The Sweet Lie Behind Jaggery and Honey

There’s a lot of buzz around replacing white sugar with jaggery, honey, palm sugar, or even coconut sugar. But do these alternatives really make a difference to your health? In this episode of the podcast, Dietician Nidhi Nigam clears the air on the sweet truth.

Watch the clip here: Truth about jaggery and honey

All Sugars Add Up the Same Way

Whether it’s white sugar, honey, jaggery, palm sugar, or coconut sugar, your body ultimately processes them in a similar way. From a calorie perspective, one teaspoon of any of these provides roughly 19 to 22 calories. So, switching from sugar to jaggery or honey won’t make a big difference if you’re consuming the same amount.

The Iron in Jaggery: Does It Really Help?

A common belief is that jaggery is healthier because it contains iron. While that’s technically true, the amount is so small that it hardly benefits you. In fact, you’d need to eat an entire kilogram of jaggery to get the same amount of iron as you’d get from a single apple. Clearly, that’s neither practical nor healthy.

Enjoy the Taste, Not the Health Halo

The real takeaway is this: if you enjoy the taste of jaggery or honey, go ahead and use them. But don’t eat them thinking they are healthy foods or superior to sugar. They still fall under the umbrella of “sweeteners” and should be enjoyed in moderation.

This conversation is part of a wider discussion on food myths and nutrition facts with Dietician Nidhi Nigam. To hear the full insights, watch the The Orange Club Podcast - All about nutrition