Refreshing Gulkand

Gulkand is a combination of two words Gul and Kand. Gul means rose and Kand means sweet or sugar.  It is also written as gulqand or gulkhand and also called Rose Petal Jam. If the thought itself of delicious sweet tasting rose petal preserve has made you salivate, then knowing that it comes loaded with health benefits will make you go bonkers over it. To top it all, it is very simple to prepare it and requires only two ingredients i.e. rose petals and sugar. Well I use rock sugar or honey to prepare my jar of goodness but you can always opt what you prefer.

How to prepare:

–  Take the petals of some desi (local) rose, sugar and a glass jar.

• Place a layer of rose petals and then a layer of sugar.
• Repeat the process for 3-4 times.
• Close the lid of the glass jar and place it in the sun for few days.
• In approximately ten days the gulkand will be ready.
• Mix it well once it is ready.
• You can store it in the refrigerator.
• It stays good for around six months.

How to consume it:

• Mix a teaspoon of gulkand with a glass of cow milk and have it at night. It helps in treating constipation.
• Mix it with water and sip it throughout the day. It works wonders if you are facing acidity or bloating issues.
• Have a teaspoon of it, first thing in the morning or after the meals. It helps improve your digestion and also satisfies your sweet cravings.
• Have it with a paan (betel) leaf. It will improve your digestion and is a rich source of iron.

Benefits:

There are innumerable  benefits of consuming this natural rose petals jam. It is the best thing to beat the heat during the scorching summer. It also takes care of the seasonal issues like constipation, skin breakouts, itchy scalp, acidity etc. It is high in taste, fragrance and aroma and so even a teaspoon of this magical thing can be very refreshing and soothing. Made with sun-dried rose petals and sugar, it acts as a natural coolant and provides ample health benefits listed below:

• It helps in treating acidity
• It helps in curing headache due to gas or caused by heat.
• It provides energy thus removing lethargy and tiredness.
• It helps those facing problems of spotting during periods.
• It helps to treat PCOS.
• It helps people suffering from constipation and bloating.
• It treats acne marks.
• It also helps in having regular and sound sleep. 
• It also deals with your sugar cravings.
• It helps in purifying the blood.
• It is also good for  improving eyesight and memory.
• It is a very good source of iron when eaten with paan leaf.

So, if you are the one having constipation, acidity, period issues, skin breakouts, low on energy etc etc , this simple and delicious thing can help you treat all your problems. 

As per the various studies, Gulkand is mostly safe to consume for all individuals, pregnant women and even lactating mother. But people with diabetes should keep a check as there is sugar in it. A moderate consumption  of the same is though considered safe. But it is always recommended  to check with your doctor or dietician. 

So enjoy this summer with a teaspoon of gulkand and refresh yourself. If you are not able to prepare it, you can easily get it from the market. Just make sure that it is made using sun-dried method and the ingredients are only rose petals and sugar or honey.

Try these amazing gulkand recipes:

Lokah samastah sukhino bhavantu..