Jaggery - Sugar cane and Palmyra varieties

Picture released into the public domain by author Madhavi Madhurakavi

Sugar cane jaggery is very common in India.It is made by boiling the fresh juice of the sugar canes in large flattish iron vessels till it becomes a semi solid mass.Some additives are used to enhance the colour or increase the shelf life .It is then poured into moulds and cooled.This needs a lot of patience and technique combined with skill.This jaggery contains traces of salt , iron ,calcium and minerals.
The main ingredient is sucrose which is the same as that of sugar but it is said that the energy release of jaggery is much slower when compared to the white refined sugar.So it is the lesser evil for people suffering from diabetes.
- Called Gud in Hindi - Bellam in Telugu - VeZham in Tamil.

picture released into the public domain by author Madhavi Madhurakavi.

Palm jaggery is made by boiling the sap from the Palm tree .It is also called thati bellam in Telugu ,Panavellam in Tamil.It is costlier than the sugar cane jaggery ( around 150 - 200 rupees) and available in some specialised shops.It has a distinct taste and smoky smell and much darker in colour.