TRUTH VS HYPE : Honey, Jaggery or Sugar – What’s Better for Weight Loss?

Most of us face several challenges during our weight loss journey, we try to swap several foods to achieve the same level of satisfaction, reduce the cravings and try for a calorie deficit. Usually the first one in the list is to choose the best sugar substitute. Most of us replace sugar with easily available natural sweeteners like jaggery or honey.

Let's dig deep to choose a healthier sugar craving alternative

Apart from calorie deficit, glycemic index (GI) and glycemic load (GL) of the carbohydrates also impact weight loss results by influencing blood sugar and insulin levels in the long run.

Eating large quantities of high GI and GL food too often causes a rapid blood sugar spike due to its high GI, leading to a large insulin release. This insulin surge quickly absorbs glucose into cells, causing a rapid drop in blood sugar, increased hunger, and promoting fat storage, particularly around the abdomen.

So which one is a healthy sugar replacement?

Let us compare all the three in terms of calories, GI and GL in one teaspoon. Other nutritional value is not listed here as the amount of minerals, vitamins and bioactive present are in traces.

Table. 1 Comparison of calories, GI and GL of sugar and its substitutes

According to the given comparative table, honey tops the list in calories but honey tastes sweeter than the other two options so the quantity required to attain the same level of sweetness is less.

Jaggery tops the list for GI thus has the highest impact on blood sugar spike and crashes, consuming high amounts increases the GL leading to weight gain. It has a small amount of minerals and other nutrients compared to sugar.

Honey clearly has lower GI and GL (required amount is less to attain the sweetness so glycemic load reduces further) thus is a better sugar substitute with less impact on blood sugar spike. Research also shows that honey can aid in weight loss by promoting better blood sugar control and reducing hunger due to its lower glycemic index compared to sugar. Honey is not only a natural sugar replacement, it also contains flavonoids, and phenolic acids, which support metabolic health and provide anti-inflammatory benefits.

The Verdict

• Sugar - Provides empty calories with no vitamins or minerals
• Jaggery - Higher in GI and GL, offers marginal nutritional benefits over refined sugar.
• Honey - Lower in GI and GL compared to jaggery and contains small amounts of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, making it a slightly better option nutritionally to be included in your diet plan for weight loss.

All sweeteners contribute calories and can impact blood sugar levels, so controlling portion sizes and overall intake in your dieting plan is essential for effective weight management.

To know more about what is the healthy weight for your height, check out the BMI Calculator  Download the Practical, Easy-to-follow, Region specific Diet Plan and reach out to our Nutrition Expert for personalized advice to help you reach your goal to a healthier, fitter you.

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