Top nutritionist recommends this common halwa to boost immunity

When it comes to boosting immunity, there are a plethora of options available at our disposal. From lemon infused water to giloy kadha, several recipes have proven fruitful. But do you know that even a common halwa can help you in this case? Yes, you read that right. According to celebrity nutritionist Rujuta Diwekar, a dose of halwa/sheera once in a while acts as a natural immunity booster and also lifts up the spirits of the sick ones. Read on to know its benefits and the easiest way to make it.

This is what top nutritionist Rujuta Diwekar said in her latest Facebook post-

“One dish that every household made to nurse their sick back to strength was gaud sheera or sooji halwa. Roasted in an iron Kadhai, cooked in ghee & milk, spiced with sugar, kesar & dry fruits. It stroked their appetite, lifted their spirits and led to a speedy recovery.”

She added, “This is also why the sheera was also celebrated as the mandatory Prasad at every Puja. These pujas were traditionally planned around seasonal changes and everyone getting a dose of this Prasad worked like an immunity boosting shot of sorts.”

The two main ingredients of halwa apart from sugar are sooji and ghee. Both these ingredients carry their own list of benefits and are optimum for your health.

Ghee not only adds flavour to the dish but also provides tons of health benefits. It has anti-inflammatory properties, keeps skin glowing, contains cancer-fighting agents and is a powerhouse of energy. On the other hand, sooji is full of iron and magnesium, which not only keeps the heart healthy but also keeps a check on blood sugar levels.

Make sure that you consume it in moderation as ‘excess of everything is bad’.

When it comes to eating sweets and desserts, the only thing which makes us think twice is the amount of sugar content in it. We have heard it several times that sugar is white poison. So, should you add it to your halwa or not?

According to Rujuta, “Eating ultra-processed food is poison whether it has sugar or it’s substitute. Eating home cooked & in sync with the season is healthy for the planet & its people. Scientists warn of many more pandemics in the future. The human behaviour that leads to climate change & biodiversity loss is exactly what will bring pandemics too, they say. Truth be told, mindless consumption is poison, not sugar.”

Ingredients required- 1 cup sooji, 1 cup sugar, 4 cups water, ½ cup ghee and some chopped nuts (optional).

Steps-

• Take a saucepan, add sugar and water in it. Keep on low heat and let the sugar dissolve in it. Let it simmer for a while.
• Now take ghee in a kadhai and let it melt for a minute or two. Add sooji and stir continuously over medium heat.
• When the sooji starts getting light brown, add the sugar solution to it. Make sure you keep stirring in order to avoid any lumps.
• On medium heat let it attain the consistency of halwa. Once done, switch off the flame and transfer it to bowls.
• Garnish with nuts and enjoy!