properties which help in purifying the blood. It prevents infection and at the same time it helps in maintaining the immune system. It is especially beneficial for pregnant women who have a weak immune system due to hormonal imbalance during pregnancy.
- Improves bone health – Jaggery has certain properties that help improve bone density. It is very useful for pregnant women.
- Reduces Water Retention – Retention of water in the body parts during pregnancy is a common problem during this period. Jaggery contains high amounts of potassium which helps in curing this problem.
- Reduces Swelling – Jaggery also has some anti-inflammatory properties, which can help reduce body swelling during pregnancy.
- Helps maintain electrolyte balance – Jaggery is rich in potassium and potassium helps regulate the electrolyte balance in your body.
It is advised to consult a nutritionist or doctor to know how and in what quantity to consume jaggery during pregnancy. In this, take information from the doctor about what other benefits food can have in your pregnancy.
Can the consumption of jaggery reduce the weight of the unborn baby?
No, the chances of low birth weight baby by consuming jaggery are negligible. Most doctors believe that excessive consumption of jaggery during pregnancy as well as unhealthy lifestyle leads to low birth weight of the baby. The solution to this problem lies in consuming jaggery in the right quantity and adopting a healthy lifestyle. Consult your doctor for more information on what lifestyle changes you need to make during pregnancy.
Jaggery recipes for pregnant women
Jaggery can be used in many different ways in many dishes. Here are some delicious and quick recipes, which are beneficial for pregnant women.
1. Ragi and Jaggery Cookies
Material
- Ragi flour – 50 grams
- Wheat flour – 50 grams
- Oats – 20 grams
- Jaggery powder – 60 grams
- Unsalted Butter – 80 grams
- Baking powder – 1/2 tsp
- Milk – 2 tbsp
Method
- Roast the ragi flour in a dry utensil for 10 minutes and then keep it aside in a bowl to cool.
- Now in a separate bowl, add whole wheat flour, jaggery, oats, baking powder and butter. Mix all the ingredients well and after cooling add ragi flour to this mixture.
- Add 1 tbsp milk to the mixture and knead it like a dough. Wrap the dough in cling wrap and keep it in the fridge for half an hour.
- Then keep the oven at 160°C and remove the cling wrap from the kneaded dough and make small balls out of it. Then roll out all the balls and place them on a tray and bake for 15-20 minutes.
- Finally keep it aside to cool down and eat with tea or coffee.
2. Banana and Jaggery Chips
Material
- Raw Bananas –
- Ginger powder – 1 tsp
- Jaggery syrup – 3/4 cup
- Cumin powder – 1 teaspoon
- Powdered sugar – 3 tbsp
- oil for deep frying
Method
- Peel the banana and cut it lengthwise and then cut it into small pieces.
- Heat oil in a pan, add banana pieces and cook on medium heat.
- Fry the banana pieces till they turn crisp and red in colour.
- Take out the pieces and keep them aside to cool for 30 to 60 minutes.
- After this, put jaggery syrup and ginger powder in a vessel and boil this mixture. Then add cumin powder and mix it well.
- Add banana pieces to the mixture and coat the pieces with jaggery syrup.
- Switch off the flame and then add powdered sugar to it.
- Allow the banana chips to cool and then enjoy this sweet treat.
3. Peanut and Sesame Chikki
Material
- Peanuts – 2 cups
- White Sesame – 1/2 cup
- Jaggery – 1.5 cups
- Ghee – 1 tsp
Method
- Roast the peanuts, cool and remove the skin.
- Roast the white sesame seeds till they turn light golden in colour.
- Mix jaggery and ghee in a vessel and heat it and cook till the jaggery melts. Add a drop of water to it and see if the jaggery hardens when it comes in contact with water. If it does, switch off the flame.
- Add peanuts and sesame seeds to the vessel and mix well.
- Grease a plate with ghee and put the jaggery mixture in the plate.
- Spread the mixture evenly on the plate.
- Cut the soft jaggery into cakes and then let it cool completely.
- Once done, separate the chikki pieces and enjoy this healthy snack!
Remember that consuming any food item in excess can cause excessive harm. Before adding any food to your diet, talk to your doctor and nutritionist to understand how and in what quantity you should consume these foods.
