Can jaggery really protect the lungs from pollution, or is it just a myth?

As air quality dips and jaggery resurfaces as a "lung cleanser", experts say the belief rests on nostalgia and old animal studies, not human science, and explain what actually helps

If jaggery could actually “clean” our lungs, winter pollution in India’s major cities would be a lot less frightening. Imagine biting into a piece of warm, caramel-like ‘gur’ with your breakfast and feeling reassured that the PM2.5 choking the air outside has met its match. It is an idea that has travelled through generations, WhatsApp forwards and wellness reels. But does it stand up to medical scrutiny?

Does jaggery really remove dust and pollutants from the lungs?

The claim comes from a mix of traditional beliefs and a few older animal studies. One of the most frequently cited involved rats exposed to coal dust in 1994. Rats that were fed jaggery showed better movement of dust particles out of the lungs towards lymph nodes and fewer smoke-induced lung lesions.

 

 

“We have no human clinical trial showing that jaggery ‘cleans’ human lungs or protects city dwellers from PM2.5 and smog. The evidence comes mainly from old animal studies and traditional medicine, not from modern, large-scale human research,” says Dr Arjun Khanna, Head of Pulmonology at Amrita Hospital, Faridabad.

 

So the claim is still far from proven for real-world pollution exposure.

Is there any antioxidant benefit for the respiratory system?

Jaggery is less refined than white sugar and contains trace minerals and antioxidant compounds. Lab and animal studies suggest it may reduce some markers of oxidative stress. This is relevant because pollution causes inflammation and oxidative damage in the lungs.

 

However, air pollution affects the lungs through complex pathways, including oxidative stress, immune disruption, chronic airway inflammation and structural changes. As of now, we have no human study showing that eating jaggery reduces asthma attacks, improves lung function or lowers inflammation caused by PM2.5.

If jaggery helps at all, how much can you safely take?

According to Dr Khanna, to get any meaningful potential benefit, one might need more than a tiny pinch, perhaps 10 to 20 grams a day. But nutritionally, jaggery is still sugar. Nearly all its calories come from sucrose, fructose and glucose.

 

The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends keeping free sugars under 10 per cent of daily calories, ideally below 5 per cent, which for an average Indian adult would be around 25 grams. To make matters worse:

• For people with diabetes or prediabetes, jaggery will still raise blood sugar
• High sugar intake is linked to inflammation, which may worsen asthma or sleep apnoea
• Eating jaggery as a daily pollution remedy may do more harm than good for metabolic health

A reasonable, doctor-aligned approach would be: a healthy adult may enjoy a small piece (5–10 g) once or at most twice a day, but as a sweet treat, not lung therapy.

What actually works for pollution protection?

Doctors point to interventions that have far stronger evidence:

• N95/FFP2 masks, which significantly reduce particulate inhalation
• Indoor air purifiers, which lower PM levels and show measurable respiratory benefits
• Antioxidants like Vitamin C and Vitamin E, with some evidence for reducing inflammation
• Omega-3 fatty acids, which offer anti-inflammatory support
• N-acetylcysteine (NAC), a medically used antioxidant and mucolytic for chronic lung disease

Compared with these, jaggery sits much lower on the evidence ladder. It may support general well-being, but it is not a pollution shield.

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This content is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice.