Karpatti – The Healing Jaggery

Mysuru: A group of about 8 to 10 men from Tamil Nadu have been selling palm jaggery (Karpatti) at various junctions and places in Mysuru. They belong to Kayathar town in Thoothkudi district along the National Highway 7 between Tirunelveli and Kovilpatti.

They have been selling ‘Panna Karpatti’ and ‘Sukku Karpatti,’ which they prepare in their town and bring the finished products that are sold in Mysuru. Karpatti refers to the coarse dark sugar syrup that is extracted from palm trees. Just like the collection of Neera (toddy) from coconut tree, palm juice or palm sap is collected from palm trees using small pots, which is filtered and later boiled in a huge vessel for about two to three hours. With constant stirring, the syrup gets thicker and consistent. The syrup is then let to cool and is usually put in a mould to give it a shape.

These people use broken or semi-circle shaped coconut shells that act as a mould for the palm jaggery. This can be used as a smart substitute for sugar which is devoid of any health benefits.

Palm jaggery is a storehouse of nutrients and minerals and is a super human food that caters in regulation of the body. Also known as the ‘Medicinal Sugar,’ it is a natural sweetener and an energy booster. This extract from palm tree contains ascorbic acid and has a rich content of iron, magnesium and potassium. Thus, it purifies the blood, regulates blood pressure and nervous system, prevents rheumatism, bile disorders, acidity and indigestion. This palm jaggery is used during the phase of pregnancy. It is also consumed by neo-natal mothers as it eliminates the impurities in breast milk. This ‘native healer,’ which had slowly faded due to the emergence of a fast-paced world and readily available artificial sweeteners, is gaining  prominence once again in Mysuru due to its high medicinal properties. It also has rich antioxidant properties and increases the haemoglobin content in the blood and throws out toxins from the body.

Both Panna Karpatti (big semi circle shaped jaggery) and Sukku Karpatti (small chunks of jaggery) can be used to make tea, coffee, kashayam, pongal, payasam, sweets, naivedyam etc. The only difference between them is that Panna Karpatti is the pure form of palm jaggery while Sukku Karpatti has several ingredients that are added to it during the boiling process.

Kannan, who was selling Karpatti near the back gate of Kukkarahalli Lake said, “In Sukku Karpatti, we add Malli (coriander powder), Jeerakam (cumin seeds), Chuku (dry ginger), Elaichi (cardamom), Melagam (pepper), Tulsi (basil leaves) and Lavanga (clove) and then we boil the mixture and stir it continuously in an andah (vessel). Sukku Karpatti is a combination of all these healthy stuff that emerges as a super medicinal food. Other medicines are very bitter and sour in taste but this is sweet and pleasant to the taste buds. We have been coming to Mysuru since a year as most people here are aware about the value of Karpatti.”

They sell their jaggery at various locations such as on KRS road, Rama Vilas Road, near Kalamandira, Valmiki Road, Nanjangud road etc., to enhance their business. These men have a truck, by which they are dropped at their respective locations in the morning and are picked up back late in the evening. They travel once in every 10-12 days back to Kayathar to get  fresh stock of palm jaggery.

While Panna Karpatti is priced at Rs. 140 per kg, Sukku Karpatti is sold at Rs. 240 per kg. This alternative for sugar involves only plant sources and no influence of any chemical agents and thus paves its way onto the top of a healthy food diet. Use Karpatti and say goodbye to diabetes.