Ajinkya Krishi Exhibhition,Satara.

May 2, 2016 0

Satara Organics

I am glad to share with you that our manufactured “Amrut” liquid Jaggery selected for special promotional program “Satara Organics” run by Zilla Parishad & Panchayat Samiti, Satara which was supported by Govt of maharashtra. Under this program selected farmers can display their organic products & vegetables through government display stands located at Panchayat Samiti, Satara.

Yesterday on auspicious day of Indian Independence Hon. Guardian Minister of Satara Mr.Vijay Shivtare inaugurated this event.

On Thursday & Sunday we can promote our organic products.

Thanks for government initiative to promote local brands and support farmers.

August 16, 2015 0

चैत्र शुक्ल प्रतिपदा – गुढीपाडवा – उत्सव चैतन्याचा

चैत्र महिन्यातील शुक्ल प्रतिपदेला महाराष्ट्रात साजरा होणारा गुढीपाडवा साडेतीन मुहूर्तांपैकी एक मानला जातो. शालिवाहन शकाचा प्रारंभ याच दिवसापासून होतो. शालिवाहन शक नावाच्या कुंभार समाजाच्या मुलाने याच दिवशी मातीचे सैनिक बनवून त्यावर पाणी शिंपडले आणि त्यांना सजीव बनविले. त्यांच्या मदतीने शत्रूंचा सामना केला. या विजयाच्या प्रित्यर्थ शालिवाहन शकाचा प्रारंभ झाला.

शालिवाहनाने मातीच्या सैन्यातही प्राणांचा संचार केला ही लाक्षणिक कथा आहे. त्यावेळी लोक चैतन्यहीन, पौरूषहीन आणि पराक्रमहीन बनले होते. त्यामुळे शत्रूसमोर त्यांचा टिकाव लागत नव्हता. मातीपासून निर्मित सैन्य विजयश्री कसे मिळवून देऊ शकते? पण शालिवाहनने त्या चैतन्यहीन लोकांमध्येही चैतन्यांचा संचार केला. पौरूष्य आणि पराक्रम जागविला आणि शत्रू पराजीत झाला.

आजच्या झोपलेल्या चैतन्यहीन समाजाला जागे करण्यासाठीही अशा शालिवाहनांची आवश्यकता आहे. मानवात ईश्वरीशक्ती आहेच. पण आवश्यकता आहे ती त्याला जागविण्याची. आजच्या दिवशी पुरूषार्थ गाजविणारा आणि पराक्रमी सांस्कृतिक वीरांचा समाज तयार करण्यासाठी सुरवात व्हायला हवी.

याच दिवशी श्री रामचंद्रांनी वालीच्या त्रासातून दक्षिणेच्या प्रजेला मुक्त केले होते. वालीच्या त्रासातून मुक्त झालेल्या प्रजेने घरोघरी उत्सव साजरा करीत गुढ्या उभारल्या होत्या. महाराष्ट्रात आजही घराच्या अंगणात गुढ्या उभारण्याची प्रथा प्रचलित आहे. त्यामुळेच या दिवसाला ‘गुढीपाडवा’ हे नाव मिळाले. घराच्या अंगणात उभारण्यात येणारी ही गुढी विजयाचा संदेश देते. गुढी म्हणजे विजयी पताका. भोगावर योगाचा विजय. विकासावर विचारांचा विजय. मंगलमय आणि पवित्र वातावरणात सतत प्रसारीत करणारी ही गुढी उभारणार्‍याला आत्मनिरिक्षण करून बघावयास हवे की माझे मन शांत, स्थिर आणि सात्विक बनले आहे की नाही?

मलबारमध्ये हा उत्सव विशिष्ट पध्दतीने साजरा केला जातो. घराच्या देवगृहात घरातील सर्व संपत्ती शोभेच्या वस्तू व्यवस्थित मांडून ठेवतात. या दिवशी सकाळी लवकर उठून डोळे उघडल्याबरोबर गृहलक्ष्मीसोबत प्रभूचे दर्शन घेतात. घरातील मुख्य व्यक्ती संपत्ती आणि ऐश्वर्य याने सुशोभित होऊन देवाची आरती करतात. मलबारमधील या प्रथेमागे भारतीय संस्कृतीची झलक दिसते. रोज सकाळी-सकाळी शुभ दर्शन करणार्‍याचा पूर्ण दिवस चांगला जातो असे आपम मानतो. मग वर्षारंभाच्याच दिवशी प्रभूचे दर्शन करणार्‍याचे वर्ष चांगलेच जाईल. यात आश्चर्य ते काय?

