Gond Katira Cooler, a Soft-Fibre Summer Drink
A few soaked gond katira crystals swollen in cool water with rose water or milk. A cooling-feeling drink and soluble fibre, not a bone or strength remedy.
Gond katira: soft fibre, not a cure
Gond katira is a plant gum that swells into a soft, jelly-like mass when soaked. It is mostly soluble fibre. In summer it is a popular drink with rose water and a little sugar, and online it is often said to strengthen bones or cool the body. Experts say the bone claims are not supported. Enjoy it as a pleasant drink and not as a medicine.
Soak a small amount, no more than half a teaspoon of crystals, since it swells many times its size. Drink it with plenty of water. Skip it if swallowing is hard, in small children and with a bowel obstruction or severe constipation, and ask a doctor if you are pregnant or on diabetes medicines.
Ingredients
- Half a teaspoon of gond katira crystals
- 1 glass cool water or milk, and a few drops of rose water
- Half a teaspoon of mishri or none
How to prepare
- Soak the crystals in half a cup of water for 6 to 8 hours until they swell to a soft jelly.
- Stir the jelly into a glass of cool water or milk with rose water.
How to use
- Take one small glass, sipped slowly, on a hot day.
- Drink extra plain water through the day.
Helpful habits
- Always soak first and never eat dry crystals.
- Keep the sugar low, since the drink is not meant to be sweet.
Precautions
- Never swallow dry crystals, as they swell and can block the throat.
- Not for small children, people with swallowing trouble or bowel obstruction.
- Ask a doctor in pregnancy or on diabetes medicine, and do not treat it as a bone remedy.
Frequently asked questions
Does gond katira strengthen bones?
- There is no reliable proof of that. It is mainly soluble fibre.
Does it really cool the body?
- It feels cool and soothing as a drink, but this is not a medical effect.
How much should I take?
- Half a teaspoon of crystals soaked, in a glass, once in a while. More is not better.
