Today again, I awoke to the nag. 

Today again, I made the coffee.

Get your third favorite mug from the drawer — today is not a day for either of the first two. Sprinkle sugar into the mug. Place it under the Nespresso set to Americano. As it flows and starts to drip, remember that you forgot to put in a coffee pod and dump the failed iteration. Restart and insert a bold, pungent pod, and set it again to Americano. On the side, pour milk and begin to froth it. Watch the coffee as it receives its last drips, drop, drop drop. Take a somewhat small spoon of jaggery and dash it into the brew and stir as you add in the milk, reserving some from froth to layer atop. Atop that froth, delicately sprinkle jaggery into the shape of a heart, and get nettled as it looks more like a trapezoid. 

Indian elders often advise to consume jaggery especially after meals. Jaggery (or gur) is a complex unrefined sugar from Southeast Asia. It has a deep molasses-like flavor and is 60-80% lower in sucrose than white sugar while lending a plethora of health benefits. It serves as a blood purifier, and helps to rid clotted blood from the body; it increases hemoglobin and even helps with skin health. Jaggery is high in antioxidants selenium and zinc, which support immunity. As it digests, it helps activate digestive enzymes. 

In the end though, sugar is still sugar, so moderate consumption is key to maximize benefits for the tummy and health.