या दिवशी कडूलिंबाची पाने चावून खाल्ली जातात. मंदिरात दर्शन करणार्‍याला कडूलिंब आणि साखर प्रसादाच्या रूपात मिळते. कडूलिंब कडू असतो. पण आरोग्यासाठी लाभदायी असतो. त्याचे सेवन करणारा नेहमी निरोगी राहतो. काही विचार कितीही त्रासदायी असले तरी जीवनाला उदात्त बनवितात. अशात सुंदर, सात्विक विचारांचे सेवन करणार्‍यास मानसिक आणि बौध्दिक आरोग्य मिळते. त्याचे जीवन निरोगी बनते. प्रगतीच्या रस्त्यावर चालणार्‍याला जीवनात कितीदा तरी ‘कडू घोट’ प्यावे लागतात हे देखील यात दिसते.

मंदिरात मिळणार्‍या साखर आणि लिंबाच्या पानाच्या प्रसादामागे मधूर भावना असते. जीवनात सुख, दु:ख कधीच एकटे येत नाही. सुखामागे दु:ख आणि दु:खामागे सुख दडलेले असते. थोडक्यात हा उत्सव चैतन्यहीन मानवात चेतना भरून त्याच्या अस्मितेला जागृत करतो.

March 20, 2015 0

तिळ गुड घ्या आणि गोड गोड बोला

हमारे देश में अधिकांश त्योहार महज रूढ़ियों और परंपराओं से जुड़े न होकर उनके पीछे ज्ञान, विज्ञान, कुदरत स्वास्थ्य और आयुर्वेद जैसे तमाम मुद्दे जुड़े हैं। मसलन ‘मकर संक्रांति’ को ही लें – पौष मास में सूर्य के मकर राशि में (तय तारीख के मुताबिक 14 जनवरी) प्रवेश के साथ मनाया जाता है।

यूं तो सूर्य साल भर में 12 राशियों से होकर गुजरता है। लेकिन इसमें भी ‘कर्क’ और ‘मकर’ राशि में इसके प्रवेश का विशेष महत्व है। क्योंकि मकर में प्रवेश के साथ सूर्य ‘उत्तरायण’ हो जाता है। जिसके साथ बढ़ती गति के चलते दिन बड़ा तो रात छोटी हो जाती है। जबकि कर्क में सूर्य के ‘दक्षिणायन’ होने से रात बड़ी और दिन छोटा हो जाता है।

पुराणों के मुताबिक ‘उत्तरायण’ का विशेष महत्व है और इस दौरान आई मृत्यु में ‘मोक्ष’ की प्राप्ति होती है। यही वजह रही कि महाभारत के युद्ध में भीष्म पितामह ने शरशय्या पर सूर्य के उत्तरायण होने तक इंतजार किया था।

‘मकर संक्रांति’ यानी प्रकाश पर अंधकार के विजय का पर्व। मानवीय जीवन जो प्रकाश और अंधकार से घिरा है। अंधकार से प्रकाश को जाने के इस संक्रमण का दौर अज्ञान के अंधेरे में घिरे मानवी मन को ज्ञान के प्रकाश से निखार देता है।

आप जरा इसके व्यावहारिक नजरिए पर गौर करें – ग्रामीण कहावत के मुताबिक ‘धन के पंद्रह, मकर पच्चीस चिल्ला जाड़े दिन चालीस।’ जाड़ा पूरे चालीस दिन का होता है। जिसमें से सूर्य के धनु राशि में रहते पंद्रह दिन ठंड अपने पूरे शबाब पर होती है।

सूर्य के उत्तरायण होते ही दिन बड़ा होने के साथ कुदरत भी राहत महसूस करती है। वहीं तिळ-गुड आपस में मेलजोल बढ़ाने के साथ आपसी बैर-भाव भूल कर प्यार और सुलह का निर्माण करने का संदेश देता है क्योंकि मीठा बोलने से दिल खुश और सोच सकारात्मक होती है।

मकर संक्रांति का संदेश है- ‘तिळ गुड घ्या आणि गोड गोड बोला।’

January 15, 2015 0

Amrut Kakavi for Healthy Living

Health Benefits

Helps in blood purification.
It controls the acidity as well as creates energy in the human body.
It increases Hemoglobin level in blood.
Useful for Students & Sportsmen to recover lost energy.
It is highly nutritious & lite to digest.
It is a sovereign medicine in Yellow Fever.
It is a healthy diet for children & aged person’s health.
It removes tiredness & energizes the body.
It is used as an ingredient for making Ice Cream, Sudharas, and Fruit Salad.
Instead of sugar Liquid Jaggery (Kakavi) is used as a natural sweetening agent.
From the ancient times, Liquid Jaggery (Kakavi) is used to increase the blood level of pregnant women after delivery.
It contains Proteins & natural sugar like Glucose, Fructose & Sucrose.
It contains Minerals like Calcium, Phosphorus & Folic Acid which are essential for body.
It contains Minerals like Iron, Copper and Sulfur which is useful for body.
It is useful for H.I.V patients. It recovers the energy loss in the body.
Liquid Jaggery (Kakavi) can be used to recover lost energy during any disease.
It is used as an ingredient in Ayurvedic Medicines and Syrups.
It is useful for weight gain.
Liquid Jaggery (Kakavi) can be used as dietary supplement.
In daily diet it can be consumed with Bread, Chapati, Jowar Bhakri, Millet Bhakri, Puran Poli, Roti,etc.

October 28, 2014 0

Jaggery and Sugar

Sugar and Jaggery are two common sweeteners used throughout the world. Although both jaggery and sugar are obtained from the same sources, they are much different in their properties and benefits.

Just as two identical twins born of the same parents are different in many respects; jaggery and sugar, born of the same sugar cane juice, are different from one another. These differences must be kept in mind for their proper use. Let us have a look at these differences.

Difference in Color

Sugar and jaggery are completely different in color.

Sugar: Sugar typically has a bright white color.

Jaggery: Jaggery shows some true Eastman colours, ranging from golden yellow to golden brown, brown, dark brown and like the color of dark chocolate, depending upon the extent to which it was cooked.

Difference in Texture

Sugar and jaggery vary greatly in texture as well.

Sugar: Sugar is solid, hard and crystalline.

Jaggery: Jaggery is semi-solid, softer than sugar, and amorphous.

Difference in Processing

The first stage of the manufacturing of jaggery and sugar is the same. This first step is the boiling of sugar cane juice. It changes from that point however, as explained below.

Sugar: After the initial boiling, in the case of sugar, this syrup is treated with charcoal (preferably bone charcoal) to absorb unwanted particles and to give a clear, transparent solution. This solution, once it condenses and crystallizes, results in the commonly known form of sugar.

Jaggery: In the case of jaggery, there is no treatment with any kind of charcoal, nor there is any kind of crystallization. That is why, in India, particularly among Hindus, jaggery is considered sacred, while white sugar is not. For jaggery, the mother syrup is boiled and boiled continuously until it is formed into a thick paste, which is then poured into molds to make blocks of jaggery of the desired quantity.

Difference in Composition

Both Jaggery and Sugar are predominantly made up of sucrose, but there are some differences.

Sugar: Only sucrose (C12H22O12).

Jaggery: Predominantly sucrose (C12H22O12), with traces of mineral salts, iron and some fiber.

Difference in Health Benefits

Although both jaggery and sugar are meant for providing energy for the body, their mode of energy release is somewhat different.

Sugar: Being one of the simplest available forms of sucrose, sugar is instantly absorbed in the blood and releases a burst of energy. This may prove harmful for some internal organs such as the kidneys, eyes, and brain, particularly for patients with diabetes. Again, for some unknown reason, sugar solution in water is considered cooling in nature. So, in some places, it is not recommended to consume sugar when someone has a cold.

