Gulkhand : What are its health benefits

Gulkhand health benefits – get rid of toxins from the body. It helps in enhancing memory power and it’s a powerful antioxidant. It helps to improve eyesight and considered as a good digestive tonic.

Gulkhand is is a sweet preserve of rose petals.It is believed to be from ancient Indo-Persia originated around 900 B.C. It is prepared from fresh rose petals and sugar/ honey. Other ayurvedic ingredients such as praval pishti & mukta pishti can also be added to boosts its actions in hot season.

How to make gulkhand?

However, it can be prepared from any of rose variety or species. Almost all have similar medicinal value and uses. Rosa centifolia and Rosa damascena is considerably best for making gulkhand. For making, you need the following ingredients.

Ingredients Quantity

Fresh rose petals 200 gram

Sugar 100 – 200 gram

Method-1:

Take 200 gram fresh rose petals and 100 gram sugar.

1. Crush rose petals with hands. Grind the sugar crystals to make powder.

2. Mix Crushed rose petals and sugar together.

3. Preserve the mixture in glass jar and keep under sunlight.

4. You may need keeping under sunlight for a few days. This method is without heating the rose petals. This method helps to preserve nutrients present in the rose petals.

Method-2: (Rose petal jelly)

1. Take 200 grams of rose petals and 100 grams of sugar.

2. Crush the rose petals and grind the sugar crystals.

3. Mix both ingredients in stainless steel pan.

4. Heat the mixture until sugar and rose petals dissolves well. It will take 5 to 10 minutes.

5. Now, let it cool down and then preserve the rose petals jelly in a glass jar.

Method-3: (with honey or rose jam)

1. Take 100 grams rose petals and 5 teaspoons honey

2. Crush the rose petals & mix it with honey.

3. Keep the mixture in glass jar under the direct sunlight.

4. After 3 to 5 days, it will be ready to consume.

NOTE: Some people also use jaggery for making gulkhand.

Medicinal properties:

All healing properties of gulkhand are attributed to rose petals. Almost all varieties of roses are used for making gulkhand whic have have similar therapeutic actions. Rose flowers have following therapeutic properties:

Mild laxative, Antibacterial, Antioxidant, Anti-tussive, Demulscent, Anti-inflammatory, Cardiotonic, Carminative, Digestive stimulant, Anti-ulcerogenic.

Therapeutic indication:

It helps in enhancing memory power and it’s a powerful antioxidant. Gulkhand helps to improve eyesight and considered as a good digestive tonic that may help to boost appetite, improve digestion and control the digestive issues. It helps to get rid of toxins from the body and purifies the blood.

It is beneficial in following health conditions: Mild to moderate constipation, Heart burn, Acid reflux, GERD, Dyspepsia, Intestinal gas, Peptic ulcer, Mouth ulcer, Bleeding disorders like nose bleed, Tachycardia (along with mukta pishti), Excessive sweating, Hot flushes in menopause, Generalized burning sensation, Burning pain of any specific organ, Headache with burning pain and when pain Increases after pressure on head or head massage, High fever with burning sensation all over the body (to reduce burning sensation).

How to take gulkhand:

However one can eat gulkhand without any adjuant or with water, but cow’s milk is a best adjuant for gulkhand in most of the diseases especially in constipation, water is good adjuant for gulkhand in gastric problems.

Disadvantages:

Gulkhand is contra-indicated in diabetes mellitus.