Every Indian family has that one uncle who swaps sugar for gud in his chai and announces he's "off sugar now". Lovely intention. Slightly wrong chemistry.
Jaggery is not a healthy substitute for sugar when it comes to blood sugar. Sugarcane jaggery is about 65–85% sucrose, the same sugar as the white stuff, and in a study of adults with type 2 diabetes, coconut jaggery raised glucose about as much as cane sugar. Count gud as sugar and keep portions small.
Last updated: November 2026
The problem
Gud has a warm, earthy halo. It's in chikki, til ladoo, gur wali chai and every winter dessert, and it's often sold as the "natural" or "desi" choice.
So people swap sugar for jaggery and then use more of it, believing it's harmless. For blood sugar, that swap does very little.
Why it happens
Jaggery is mostly sugar
Jaggery is made by boiling down sugarcane juice without spinning off the molasses. A 2023 review lists solid jaggery as 65–85 g sucrose plus 9–15 g reducing sugars (glucose and fructose) per 100 g, against 99.5 g sucrose for refined sugar (Venkatesh et al., 2023).
That means a teaspoon of gud is still roughly 75–95% sugar. Your gut breaks sucrose into glucose and fructose either way.
The glucose response is similar
In 43 adults with type 2 diabetes in Sri Lanka, 50 g of carbohydrate from coconut jaggery and from cane sugar produced no significant difference in peak glucose or overall glucose response. The authors concluded coconut jaggery "cannot be considered as a healthy substitute for cane sugar" (Hewa Pathirana et al., 2022). Sugarcane jaggery wasn't tested, but its make-up is similar.
The minerals are real but small
Jaggery does keep some minerals, such as about 10–13 mg iron and 70–90 mg magnesium per 100 g (Venkatesan et al., 2024). But nobody eats 100 g of gud. A 10 g piece gives about 1 mg of iron along with around 8–9 g of sugar, and dal, greens and millets are far better sources.
What to do
- Count gud as sugar. Health bodies count added sugars and syrups the same way, wherever they come from (WHO, 2015). India's guidelines suggest keeping sugar to about 20–25 g a day for adults (ICMR-NIN, 2024).
- Enjoy it for flavour, not health. If you love gur wali chai or til chikki, have it, just in smaller portions.
- Pair it with protein and fibre. A piece of gud after a full meal is gentler than gud chai on an empty stomach.
- Get iron from food that brings more of it. Think rajma, chana, spinach and bajra rather than sweets.
- Cut the total, not just the type. Step down the spoons in your chai over a few weeks; your taste adapts.
Did you know? Refined sugar has about 0.05 g of minerals per 100 g, while solid jaggery has 0.6–1.0 g (Venkatesh et al., 2023). More, yes, but still under 1% of what you're eating.
FAQ
Is jaggery better than sugar for diabetes?
Not meaningfully. Jaggery is mostly sucrose, and a study in type 2 diabetes found coconut jaggery raised glucose about as much as cane sugar. Count it as sugar.
What is the glycemic index of jaggery?
Published values vary and reliable tested data are limited. What's clear is that jaggery is roughly 75–95% sugar, so it behaves much like table sugar.
Is jaggery healthy at all?
It keeps small amounts of iron, magnesium and potassium, but you'd need to eat a lot of sugar to get a useful dose.
Curious about other "natural" sweeteners? Read why honey isn't a free pass, how to cut sugar in chai and the science behind Trulo. Share this with the gud-loving uncle.
This article is for information, not medical advice. If you have diabetes or take medication, talk to your doctor before changing your diet.
Research & References
- Venkatesh T, et al. Current production strategies and sustainable approaches towards the resurgence of non-centrifugal cane sugar production – a review. Sustainable Food Technology, 2023. — Supports: jaggery sucrose, reducing-sugar and mineral content vs refined sugar.
- Venkatesan MS, et al. Jaggery making process and preservation: a review. Agricultural Reviews, 2024. — Supports: iron and magnesium content per 100 g.
- Hewa Pathirana HPDT, et al. Comparison of blood glucose responses by cane sugar (Saccharum officinarum) versus coconut jaggery (Cocos nucifera) in type 2 diabetes patients. Journal of Future Foods, 2022. — Supports: similar glucose response to jaggery and cane sugar.
- World Health Organization. WHO calls on countries to reduce sugars intake among adults and children. WHO, 2015. — Supports: free sugars include added sugars, honey and syrups.
- ICMR-National Institute of Nutrition. Dietary Guidelines for Indians. ICMR-NIN, 2024. — Supports: adult sugar limit of 20–25 g a day.