Jaggery: Jaggery is far more complex than sugar, as it is made up of longer chains of sucrose. Hence, it is digested slower than sugar and releases energy slowly and not instantaneously. This provides energy for a longer time and is not harmful for the body. However, this does not certify it as fit for consumption by diabetics, because ultimately, it is still sugar. Jaggery also gathers a considerable amount of ferrous salts (iron) during its preparation, as it is prepared in iron vessels. This iron is also good for health, particularly for those who are anemic or lack iron. Again, jaggery also contains of traces of mineral salts which are very beneficial for the body. You might have experienced this when consuming jaggery, it leaves a hint of salt on the tongue. These salts come from the sugar cane juice where it is absorbed from the soil. Furthermore, jaggery is very good as a cleansing agent. It cleanses the lungs, stomach, intestines, esophagus and respiratory tracts. Those who face dust in their day to day life are highly recommended to take a daily dose of jaggery. This can keep them safe from asthma, cough, cold, and congestion in chest.

Difference in Cultural Aspects

Sugar and jaggery turn out to be just the opposite when it comes to the cultural aspects.

Sugar: It has almost no place in Indian culture or religious activities, perhaps because it is considered of foreign origin and made with the help of bone charcoal.

Jaggery: Jaggery has an important place in Indian culture, and perhaps also in the culture of any country where it is made, probably because it is indigenous. In India, it is offered to gods and goddesses and is used in many religious ceremonies because it is considered holy, as it does not involve any use of bone charcoal.

Difference in Industrial Aspects and Marketing

Again, there are some big differences.

Sugar: The sugar industry is very organized and highly mechanized, as almost all the sugar coming to the market is manufactured in sugar mills run by big companies. Hence, sugar is branded and it has a big influence on the CPI and thus on the economy.

Jaggery: Despite the fact that jaggery manufacturing has been practiced for centuries, much before sugar came into being and that there is a big market for it, this industry is still not organized and could not come out of the realms of the rural areas. Most of the jaggery comes from remote rural places and reach the market through agents. Unlike sugar, jaggery is known by the place of its manufacture and not by brands.

Difference in Culinary & Industrial Uses

Naturally, these differences are very interesting to discuss.

Sugar: You name it, and you have it! Sugar is found in almost every sweet thing. The whole of the sugar-boiled confectionery industry is dependent on sugar. It is used in bakery items like breads, cakes, biscuits, cookies and other bakery products. It is found in almost every sweet dish cooked in households and also in other dishes to boost the taste, including sorbets, syrups, jams, jellies, sauces, marmalade, squashes, soft drinks, packedfruit juices and sweetened milks, milk chocolates, ice creams, ice candies, condensed milks and….., this list can go on infinitely. It is also used in some medicines. Sugar is caramelized and mixed with a number of food items and beverages, including alcoholic beverages, to add taste, color and aroma.

Jaggery: Although jaggery is not as widely used as sugar, it is still very popular in Indian culinary practices. It is used in curries, lentil soups and other preparations. It is an integral part of country sweets made by combining ground nuts, grams, sesame seeds, rice flakes, puffed rice, popped rice, cashew nuts, almonds, wheat, and gram flour snacks with jaggery. These sweets are extensively consumed during the winter all over India and they provide nutrition and warmth to combat the cold. There is one big industrial use of jaggery, and that is in the manufacturing of alcoholic beverages, particularly rum. Rum, in many cases, is made by fermenting jaggery.

Difference in Availability

This difference is huge!

Sugar: It is available almost anywhere in the world now, if you leave out the dense forests of the Amazon, parts of Africa, and Mt. Everest. Availability is never a problem with sugar. Just reach out your hand and you can probably find it.

Jaggery: If you are not living in a country where jaggery is manufactured, it might be very difficult to find. It is exported to very few countries from the countries where it is produced, due to the fact that since it contains a lot of moisture, often melts on heating, and contracts fungal infections quite easily. Hence, its transport and storage is a problem. Still, you may be able to get your hands on some if you search shops that keep Indian or Asian food articles. Date palm jaggery and Palmyra jaggery are even more rarely available than Sugar cane jaggery; the reason being its very limited production.

That was a comparative analysis of sugar and jaggery. Those who have not tasted jaggery yet, it won’t hurt to try. You will love its great taste and impressive health benefits.

