Should You Eat Jaggery If You Are A Diabetic Patient?

What is Diabetes?

Diabetes is a lifelong condition in which a person's blood glucose/sugar level becomes too high. (1)

Different Types of Diabetes

The most common types of diabetes are type 1, type 2, and gestational diabetes. (1), (2)

Type 1 diabetes

A person with type 1 diabetes doesn't make insulin as their immune system attacks and destroys the cells that produce insulin.

Type 2 diabetes

The body does not produce enough insulin, or the body's cells do not react to insulin.

Gestational diabetes

During pregnancy, some women have high levels of blood glucose, due to which their bodies cannot produce insulin or absorb it all. In many cases, this type of diabetes goes away after the baby is born. However, there is a greater chance of developing type 2 diabetes later in life.

What are blood sugar levels?

Blood sugar levels, also known as blood glucose levels, are a measurement that shows how much glucose you have in your blood. Glucose is a sugar that you get from food and drink. Your blood sugar levels go up and down throughout the day, and for people living with diabetes, these changes are more significant and happen more often than in people who don't have diabetes. (3)

Can Diabetic Patients Eat Jaggery?

Following is the sugar content in 100g jaggery (4)

• Total Sugar: 95.44 (g)
• Reducing Sugar: 8.04 (g)
• Sucrose on a dry basis: 89.72 (g)

The glycemic index of Jaggery is also very high, which can trigger a spike in blood sugar levels. Hence considering the high sugar content & high glycemic index of Jaggery, it is advisable to consult your doctor before consuming Jaggery.