Is Jaggery better than Refined sugar? Which one to avoid if diabetic.

Palm jaggery vs Cane jaggery

	Cane Jaggery	Palm Jaggery
Source	Sugar cane juice	Palm saplings
Color	Caramel brown	Chocolate brown
Flavor	Caramel	Earthy sweet with tiny bitterness
Sugar spikes	Sharp	More gradual
Minerals (iron, calcium, manganese, potassium)	Less concentrated	More concentrated
GI (glycemic index)	84	35
Availability	Widely seen	Highly selected
Primary sugar	Sucrose 70-85%	Sucrose 70-85%
Diabetic safety	Highly NO	NO
Protein	<1gm per 100 gms	<1gm per 100 gms
Countries who produce	Asia Africa Latin America	India, Nepal Sri Lanka, Burma Myanmar
Methods produced	Less labor intense	Very laborious

The key difference between the two types of jaggery lies in how they’re made, GI index difference and their availability in USA.

Jaggery is produced from sugarcane, which is widely grown and accessible in many countries, including those in the Western Hemisphere (Latin America & Africa & Asia). Palm jaggery, on the other hand, is made only in South Asian countries (India, Bangladesh, Nepal, Myanmar, Sri Lanka) and even there, it’s seasonal, available mainly from December to June. This makes palm jaggery harder to find and often sold out, while cane sugar jaggery is commonly stocked in most American stores.

Another interesting fact is that palm jaggery is produced through a highly labor-intensive process. It often requires manual work such as climbing tall palm trees, which carries risks of injuries and accidents. In contrast, sugarcane jaggery production is less hazardous, as sugarcane is widely cultivated and can be processed more efficiently with machines.

What should you do if you’re diabetic or have a high chance of becoming one?

In my opinion, regular sugarcane jaggery offers NO advantage over refined sugar especially if you are borderline diabetic or genetically predisposed to diabetes. Similar to refined sugar, it can cause rapid spikes in blood glucose and may worsen HbA1c levels in diabetics.

If you’re diabetic and aiming to avoid sharp sugar spikes, palm jaggery is a better option when used minimally. It causes a gentler rise in blood sugar, which is why its glycemic index is relatively low at 35, compared to sugarcane jaggery at 80. What’s surprising is that many diabetics still use sugarcane jaggery as a “healthier” replacement for sugar—yet its glycemic index is actually higher than refined sugar, which stands at 60.

The glycemic index (GI) is a measure of how quickly carbohydrate-containing food raises blood sugar levels. It is scaled from 0 to 100.

Glycemic index of honey varies between 50-60 and store-bought honey is generally mixed with other similar looking compounds like caramel or sweet syrup to increase its shelf life. If your honey is from authentic beekeepers’ stores, then it may contain lesser Glycemic index thought stil higher compared to Palm sugar.

Artificial sweeteners may not raise blood sugar, but they come with their own risks. Research has linked them to disturbances in gut flora, digestive issues, kidney problems, food intolerances and more. A recent study even showed that regular use of artificial sweeteners can increase the risk of heart attacks and strokes. In addition, aspartame, one of the most common sweeteners—has been classified as potentially carcinogenic.

For a deeper discussion on the impact of artificial sweeteners and healthier alternatives, you can explore my book Timeless Vitality Diet.

You’re also welcome to join my monthly Sattvic Diet Workshops, hosted right in my kitchen. Since I like to keep them personal and hands-on, only 10–12 spots are available each time—so be sure to reserve your seat early. Click Here to Join

In these sessions, we’ll cook together using wholesome ingredients like palm jaggery, hand picked vegetables and millets, and I’ll explain the Ayurvedic significance of each dish as we prepare and savor it. You’ll cut, cook, taste, and truly experience how food becomes medicine when prepared with care.

Each participant goes home with 8 authentic, nourishing recipes—healthy, delicious, and soul-satisfying, just the way your grandmother might have made them: pure, simple, and timeless.