The air we're breathing today in Delhi can lead to more lung damage than a regular smoking habit. The AQI (Air Quality Index) levels in some parts of the city have reached a very, very alarming 999. In such circumstances, what is one to do but breathe the air they're living in?
While our lungs do have a built-in pollution filter called cilia (small hair-like structures) that sweep the mucus and dirt out of the lungs, they are not built to deal with the carbon pollution (read smoke, chemical, toxins and vehicle fumes) that are being found in abundance in Delhi's air today. Inhaling the deadly mix of smoke, chemical toxins and vehicle fumes puts our bodies at the risk of asthma and worsens already-existing respiratory diseases.
Thankfully, there is a saviour, tucked away in a jar in your kitchen, and is also easily available at your nearest grocery store, which can help keep your lungs relatively cleaner during this tumultuous time.
Jaggery, or gud in Hindi, is sugar in its purest form, which is obtained from raw sugarcane juice. It is prepared by boiling sugarcane juice till it solidifies.
As a matter of fact, industrial workers, who work in dusty and smoky environments (coal mines, for instance), are handed out gud to eat after they are done with the day.
This is done particularly for factory workers who work in extremely polluted environments. According to various reports, the workers seemed to experience no discomfort caused by working in dusty and smoky environment, if they consumed jaggery after getting done with work.
"Jaggery is a rich source of instant energy, as it is loaded with iron. Iron-rich food improves the hemoglobin level in blood, which in turn increases the oxygen-carrying capacity of the blood. This helps get rid of the acute effects of pollution," says Dr (Prof) M. Wali, former physician to the President of India.
Several studies and reports have proved that consuming a bit of gud every day can help combat the carbon pollution in the air. Dr Wali, however, advises that jaggery intake must be limited to two to four grams a day, and does not recommend it to patients suffering from diabetes.
There is a reason your grandparents eat gud after dinner every night, especially in winters. So, go ahead, include jaggery in your daily routine as a dessert after lunch, breakfast or even dinner.