During the festive season, especially during Navratri and Dussehra, something that excites us more than Garba and Dandiya nights is food! Doodh jalebi is perhaps one of the most well-known wonderful pairings in Indian cuisine. If you’re wondering what to eat on Dussehra, there are many treats that can be enjoyed, but you can’t deny that doodh-jalebi holds a unique place in our hearts and tummies.

While indulging in desserts is a very festive thing to do, we must not go overboard and instead also think about our health!

Health Shots reached out to Hari Lakshmi, Consultant – Dietitian/Nutritionist, Motherhood Hospitals, Chennai, to find out whether consuming jalebi with doodh is good for one’s health or not. Let’s find out

Is eating doodh jalebi good for health?

Lakshmi says, “Not only on Dussehra, but Jalebi is a part of many dishes prepared on Holi and many people like to eat it to break their fast after the festivities of Navratri. Therefore, it becomes even more important to find whether it’s good for your health or not!” Let’s take a look at how one of our favourite Dussehra special recipes can affect our health.

Here are benefits of eating doodh jalebi:

1. Treats migraine

This one is maybe hard to believe but eating jalebi with milk can help to reduce your headaches. This is due to nutrients present in milk.

2. Lowers stress

There is a reason why people eat sweets on auspicious occasions. The sweetness lowers stress hormones and uplifts mood.

3. Prevents catching cold

Winter will come soon and nothing can be better than jalebi served with warm milk as it can help in preventing seasonal cold.

4. Prevents roughness on skin

Doodh jalebi is beneficial for people who have scratchy and dry skin. This is another reason why people prefer it so much during chilly winters.

Here are the side effects of eating jalebi with milk:

1. Weight gain

This tasty delight is fried and dipped in sugar syrup. If you eat it without exercising control, it is bound to lead to weight gain. People fighting obesity and diabetes should be reserved about this dessert.

2. Harsh on your dental health

We all know that sugar and good dental health cannot co-exist. Sugar can lead to cavities and bacterial infections in your mouth.

Also, read: This Dussehra, get rid of these 10 evils to be the best version of yourself

3. Not for diabetic people

The sugar content in jalebi can spike blood sugar levels in your body and thus, it should not be consumed much by diabetic people.

Dussehra recipe: Know how to make jalebi at home

Ingredients
1 kg maida
500 gm ghee
350 gm curd
1/2 teaspoon of edible food colour
1 pinch baking soda
Sugar
Water (As per the requirements)
Badam, kahu, saffron and pista (For garnishing)

Procedure

Step 1: Firstly, take out the flour in a large bowl, then add curd, baking soda and food colour to it and prepare a thick batter.

Step 2: If the batter is too thick, you can use water if needed.

Step 3: Now cover this batter and leave it for at least 7 to 8 hours.

Step 4: To prepare sugar syrup, first pour water in a vessel and put it on low flame. Now add sugar as required and let it cook on medium flame.

Step 5: Increase the flame of the gas to thicken the syrup. Then turn off the gas. You can add 4-5 drops of rose essence in it.

Step 6: After the yeast rises in the batter, mix it well. While keeping the flame of the gas medium, put ghee in the pan and leave it to heat up.

Step 7: Now take out the batter in a thick cloth or jalebi maker. Keep in mind to put the jalebi in the pan only when it is completely hot.

Step 8: Pour the batter into the pan by rotating the hands in the shape of jalebi.

Step 9: Let it brown well from both sides. Now take out the jalebi and put it in the syrup.

Step 10: Keep it in the syrup for 2-3 minute, then take it out on a plate. Ensure that the sugar syrup is warm and not very hot.

Step 11: Garnish the jalebi with pistachios and saffron.

Delicious jalebi is ready, so just eat and celebrate Dussehra. And Happy Dussehra to you and your family from Team Health Shots!