Today The festival of Makar Sankranti is celebrated across the country. Eating things made from sesame and jaggery on this day has a special significance. Without this, this festival is considered incomplete. In this season, sesame and jaggery products are also beneficial for health.
This is the reason why there is a tradition of eating them during festivals like Lohri and Makar Sankranti. However, sesame and jaggery available in the market may also be adulterated. Eating this can harm your health. Therefore, it is important to keep certain things in mind while purchasing sesame and jaggery.
So, let’s talk about adulterated sesame and jaggery in the news of today’s need? You will also learn that-
How to identify adulterated sesame and jaggery? How harmful are they to health?
Expert:
-Dr. Poonam Tiwari, Senior Dietician, Dr Ram Manohar Lohia Institute of Medical Sciences, Lucknow
-Chaturbhuj Meena, State Food Analyst, Jharkhand
Question: What things should be kept in mind before buying sesame seeds on Makar Sankranti?
Answer: There is a tradition of eating sesame seeds in different parts of the country on Makar Sankranti. Some people like to eat sesame laddus while others like sesame gajak very much. There are many benefits of eating sesame seeds in this season.
However, due to increase in demand for sesame seeds on the occasion of Makar Sankranti, there is a possibility of adulteration. Adulterators adulterate sesame seeds in the greed of earning more profits. Eating adulterated sesame seeds can cause stomach problems. However, there are ways to check whether sesame seeds are adulterated or not. See this in the graph below-
Question: What things should be kept in mind before buying jaggery on Makar Sankranti?
Answer: On the day of Makar Sankranti, there is a tradition of eating jaggery with sesame seeds. Jaggery is a good source of iron. Eating jaggery is very beneficial in winter. Eating jaggery keeps the digestive system healthy. This also increases the hemoglobin level in the body. However, all these benefits are available only when the jaggery is not adulterated.
In order to make profits, adulterers adulterate jaggery with elements like calcium carbonate, sodium bicarbonate, sugar and sepholite. All of these things can harm our health. Therefore, it is important to keep certain things in mind before buying jaggery.
Understand from the graph below what is the difference between real and adulterated jaggery.
Question: How beneficial is it to eat sesame seeds in cold weather?
Answer- According to the recommendation of the National Institute of Health, an adult needs 30 grams of fiber per day. If you eat two sesame laddus, or about 30 grams of sesame seeds per day, this will cover 12% of your fiber needs. There are many benefits of eating sesame seeds during cold weather. Such as-
Sesame has warming properties, which help keep the body warm during cold days. Sesame contains fiber and other nutrients that keep the digestive system healthy. Sesame contains vitamin E and other antioxidants that help strengthen the immune system. 3 fatty acids and other nutrients beneficial for heart health. The vitamin E present in sesame protects the skin and hair from drying out.
Question: Why should jaggery be included in your diet in winter?
Answer – Eating jaggery is very beneficial in winter. You can include it daily in your diet. Jaggery is generally known as a natural sweetener. It is much less processed than sugar, which retains its natural nutrients. Eating jaggery regularly in winter boosts immunity. Thus, health problems like cough, cold and indigestion can be avoided.
Question: What health problems can adulterated jaggery cause?
Answer: Harmful chemicals added to adulterated jaggery can cause stomach upset and vomiting. In addition, the risk of skin allergies also increases. Prolonged consumption of adulterated jaggery can also cause liver and kidney problems.
Question: Which people should avoid eating sesame and jaggery foods in winter?
Answer – Senior Dietitian Dr. Poonam Tiwari says that consuming sesame seeds is beneficial for diabetic patients. However, they should avoid eating jaggery and sesame laddus. In fact, blood sugar levels can increase due to jaggery. Apart from this, other people should also be careful. Such as-
People who are overweight should avoid eating sesame laddus. Sesame seeds contain a good amount of calories. People with weak digestive systems should not eat sesame laddus. Sesame seeds and jaggery are pungent in nature, which can cause constipation. If your skin is sensitive, you should avoid eating sesame seeds. Sesame seeds can increase the problem of skin allergies. Pregnant women should avoid eating sesame and jaggery in large quantities.
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