Hi! Namaste. Satsriakal. This is Gajak speaking, I’m calling to ask why you haven’t been eating me, or my cousin, Til-and-Gud Chikki (or laddoo) this season? After all, aren’t we here to boost your immune function so that you can deal better with chilling temperatures, fog and smog?
Now, don’t distract yourself (or me) by applying that chapstick on your scaled lips. Trying popping a piece of me into your mouth instead. Let me explain. I am seasonal for a reason. That’s why Ayurveda recommends me, so does local culture and tradition. Haven’t you noticed all festivals held around this time celebrate me? Why would you prefer that hot tomato soup instead?
I can keep you warmer than any soup on earth, and I taste at least 10 times better. Remember: What tastes better, gets absorbed and assimilated better. And I swear on God, I am loaded with nutrients. Sample this:
Til : It’s the richest non-dairy source of calcium and is also rich in essential fats, copper, magnesium and zinc. Now you do know colder temperatures mean more painful joints and that’s exactly why food containing til should be consumed. It has all it takes to keep your bones, tendons, joints and ligaments well nourished, lubricated, supple and pain-free. The vitamin E in til will help your joints too, and keep your lips from scaling and skin from turning itchy and, along with til’s iron and Vitamin B stores, give your skin a reddish pink glow.
Gud: It is unrefined sugar and less sweet than sugar, which is why it blends so well with til, giving gajak, and the til chikki or laddoo their unique taste.
Still not convinced? Ok, how’s this? My til and gud combination can accelerate your metabolism and burn those fat stores. Ah, now I’ve got your attention. Come on, you’re running out of time. The chill won’t last forever.
One word of caution: We ignite greed. Make sure you restrict yourself to one piece once a day.
(Nutritionist Rujuta Diwekar’s latest book is called Women and the Weight Loss Tamasha.)