With the onset of the covid era, the whole world suddenly seems to be more concerned about health and wellness than ever. Staying fit, fighting infectious diseases, and enhancing immunity has become the prime concern of every forum. Every brand, from that of wall paint to footwear, wants to ride high on the wellness-conscious consumer wave. Questions about health and wellness have taken the center stage globally and we continue to seek answers for a disease free life in our foods and lifestyle. Without integrating health quotient into our meals, it is next
to impossible to achieve sustainable health goals. Food is such a fundamental necessity of living and provides so much more than just the building blocks of the human body. Apart from being a treat to eyes and taste buds, good food relates to memories, social connections, traditions, festivals and so much more.
One of the indispensable parts of our food profiles is sweets and confectioneries – They are simply heavenly for kids, luring for adults, and mouth-watering for adults!
Almost everybody feels delighted with the mere thought of tangy, sweet, colorful, tempting chunks. Globally, they can be made out of milk, flour, sugar, chocolate as the base and they come in a myriad of shapes, sizes, and textures in the markets.
Sadly, most of them with alluring tastes are not so promising for our health in the long run. Most of the modern confections are laden with artificial colors and flavors along with high sugar content, corn syrup, saturated fats, preservatives, additives, emulsifiers, and stabilizers. There is a growing body of evidence on how they are linked with causing inflammation ad disrupting cellular pH which are the root causes for endless diseases and compromised immunity.
For the same purpose of relishing on candies and pops, imagine nature to be on your palette with the best of her offerings. The edibles are made up of what grows in planes, forests, valleys, pristine farms, and backyards, and reaching your hands after all-natural processing, with nil intervention of machinery and chemicals. When they are derived from nature, they not only taste good but are also loaded with endless benefits.
GoDesi is one of the brands that is sincerely trying to take us to good old times with the authenticity of our forgotten, homemade, sun-dried, hand-rolled, seasonal candies, digestive, and an appetizer to name a few.
All of their products will remind you of one or the other childhood favorite confection and they all taste out of the world with their titillating taste as a mouth freshener! Along with taste, they are also replete with micro nutrients. Let’s see how.
GO DESi POPz - Kaccha Aam:
These delicious alternatives to lollipops contain our very own desi superfood aka jaggery instead of sugar apart from the humble spices.
They are packed with the goodness of vitamin C, vitamin A, calcium, and magnesium. These pops are also perfect as a panacea to a lot of stomach problems such as constipation, bloating, chronic dyspepsia, indigestion, and morning sickness as they are meant to assist in releasing toxins from the body and promoting healthy bowel movements. They might also help in cleansing the liver and promoting the secretion of bile acid which helps in fat absorption.
As raw mangoes are high in niacin which is good in controlling cholesterol levels, even people with bad lipid profiles can have it without any trace of guilt!
GO DESi POPz - Tangy Imli:
Imli is that one entity that always takes us down memory lane and it’s all things
tangy, yummy with a trail of memoirs from trees to villages, local shops, school recess, and fun time. This popz is one such bundle of goodness that’s bound to make you feel alive, happy, and nostalgic. These candies are great as an appetizer and their consumption might also help in managing weight owing to flavonoids and polyphenols. Tamarind preparations have also been used traditionally as a laxative because of their tartaric acid, malic acid, and potassium content.
These also are a rich source of vitamin C and can boost the immune system to prevent cold, cough, allergies, and seasonal infections.
Some studies suggest that tamarind can take care of your liver as well. It also has the potential to alleviate allergic asthma under its antihistaminic properties.
GO DESi POPz - Real Aam:
These pops made of mango contain lutein, zeaxanthin, and vitamin A — which support eye health as well as help in protection from the sun. They also contain a polyphenol called mangiferin to fight oxidative stress, which is linked to many diseases ranging from acute infections to certain types of cancers. It also contains magnesium, potassium, and other nutrients to support a healthy heart function. They are also rich in dietary fiber, which keeps the digestive tract working efficiently and helps to lower the risk of heart disease & type 2 diabetes.
These candies loaded with the king of summer also help in preventing heatstroke. Eating it will cool you down instantly and refresh you. You can keep them in your bag when out in scorching heat and stay cool during the hot weather.
GO DESi Energy Banana Bites:
These energy bites are surely a surprise to the senses! The best part is that there is literally nothing else as an ingredient apart from banana and yet they taste so savory! They are an excellent mid-day snack and suitable as a pre-and post-workout bite.
They help in relieving muscle cramps thus incredible fuel for endurance exercises. They are fairly rich in fiber and resistant starch to feed our friendly gut bacteria and defend against colon cancer. These are also a great source of potassium and magnesium, in turn, beneficial for heart health. When out for travel or trek, they can be your authentic saviours when nothing else seems handy.
DESi Chaat - Sweet Amla Bites & Chatpata Amla:
Amla or Indian gooseberry possesses high regard in the
healthcare domain as it contains all the `rasas’ of the food spectrum as per ayurvedic texts. It balances all the vitiations of bodily fluids and is considered to be a very strong rejuvenating agent. The vitamin C content of Amla makes it an excellent source of building immunity and metabolism. It is known to fight both viral and bacterial ailments efficiently and reducing the impact of various health problems such as cancer and heart-related ailments.
It contains carotene which is responsible for improving the vision. This product should be an indispensable part of the daily food profile as it can significantly improve the overall health. It has wonderful benefits for eye health and help relieve problems such as cataracts, intraocular tension as well as prevents reddening, itching, and watery eyes. It is also great for elderly as it makes the blood vessels stronger and thicker and helps in preventing and repairing oxidative damage. This is a must-have in the changing seasons to keep illnesses at bay.
DESi Chaat - Spicy Lemon:
These humble & flaky yet zesty tidbits contain all that it takes to kindle the digestive fire. The health benefits of lemon cannot be pinned down and it’s the favourite of each body part- from the skin to hair to gut. Again, like amla, mango, and tamarind, these are also power packs of vitamin C along with magnesium, phosphorus, and zinc. It reminds of the peculiar style pickles from some parts of the country, and just like the indigenous recipes, this should work wonders for those suffering from indigestion, low appetite, allergies, and impaired wound healing due to vitamin deficiency.
Apart from the above mentioned ones, there are even more variety of fruits and spices that are constantly being drawn out of the closets of history, pounded & cooked with pure herbs, fresh spices and sheer love to satiate your taste and health, as you read this.
Each of the one-of-its-own-kind of these pieces will feel like a foray to the outskirts of farflung villages and will smell the affection of grandmoms and the earthy smile of countrymen.
They are a sincere effort to preserve heritage, culture & health without the use of preservatives, truly made with archival mastery and sealed with nature’s grace. No wonder they represent the ages-old “Alphenics” of the 13th century which were the first ever confectionery with medicinal benefits and again becoming the need of the hour where taste and health have to go hand in hand!
Dr. Shreya (The Happy Collar / Twitter)
19/04/21