chemical jaggery
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Jaggery is such a superfood that people like to eat in every season. It is so beneficial for digestion that experts recommend eating jaggery after every meal. Its use increases further in winter. Some people also do it for making tea, laddu or halwa. Actually, jaggery is considered good for health. But trouble comes when you consume fake or chemical-filled jaggery. Yes, due to the increasing demand of jaggery at present, chemicals are being used to enhance its taste and color.
At many places, sugar vinegar, colors like paint, synthetic dyes, lime and chemicals are being added to make the jaggery more shiny, increase its weight and prevent it from spoiling for a long time. Eating such jaggery is no less than poison for the body. It can have a direct impact on the kidneys and liver. Let us know how fake jaggery harms the body and how you can identify it.
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Chemical jaggery being sold in the market
It can be very difficult to identify fake jaggery available in the market. Because it looks exactly like real jaggery. However, the good thing is that FSSAI (Food Safety and Standards Authority of India) has given some easy ways to identify fake jaggery, which we are going to tell you in this article. But before that let us know what are the disadvantages caused by it?
These chemicals are being adulterated in jaggery
According to the Food Safety Department, washing soda, chalk powder and chemical dye like metanil yellow are being used to give golden color to jaggery to increase its weight. Apart from this, dangerous chemicals like sulfur dioxide are also being used. This jaggery is no less than poison for health. This definitely affects the digestive system.
Effect of chemical jaggery on health
Consumption of chemical jaggery is very dangerous for health. The sulfur dioxide that is being added to it weakens the bones and also works to reduce bone density. At the same time, the chemical which is even more dangerous is Metanil Yellow, which is a synthetic color which is being used to give yellow color to the jaggery. According to a research, Metanil Yellow has adverse effects on ears, liver, intestines, heart and nerves. Besides, it also works to increase oxidative stress in the body. Let us know how you can identify fake jaggery.
This is how to identify fake jaggery
Water test – You can do water test to identify fake jaggery. For this, dissolve a small piece of jaggery in water in a glass. If the color of water changes then understand that color has been adulterated in it. Because the color of pure jaggery does not change.
Identification of washing powder- According to FSSAI, to identify adulteration of washing powder in jaggery, pour jaggery in water and see if anything white is getting deposited at the bottom. If white powder falls then the jaggery has been adulterated.
Shape and taste – Real jaggery is soft and breaks easily. But if the jaggery is too hard or granular then it may be adulterated and it may contain adulteration of sugar or any chemical. At the same time, test and check. Real jaggery is sweet.
Check by placing it on your palm- Take a small piece of jaggery and rub it on your palm. If a little oil comes out from the jaggery then it is adulterated. Because no oil of any kind comes out in real jaggery.
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