Sources:
i. My own experiences with jaggery since I have seen it being made since my childhood.
ii. Wikipedia Pages (For information regarding jaggery made in Myanmar).
iii. NCERT Text books for schools in India.
iv. Various reports on jaggery published in News Papers, Health Magazines and other media.

organicfacts.net/health-benefits/other/jaggery-and-sugar.html

August 25, 2014 0

Jaggery for Healthy Festivals

Ganpati Bappa loves it and you will find various dishes made using Jaggery or Gur(Gula) during the auspicious time of Ganesh Chaturthi, be it Puranpoli or Modak. And why not! It has various health benefits for our bodies, is sweet and adds a distinct taste to the dishes it is used in.

August 25, 2014 0

Natural or Organic Jaggery for Health

Says Naini Setalvad, a renowned nutritionist and obesity consultant, ‘Jaggery is the closest substitute to white sugar and is healthy too. It can be used exactly like sugar as you get in powder, solid and liquid form. You can sweeten chikkis and other Indian sweets using it which make excellent dessert options. It can even be used in dals, vegetables and curries which need to be slightly sweetened.’

While some people prefer adding it to the dish itself, some prefer it as an accompaniment with their food – adding a dollop of ghee to powdered gurand eating it along with or after the meal. (Also read: 6 healthy substitutes for white sugar)

What is it made of

Jaggery is essentially unrefined sugar. It is obtained from raw, concentrated sugar cane juice, by boiling it and then making it into a block. Other sources that are used for making gur include date palm and the sap of coconut.

Why is it good for you

Here are a few benefits of this wonderful golden-brown ingredient by Neha Chandna, a well-known nutritionist.

It is a great digestive aid and should be consumed post meals.

If you suffer from constipation then include jaggery in your meals as it relieves constipation by stimulating bowel movements.

Gur is an excellent source of iron and also helps prevent anaemia.

Not only is it a better tasting natural sweetener, it helps treat cough, bloating, water retention and migraine. You can add it in your tea instead of sugar to soothe your throat from cough.

Jaggery is also good for the liver as it helps in detoxifying it. If you’ve had too many drinks at a go, eat a bit of jaggery later but remember, it is not a solution to drink heavily, you still need to monitor your intake.

It is often called medicinal sugar – jaggery has a high mineral content which ensures that our body gets its intake of micronutrients.

Why you shouldn’t eat too much of it

Thought there aren’t any notable side-effects of consuming gur, it is slightly high on the number of calories – it contains 4 kcal/gram. So people who are on a weight loss diet or are diabetic should monitor their consumption as it can lead to weight gain and fluctuations in the blood sugar levels. It is best to consult your dietician as to how much is needed by your body.

(Ref. http://www.organicfacts.net / http://www.thehealthsite.com)

August 25, 2014 0

Jaggery: The Healthy Sugar Alternative

Sugar: Origin and History

To most people, sugar is understood to be pure, bleached sucrose–the white granular sweetener sold in one pound bags in the supermarket. However, to the scientist, “sugar” includes a variety of carbohydrates including glucose, fructose, galactose, lactose, ribose, maltose–and sucrose. Sucrose is a disaccharide (i.e. composed of two sugars), glucose and fructose. The fructose is eventually converted during digestion into glucose, so sucrose in effect provides the body with pure glucose. This means it provides the body with essentially pure energy: one teaspoon (four grams) of table sugar is equivalent to 16 Calories (kcal) and little else.

Of course all sugars, including sucrose, occur naturally throughout the plant kingdom and have been consumed by humans for millennia as food. Examples of the sucrose content (g/100g) of some common foods listed below may surprise you:

Sucrose Content Of Selected Raw Foods

Apple, 3.8
Banana, 8.5
Cantaloupe, 4.1
Dried fig, 9.9
Mango, 7.4
Onion, 7.9
Pear, 1.2
Peach, 5.5
Pineapple, 6.9
Strawberry, 1.0
Watermelon, 3.2
The plant source of sugar is Saccharum officinarum, a member of the grass family which is believed to have originally evolved in New Guinea. This plant still grows throughout the tropical and subtropical regions of Earth and is known as “sugarcane”. Mankind has had a long relationship with sugarcane. Although man’s use of honey predates it, sugarcane was in use in India before 400 B.C. Alexander the Great wrote about a grass which produced honey without the presence of bees. Columbus attempted to grow sugarcane in the New World but his transplants were unsuccessful. However other explorers who followed cultivated sugarcane in the West Indies, Brazil, and Mexico. Today sugarcane also grows in four U.S. states: Florida, Texas, Louisiana, and Hawaii.

