Key Update

Switching from refined sugar to jaggery, honey, or dates does not automatically make food healthier, warns Dr Prashant Katakol, a neurosurgeon with over 33 years of experience. He says many people do not suffer from a sugar problem but from a tendency to justify higher intake by choosing “natural” alternatives.

As refined sugar earns a bad reputation, consumers increasingly replace it with jaggery, honey, dates, or date syrup. Dr Katakol stresses that the body does not respond to marketing claims, tradition, or comfort foods—it responds only to the total sugar load consumed daily.

All Sweeteners Act Similarly in the Body

According to Dr Katakol, sugar, jaggery, honey, and dates are all concentrated sources of sugar. Once consumed, the body breaks them down into glucose in much the same way, leading to similar blood sugar spikes, calorie intake, and glycaemic load.

“Dates may look healthy, and jaggery may sound traditional, but they behave like sugar in the body,” Dr Katakol said. He cautioned that changing the source of sweetness does not justify overeating, as the metabolic impact remains unchanged.

Practical Tips for Healthier Sugar Intake

Dr Katakol advised limiting all concentrated sugar sources, restricting dates to one per day, and keeping jaggery or honey intake below one teaspoon daily. He also recommended choosing sweets in whole-food forms, controlling portions even for foods perceived as healthy, and focusing on how glucose affects the body rather than relying on food labels.

Source: Hindustan Times