Jaggery is a traditional non-centrifugal cane sugar consumed in Asia, Africa and some countries of the Americas. It is a concentrated product of date, cane juice, or palm sap (see palm sugar) without the separation of molasses and crystals, and can range from gold brown to dark brown in colour. It contains up to 50% sucrose, up to 20% invert sugar and up to 20% moisture, and the rest is composed of other insoluble matter, such as wood ash, bagasse proteins and fibers. Jaggery is mixed with other ingredients, such as peanuts, condensed milk, coconut and white sugar, to produce various local specialties marketed and consumed.
Unrefined, it is known by several names, including panela, in other parts of the world. The jaggery is made from sugar cane and date palm tree products. Sugar made from the sap of the date palm is all the more appreciated and less commonly available outside the regions where it is made. The date palm is used to produce jaggery in West Bengal, South India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Nepal and Sri Lanka. In Sri Lanka, extracts of kithul syrup (Caryota urens) trees are widely used for jaggery production. This is considered the best jaggery available in the local market and is more highly valued than other sources.
Demerits
• Consuming too much jaggery could lead to an increased chance of parasitic infections and intestinal worms.
• Unrefined or unwashed Jaggery has a tendency to increase body fat content.