The per capita consumption of refined sugar in the United States is often wrongly quoted as being 150 pounds per year. Actually, refined sugar consumption in the U.S. has been dropping since the late 1970’s and was never at that high level. In 1990, the per capita consumption was approximately 65 pounds annually. However, corn sugar and syrup have replaced sugar in many commercial products and its per capita annual consumption in the U.S. is at approximately 75 pounds. Thus, when we consider both refined sugar and corn sugar products together we get a number which approximates 140 pounds annually per capita.

Sugar In Human Disease:

It has become part of our shared knowledge that “sugar is bad for you”. This may or may not be true and certainly is today an unproved assumption, albeit with some merit. For instance, some studies have claimed that sugar intake is related to the development of coronary artery disease, diabetes mellitus, obesity, and dental caries. As of 2002, no direct causative role of sugar in coronary artery disease or diabetes has ever been established. As for obesity and overweight, remember that sugar is essentially pure energy–16 kcal per teaspoon. According to the first law of thermodymanics, energy cannot be destroyed. Anytime the amount of energy flowing into our physiology exceeds the amount flowing out, the remainder is converted into triglycerides and stored as fat. Excess energy in the form of carbohydrates, proteins and fats all contribute to this deposition of fat. No evidence exists that implicates any specific food or nutrient as contributing more excess energy than any other. The problem is excess intake in general. In the case of dental caries, we do see some indirect evidence to implicate sugar. Caries (“cavities”) are caused by a combination of factors including structural resistance of the teeth, genetic disposition, oral hygeine, oral microflora, salivary flow, and diet. Nevertheless, in countries where sugar consumption is low (i.e. Ethiopia) dental caries is also low, while in countires where consumption is high (i.e. Australia) so is the incidence of caries. But it is the manner of sugar intake which seems to be important. Frequent exposure to sticky forms of sugar between meals results in high incidence of dental caries, while sugar taken with meals followed by rinsing and/or brushing does not result in increased incidence.

The true danger of sugar seems to be that, due to its overwhelming appeal to the human taste buds, we eat it in excess–often displacing other more nutritious foods from the diet. However, at the current time, no specific disease can be associated with its use, especially if taken in moderation.

Jaggery: A Healthy Choice

Although not firmly associated with disease, the greatest potential threat of white sugar stems from the processing it undergoes. Initially, the sugarcane plants are washed, shredded, crushed, and rolled to extract the cane juice. Nothing particularly bad happening here so far. In fact, the fibrous residual is often recycled as fuel for the mill furnaces. However, the cane juice is then “clarified” by the addition of lime. After evaporation and centrifugation, it is then further refined though the addition of sulphur dioxide, phosphoric acid, and decolorizers. These processes remove all the phytonutrients, including the vitamins and minerals, and leave only the empty calories behind for us to put in our tea, coffee, and recipes.

Fortunately, not all forms of sugarcane products are nutritional wastelands. For centuries, jaggery has been used throughout India as a healthy sweetener. Jaggery actually comes from the sap of either the sugarcane plant we’ve been discussing or from several species of sugar palm trees. To convert the sap into jaggery, simple evaporation or crude centrifugation is the only process. No chemicals or bleaches are added. It is then simply poured into moulds to form small cakes.

Jaggery, also known as gur, has a mineral content of approximately 60 times that of refined white sugar. One teaspoon of jaggery contains approximately 4-5 mg calcium, 2-3 mg phosphorus, 8 mg magnesium, 48 mg potassium, 0.5 mg iron, as well as trace amounts of zinc, copper, thiamin, riboflavin, and niacin. The corresponding values for white sugar are all essentially zero. Jaggery is grainy and light brown in color with a flavor which is truly superior to white sugar; it tastes like a combination between molasses, maple syrup, and brown sugar. It can definitely be used exactly like sugar in drinks or recipes which call for sugar. You will probably need to use about 25-50% more jaggery than sugar to achieve the same degree of sweetness. Remember, even jaggery must be used in moderation.

Ref:www.ayurveda.md

August 25, 2014 2