Sugar is a necessary ingredient in cooking. Varieties of Sugar are available such as granulated sugar, brown sugar, turbinado sugar, demerara sugar, and more. A majority of Indian kitchen uses granulated sugar to add sweetness to the food.
Desi Khand or Muscovado sugar has traditionally been used in Indian cooking to add sweetness and nutrients to food.
Through this article, let’s try to understand what desi Khand is? Its health benefits and ways to incorporate it into the diet.
What is Desi Khand?
Khandsari or desi khand is an unrefined or raw sugar, made from sugarcane. Unlike white sugar, desi khand contains natural molasses. To prepare desi khand, cane extract is heated, and the remaining liquid is allowed to evaporate until the sugar residue remains.
As compared to brown sugar, desi khandsari is darker brown in color and has a strong molasses flavor. Generally, two types of desi khand are available in the market, one of which is slightly light in color as some of its molasses are removed while another type of khand is extremely dark in color with no molasses removed.
Desi khand is extensively used to give a deep flavor to cakes, candies, and cookies and is also added to savory dishes due to its mesmerizing color and aroma.
Benefits of Desi Khand
Experts suggest Desi khand as a healthier alternative to granulated sugar. Here’s all that desi khand can offer to your health-
1. Khand for constipation
Irregular bowel movement is one of the leading GUT complaints. This could be due to a sedentary lifestyle, lack of fibre in the diet, or poor eating habits. Thankfully Muscovado sugar is naturally rich in dietary fiber that helps to cleanse the GUT by regulating bowel movement and maintaining the intestinal microbiome.
2. khand for anemia
Low blood count or anemia is a condition associated with a deficiency of red blood cells or hemoglobin in the blood. The leading cause of which is iron deficiency. Unlike granulated sugar which just contains empty calories, khand is rich in micronutrients like iron, magnesium, zinc, etc. This is due to the fact that it contains molasses and does not undergo refining like granulated sugar.
3. Khand for Strong Bones and Teeth
Minerals like calcium, magnesium, and phosphorous are important nutrients required for strengthening bones and teeth. Desi khand liberally contains all of these nutrients. Nutritionists recommend switching to desi khand or muscovado sugar to improve the intake of minerals required for building strong bones and healthy teeth.
4. khand for energy
Unlike white sugar, desi khand is not just ‘empty calories’. Muscovado sugar contains nutrients, antioxidants (including gallic acid and other polyphenols), and calories that supply energy to the body. Replacing white sugar with desi khand helps to nourish and energize the body instantly.
5. free of chemicals
Unlike white sugar, Muscovado sugar or desi khand is free of chemicals. This means that no chemicals are used during the refining or manufacturing process. So, if you are looking for a chemical-free and healthy alternative to white sugar, desi khand is what you should try your hands on.
How is Desi Khand Different from White Sugar?
White sugar or refined sugar is the most common and popularly used variety of sugar. The processing of white sugar is the same as desi khand. The only difference lies in the machine that is used to remove even the traces of molasses resulting in white sugar. Along with this, desi khand is free of chemicals, while white sugar contains chemicals like sulfur dioxide, and phosphoric acid added during its processing.
How is Desi Khand Different from Brown Sugar?
To understand this difference, let’s first find out what is brown sugar? Well, It’s simply white sugar (table sugar) with molasses added back to it after processing. During the refining of white sugar, molasses are removed. However, to prepare brown sugar fortification of molasses is imperative. This means that brown sugar contains some nutrients and is not just empty calories. While, desi khand contains good number of nutrients and antioxidants along with no chemicals, making it superior to brown sugar.
How To Use Desi Khand?
Desi khand or muscovado sugar can be used to prepare sweet and savory dishes like khand tea, khand milk, khand bohri khichdi, khand besan halwa,etc. Additionally, desi khand can also be added to oatmeal, puddings, shakes, and homemade juices.
Summing Up
To all the fitness enthusiasts out there, If you are looking for a healthy alternative to chemical-filled white sugar, desi khand is what you should be incorporating into your diet. Muscovado sugar does contain the same number of calories as white sugar, but what makes it superior to white sugar and brown sugar is its rich molasses content and nutritional profile.
This article gives a quick and fair overview of what desi khand is, its health benefits, and how to incorporate desi khand into the diet regularly. So, now the next time when you visit a grocery store, make sure to pick a pile of desi khand instead of table sugar. And with this, let the sweetness and nutrients of desi khand envelop your food and health each day!
