3 foods · IFCT 2017
Sugars and natural drinks: nutrition per 100 g
This small group covers three traditional Indian sweet foods and drinks from IFCT 2017: jaggery (gur), fresh sugarcane juice and tender coconut water. Per 100 g, jaggery gives 354 kcal with 4.63 mg iron and 107 mg calcium, sugarcane juice 58 kcal and coconut water just 15 kcal. All three are mainly sugar and water, with small amounts of minerals.
About sugars and natural drinks
Jaggery, sugarcane juice and coconut water are three of India's oldest sweet foods. Gur is boiled down from cane juice in open pans and goes into chikki, laddoos, payasam, chutneys and Gujarati dal. Sugarcane juice is pressed fresh at roadside stalls with ginger and lemon, and tender coconut water is the hot-weather drink of the coast and well beyond it.
Jaggery is concentrated cane sugar with some of the minerals left in. Per 100 g it carries 354 kcal, 4.63 mg iron and 107 mg calcium, which white sugar lacks. The minerals are real, but a spoon of gur weighs only a few grams, so it is not a meaningful iron source next to dal, greens or meat. For energy and blood sugar it should be counted as a sugar.
The two drinks are lighter. Sugarcane juice gives 58 kcal per 100 g, with 1.12 mg iron and 6.7 mg vitamin C, and is best drunk fresh from a clean stall. Coconut water has just 15 kcal and 27 mg calcium per 100 g, and its potassium makes it a natural choice after sweating. People with kidney disease should check with their doctor before drinking it regularly.
Sugars and natural drinks compared
Per 100 g of the edible portion. Open any food for its full panel, varieties and names in Indian languages.
| Food | Energy | Protein | Fibre | Iron | Calcium |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Coconut water | 15 kcal | 0.3 g | 0 g | 0.06 mg | 27 mg |
| Jaggery | 354 kcal | 1.9 g | 0 g | 4.63 mg | 107 mg |
| Sugarcane | 58 kcal | 0.2 g | 0.6 g | 1.12 mg | 18 mg |
Values per 100 g of the edible portion. Source: Longvah T, Ananthan R, Bhaskarachary K, Venkaiah K. Indian Food Composition Tables 2017. National Institute of Nutrition, Indian Council of Medical Research, Hyderabad.
The richest sugars and natural drinks by nutrient
Protein
- 1.Jaggery1.9 g
- 2.Coconut water0.3 g
- 3.Sugarcane0.2 g
Iron
- 1.Jaggery4.63 mg
- 2.Sugarcane1.12 mg
- 3.Coconut water0.06 mg
Calcium
- 1.Jaggery107 mg
- 2.Coconut water27 mg
- 3.Sugarcane18 mg
Vitamin C
- 1.Sugarcane6.7 mg
- 2.Coconut water0.6 mg
Energy
- 1.Jaggery354 kcal
- 2.Sugarcane58 kcal
- 3.Coconut water15 kcal
What people ask about sugars and natural drinks
Is jaggery healthier than sugar?
Slightly, but not by much. Jaggery keeps some minerals, with 4.63 mg iron and 107 mg calcium per 100 g in IFCT 2017, and has 354 kcal. It raises blood sugar much like white sugar, so people with diabetes should count it the same way.
Is sugarcane juice a healthy drink?
It is a refreshing natural drink, but mostly sugar: IFCT 2017 lists 58 kcal per 100 g of fresh sugarcane juice, so a large roadside glass carries a good amount of it. Keep it to an occasional summer treat, especially if you are managing blood sugar.
Is coconut water good for hydration?
Yes, for most people. It is low in energy at 15 kcal per 100 g, carries potassium and some calcium, and has a mild taste. For heavy sweating or illness with diarrhoea, oral rehydration solution is the better choice, because its sodium balance is designed for it.
Explore the rest of the tables
Cereals and millets
14 foods per 100 g.
Pulses and legumes
14 foods per 100 g.
Green leafy vegetables
26 foods per 100 g.
Vegetables and mushrooms
39 foods per 100 g.
Roots and tubers
10 foods per 100 g.
Fruits
44 foods per 100 g.
Nuts and oilseeds
14 foods per 100 g.
Spices, herbs and condiments
21 foods per 100 g.
Cooking oils and fats
14 foods per 100 g.
Milk and dairy
3 foods per 100 g.
Meat, poultry and eggs
14 foods per 100 g.
Fish and seafood
41 foods per 100 g.