Gond Katira (Tragacanth Gum)
Gond Katira is a natural gum obtained from the driend sap of Middle Eastern legumes that helps us stay cool in summers. It is a viscous, odourless, tasteless, water-soluble mixture of polysaccharides obtained from sap that is drained from the root of the plant and dried. The gum seeps from the plant in twisted ribbons or flakes that can be powdered. Gond Katira absorbs water to become a gel, which can be stirred into a paste.
Health Benefits of Gond Katira
How to use Gond Katira to stay cool in summers
In India, from time immemorial Gond has been used for its health properties, especially in summers as it keeps us cool.. Gond Katira serves various health benefits:
1. Cools the Body:
Gond katira has amazing cooling properties and thus it is often used to prepare a drink which helps the body to stay cool the summer season. It works as a cooling agent and reduces the temperature of the body. This in turn helps in preventing heat stroke and related issuels like nasal bleeding.
2. Nourishment for Pregnant Women
Post delivery a woman’s nutritional needs increase. She not only needs energy for herself, but also for lactating the baby. Gond Katira has the power to nourish, enhance immunity and strength in this condtion. In Indian tradition we have practices like feeding a lactating mother gond laddus. These help meet the increased energy demands along with providing essential minerals like calcium and protein.
3. Urinary Lewdness
Gondh Katira helps in calming the urinary muscles in case of inflammation of the urinary tract and blockage of urine. This helps attend to urinary tract issues including incontiscence
4. Burns and Skin Problems:
Gond Katira has been used as a modern treatment for burn and applied in the form of a paste. Its known to have anti aging properties, delays wrinkels and fine lines. Its because of this property that it finds its way to many cosmetics these days. It is also an ingredient of many face masks and face packs.
5.Treatment of Constipation
Gond katira possesses purgative properties and so it is very helpful in treating constipation Its regular use serves as a laxative. It also helps overcome or even prevent acidity and heart burn.
Ways to use Gond Katira in Daily Routine:
How to use Gond Katira to stay cool in summers
- Soaked in water, it can be used for various drinks like lemonade, chaas, sattu or traditional sharbets. Since its colorless and tasteless, it doesn’t modify the original flavour of the drink.
- It can be used for salada dressing, dips, thick chutneys
- It can be used in making puddings, jellies, kheer or sweets.
Bael Sherbat is another traditional drink that keeps us cool in summers. Watch the video
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