Gond Health Benefits: A Nutrient-Rich Superfood for Holistic Health
Gond is the sap of Acacia tree that is alternately called as edible gum or gondh. It has always been in use in Ayurvedic and traditional medicine because of its great health properties. Gond is most often included in sweets and herbal remedies and is full of nutrients for good health. In this post, we will go in-depth to discuss the wonderful health benefits of gond, nutritional value, and ways to include gond in your diet.
What is Gond? An Overview of Edible Gum
Gond is a natural, plant-based resin obtained from Acacia tree bark. Gond exists as fine, crystalline lumps or can be powdered and used as is in various recipes. This gond is primarily used in traditional Indian and Middle Eastern cuisine to prepare sweets, energy bars and even savory items during the cold winter months. It primarily acts as an ingredient for heating the body; therefore, it has turned out to be a hot-favored commodity in such environments of cold climate.
Nutrition Fact of Gond (Edible Gum)
Gond is a very rich source of vital nutrients, making it rich in health benefits. Some of the essential nutrients gond contains are-
- Protein: Strengthens the muscles as well as the entire body.
- Calcium: Builds and strengthens the bones and teeth.
- Fiber: Helps in digestion. Maintains the gut.
- Magnesium: Reduces the tension of body and promotes relaxation.
- Antioxidants: Saves the cells from oxidative stress.
With these nutrients, gond offers the people numerous health benefits that make it a great addition to an overall well-balanced diet.
Best Gond Health Benefits
Gond provides an array of health benefits by improving immunity to skin health. Here’s an in-depth look at its primary benefits:
1. Enhance Immunity
Gond is said to have immunity boosters in the human body that help fight infections and seasonal illnesses. It is a rich source of antioxidants that protect cells from harmful substances and inflammation. The constant consumption of gond can help your immune system to fight common colds, flu, and other sicknesses more easily.
2. Helps Bone Health
Gond is high in calcium. Calcium is the basic element of bones for their strength and density. Patients having weak bones or osteoporosis are advisable to take gond at regular intervals. It is indicated mainly for growing children and for elderly persons to avoid fracture while keeping the bones healthy.
3. Intestinal Health End
Gond contains fiber, which ensures a healthy digestive system. It helps in regular bowel movement without causing constipation and promotes gut health. It can be a great supplement to diets that try to improve gastrointestinal health with gond support for digestive processing.
4. Skin Health
It helps to preserve the elasticity of skin, reduces wrinkle lines, and also gives a radiant glow of youth due to its antioxidant property. It fights free radicals, which is the reason for earlier aging. Most of the traditional treatments make use of gond as a base material to enhance the appearance of skin and remove marks on the skin.
5. Helps in Weight Gain
Gond is a good supplement for people who face weight gain or have high energy requirements. The reason is that the rich nutrient profile provides additional calories and hence energy for healthy weight gain. Gond laddus-the traditional sweets that comprise gond, ghee, and nuts, are commonly distributed to fresh mothers and recoveries from illnesses to regain energy and health.
6. Provides a Natural Energy Boost
Gond is a natural energy booster. When mixed with other ingredients like ghee and nuts, it becomes a high-calorie snack that has been used to sustain long-term energy intake. So it’s not so difficult to understand why gond would be the perfect snack not just for athletes and fitness enthusiasts, but also for people in need of long-lasting energy all through the day.
7. Relieves Joint Pain and Inflammation
Gond is anti-inflammatory and used for the health of joints. It is very often prescribed to patients suffering from arthritis and pains in the joint since gond reduces inflammation and gives much relief from the discomfort. There is a trend of increased mobility and the reduction of symptoms due to the problem of joints in frequent intake of gond.
8. Facilitates Mental Wellness
Magnesium and antioxidants in gond promote mental well-being by lowering the levels of stress and anxiety. Magnesium relaxes the nervous system, which helps people sleep better. While consuming gond, people might find better mental clarity with low levels of stress and general feelings of well-being.
9. Benefits During Pregnancy and Post-Delivery
Gond is of immense benefit during pregnancy as well as after it has been undertaken for post delivery recovery since it contains a lot of nutrients in it. In Indian homes, new mothers are given gond laddus to regain strength, promote the secretion of milk, and provide necessary nourishment. However, pregnant women are always advised to seek a doctor’s opinion before consuming gond.
10. Balances Body Temperature
Gond is said to be very warming, hence its popularity for any winter food. Gond warms the body; hence it is consumed, traditionally, in the winter months. But some of the gond are cooling too and are used in summers, especially in summer drinks.
Gond can be used in a variety of recipes, ranging from traditional sweets to energy-giving snacks. Some of the most popular ways of consuming gond are listed below:
Gond Laddu
Gond laddus are an Indian sweet that is prepared using gond, ghee, nuts and jaggery or sugar. They are normally taken in winter due to their warming effect and are also given to new mothers to regain their strength and get back into shape.
Gond Porridge
This powdered gond can be added to warm milk or porridge to make for a healthy breakfast. It makes the perfect meal for kids, the old, and anyone in need of having their energy increased.
Energy Bars Using Gond
Gond can be added to homemade energy bars. This can be combined with oats, nuts, dried fruits, and a natural sweetener to create a healthy on-the-go snack that offers sustained energy throughout the day.
Gond Drink for Cooling Effect
Some varieties of gond have cooling properties and are, therefore, taken during summer months. Gond in cold water or milk makes for a refreshing and coolant intake that helps cool the body down when it gets hot.
Contraindications of Gond
Though gond has numerous medical benefits, moderation is the key. A few points follow:
Allergic Reactions: Some people might react allergic to gond. It is wise to start using very small volumes for the first use if there may be allergies.
Digestive Discomfort: Taking too much of gond causes bloating and upset stomach. Stick to portions recommended to avoid this.
Consult a Doctor: Gond should be taken under a doctor’s advice for pregnant or breastfeeding women as gond causes an intense effect on the body’s temperature.
Gond Health Benefits FAQ
Is gond used for weight loss?
Yes, gond is calorie-rich, therefore, more used as an energy and weight gain supplement. However, not usually for weight loss as it is very rich in calories along with healthy fat.
How much gond can I consume in a day?
The answer would lie somewhere between 1-2 small pieces or even 1 laddu that is made with gond. Seek professional advice from your healthcare provider if you do not know what to take and how much.
Can I consume gond during summer?
Some types of gond are cooling and are especially popular in summer drinks. Of course, always remember to take it in moderation, most importantly when one is consuming the hotter varieties.
Where can I find gond?
Gond can be sourced at most Indian and Middle Eastern grocery stores, or bought online. Be sure to purchase edible-quality gond for safe consumption.
Final Words on Gond Health Benefits
Gond or edible gum, is one of the most versatile and nutrient-dense ingredients which carry an unbelievable list of health benefits. Be it giving rise to immunity and facilitating digestion, improving joint health, or actually enriching skin wellness, gond is a food item that should not miss its place in a well-balanced diet.
Add gond to your diet by consuming it in laddus, drinks, or energy bars. Health benefits derived from gond consumption can be maintained. Moderation with gond consumption is also important, though. It is also prudent to discuss anything there is to know concerning gond consumption with a healthcare provider if need be, especially if you are pregnant or managing any form of health condition.