Fact Check: Can jaggery and onions help increase height?
An Instagram post claims that consuming jaggery and onions together helps increase a person's height, even after growth has stopped. The claim by the user is FALSE.
Claim
In an Instagram post, it is claimed that consuming jaggery and onions together helps increase a person's height, even after growth has stopped. The post by the user, health.daily.tips1 says, "You will be surprised to know that consuming jaggery and onions together increases your stalled height. Share it with those in need!"
The post has 128,652 likes which can be accessed here
Fact Check
The claim by the user is False. There is no medical or scientific basis to support this claim. Height growth is controlled by genetics and growth hormones, and once the growth plates in bones (epiphyseal plates) close, no food or remedy can increase height.
What factors contribute to height growth and development?
Height growth is influenced by multiple factors, including exercise, sleep, diet, and hormonal regulation. However, once the growth plates in bones (epiphyseal plates) close, further bone growth is no longer possible after the body's natural growth phase ends. Exercise plays a crucial role in stimulating the secretion of growth hormones (GHs), which are essential for height development. Adequate sleep not only helps prevent obesity but also enhances GH release, supporting overall growth. A well-balanced diet, rich in essential nutrients, is vital for proper development, while the increasing prevalence of childhood obesity has been linked to altered growth rates and earlier puberty onset. GH and insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) are key regulators of height, with IGF-binding proteins (IGFBPs) enhancing IGF-1 stability and activity. IGF-1 levels peak during puberty (Tanner stages III-IV), driving rapid height increase before gradually declining. Regular physical activity and quality sleep further optimize GH secretion, promoting healthy growth patterns. Once puberty is complete and the growth plates fuse, no further height increase is possible.
What are the Nutritional Benefits of Onions?
Onions add abundant flavor to a wide variety of food, yet are low in calories. With only 45 calories per serving, onions are naturally fat and cholesterol-free. They are a source of dietary fiber, vitamin C, vitamin B6, potassium, and other key nutrients including folate, calcium and iron.
Onions contain a variety of other naturally occurring chemicals known as organosulfur compounds linked to lowering blood pressure and cholesterol levels.
Among some of their best-known benefits, onions contain the flavonoid quercetin which acts as an anti-inflammatory in the body, inhibits low-density lipoprotein oxidation (an important reaction in atherosclerosis and coronary heart disease), protects and regenerates vitamin E (a powerful antioxidant), and protects from many forms of cancer.
What are the Health Benefits of Jaggery?
Jaggery is a natural sweetener that concentrates the juices obtained from sugarcane or palm trees. Jaggery is rich in essential minerals like iron, magnesium, potassium, and phosphorus. Due to its flavor and aroma, jaggery is used as a foundation for many sweet foods across the globe. Jaggery can have several health benefits in terms of improving digestion, helping relieve constipation and boosts energy.
Can consuming jaggery and onions together help increase a person's height?
There is no scientific evidence to support the claim that consuming jaggery and onions together can increase height, especially in adults. Height is primarily determined by genetics, nutrition during growth years, and hormonal factors, not by specific food combinations.
Jaggery is a traditional natural sweetener known for its rich nutritional profile and health benefits. A study in the Journal of Pharmacognosy and Phytochemistry analyzed its composition and found it to be rich in proteins, amino acids, vitamins, iron, and copper, along with phytochemicals like flavonoids and polyphenols, making it a nutritious energy source.
Onion (Allium cepa) is a widely used spice known for its rich phytochemical composition and health benefits. A study by Mahyar Dorrigiv et. al. found that it contains polyphenols, flavonoids (fisetin, quercetin), ascorbic acid, and sulfur compounds, which enhance its color, flavor, and aroma while offering various health advantages such as antibiotic properties.
Though jaggery and onion provide certain benefits, no scientific evidence or medical consensus to support the claim that jaggery and onions together can increase height.
Dr Pallavi Gupta, Senior Resident, Department of Pediatrics, ESIC Hospital explained "Height growth is largely determined by genetics, with nutrition playing a supportive role. Essential nutrients like protein, calcium, vitamin D, and zinc contribute to bone development, but there is no scientific evidence that consuming jaggery and onions together increases height. While jaggery is a good source of iron and onions have antioxidants, they do not influence growth hormone production. The best approach for height growth is a balanced diet, regular physical activity, and adequate sleep. Parents should focus on overall nutrition rather than unproven remedies."
Dr Aman Rathore, DNB, Critical Care Medicine, Max Super Speciality Hospital further said, "While jaggery is a good source of iron and onions contain antioxidants, neither has been scientifically proven to boost height. Key factors for optimal growth include a protein-rich diet, adequate calcium, vitamin D, regular exercise, and proper sleep. Height growth depends mainly on genetics and overall nutrition, not specific food combinations. Believing in such myths may divert attention from essential nutrition. Instead of focusing on unproven remedies, parents should ensure their children have a well-balanced diet and a healthy lifestyle to support natural growth."
Medical Dialogues Final Take
The claim that jaggery and onions can increase height is false. While these foods have health benefits, they do not impact bone growth after the body's natural growth phase ends.
Hence, the claim by the user is FALSE.
