Khand (Muscovado Sugar), 1 Kg

While unrefined and marginally better than white sugar in terms of mineral content, Khand is a highly concentrated form of glucose and fructose, and provides instant energy but almost no nutritional value, and must be treated at par with sugar in your nutrition considerations. Regular consumption of added sugars including in the form of khand is linked to insulin resistance, weight gain, fatty liver, hormonal imbalances, and increased risk of diabetes and heart disease. It also disrupts gut health and promotes inflammation.

We don’t believe in fear-based nutrition, but we do believe in informed choices. While it may not be possible to eliminate sugar entirely, here’s how you can reduce its hold on your diet:

• Retrain your palate - start gradually reducing sugar in chai, coffee, and desserts. Your taste buds will adjust
• Switch to natural sweeteners like dates, dried figs, raisins, or fruit purées — they add sweetness along with some micronutrients and fibre
• Choose unsweetened (or less sweetened) versions of packaged foods such as nut butters, chocolates (try dark!), cereals and more
• Consider no-sugar natural sweeteners such as monk fruit and stevia