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The Gur You're Eating Might Be Fake, Hacks to Test Your Jaggery

Kazi Nasir | Sep 29, 2025, 17:23 IST
Identify Pure Jaggery
( Image credit : Freepik )

Highlight of the story: Indians love sweets, and jaggery or gur has been our favorite natural sweetener for generations. But not all jaggery sold today is pure. Fake jaggery is often mixed with chemicals, soda or artificial colors, which may harm health and cause stomach issues, acidity and even liver damage. Pure jaggery, on the other hand, is rich in iron, minerals and natural energy. This article explains why fake jaggery is harmful, how pure jaggery looks and tastes, and simple home tests you can use to check if your gur is genuine.

We Indians are very fond of sweets and when it comes to sweeteners then Gur or Jaggery in English comes to our mind first. From our grandmother's kitchen to today's modern recipes according to modern taste buds uses of gur has always been a part of our food and culture obviously. People use it in sweets, tea, laddoos and even in daily meals as a healthy replacement for sugar but what if the gur you're eating is fake? Because here is the sad part that not all jaggery sold in the market is pure today. And eating fake jaggery can really harm our health where real jeggery is full of benifits due to its rich energy and iron. So how do we know the difference? This article brings hacks to tests your jaggery is pure or not.

Why Fake Jaggery Is Harmful

Fake Gur Are Harmful
( Image credit : Freepik )
Pure jaggery is made from sugarcane juice or palm sap without adding any chemicals. But when its comes to make more profit then some sellers add soda, calcium or artificial colors to give it a bright yellow or golden look. This fake jaggery may look attractive but it can cause stomach problems, acidity and even damage to the liver and kidneys if eaten for a long time so children and older people are more at risk because their bodies are weaker. That is why choosing pure jaggery is not just about taste but also about health and safety.

How Pure Jaggery Looks And Tastes

Test Real Gur
( Image credit : Freepik )
Real jaggery is not very shiny that is the reason its color is usually dark brown or golden brown. And it may have a slightly uneven surface and sometimes even tiny crystals. The taste of pure jaggery is rich, earthy and sweet with a little hint of salt or bitterness while fake jaggery on the other hand looks too bright yellow or too perfect and when you taste it you might feel extra sweetness without depth and sometimes even a chemical like taste. Follow the basic - trusting your eyes, nose and tongue is the first step to knowing if your gur is pure or not.

Simple Home Tests To Check Jaggery

Identify Fake Gur
( Image credit : Freepik )
One easy test is to put a small piece of jaggery in a glass of water and pure jaggery will slowly sink and may dissolve after some time leaving the water clean but when it comes to fake jaggery often starts making the water yellow because of added color. Another test is to break a piece of jaggery and if it breaks easily and feels dry then most probably this one is pure. If it feels sticky or very soft, it may have added chemicals. You can also burn a small piece of jaggery safely in a spoon. Pure jaggery burns like sugar and gives a caramel smell while fake jaggery may produce a strong smell and dark smoke.

Why Choosing Pure Jaggery Matters

Time to Choose Pure Gur
( Image credit : Freepik )
Eating real jaggery every day in small amounts gives the body iron, minerals and natural energy as well. It helps in digestion, cleans the blood and even keeps the skin healthy so pure jaggery is especially good for women and children who need extra iron. On the other hand fake jaggery only harms health and gives no real nutrition. So next time you buy gur take a moment to check it with these easy tests at home because pure jaggery is not only sweet for the tongue but also a blessing for health which one should take care of.

For hundreds of years Jaggery been part of our culture and was always made in the purest form in the villages. but in todays world we living in many things are made through the mixing of chemicals and that is the reason learning to check real jaggery is a small but yet a powerful step to protect your family's health. Because after all nothing is sweeter than safety.

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