Why we must eat makhanas when it is monsoons

Monsoon season is when you want to most definitely chomp a crunchy snack in the evening, preferably with a steaming cuppa of chai or coffee. The usual suspects are namkeens, popcorns, chips, and pakoras.

But one super healthy, non-fried option to snack on (although highly underrated and not so commonly eaten) is popped makhana (also called fox nut).

Lightly roasted in just a little bit of ghee and seasoned simply with salt and pepper (some add a bit of haldi too), this chameleon food that takes on the flavour of the seasoning added to it, is a great way to satisfy the munching craving that is almost synonymous with the rains.

It’s high fibre, so less goes far, and you get to knock down some super hard to score nutrients encased in this unusual texture food too. For me though the biggest bonus is the "perfect crunch" it delivers, when roasted just right. Every bite is sheer pleasure!

I write often about the health benefits of peels of the vegetables and fruits. But the fact is that the underrated seeds of many plants are equally delicious and healthy too.

Makhana seeds are a perfect example.

These seeds of Euryale Ferox (and not lotus seeds as common thought), an aquatic flowering plant is almost a complete food, and that’s probably the reason why they have also been used in religious rituals in India and as a prominent fasting food since ancient times. Chinese too have been using it as medicine for almost 3,000 years now.

Need more convincing to include it in your diet? Read on.

Low GI

Lotus seeds are a good source of protein and fibre and are a low GI (glycemic Index) food, that means they get digested slowly in the body, so are a better bet for diabetics too (as compared to say pop corn).

Help tame your BP

They are low in sodium and high in potassium - perfect to tune our body’s electrolyte balance and keep the blood pressure low.

Gluten free

These are gluten free, and so great for those who are gluten intolerant; even for those who just want to eat gluten free for a while to give their body a break. This is precisely the reason why lotus seed flour is much in demand these days.

Antioxidant powerhouse

These humble seeds pack in lots of antioxidants, most prominent of which is kaempferol (also found in tea, coffee, broccoli, bell pepper, cabbage, etc), known to prevent inflammation and ageing. For this reason makhana is often called the age-locking, wrinkle banishing seed.

Delivers magnesium

They are high in the important mineral magnesium, which helps keep heart attacks away, and also keeps us happy (magnesium levels are found to be lower in those suffering from unhappiness).

Need another reason? Magnesium also relaxes blood vessels and helps cut headache-inducing electric signals in the brain. Makhana also deliver zinc, phosphorus and come calcium.

The B1 benefit

Has hard to find vitamin B1 (thiamine) that plays a key role in nerve, muscle and heart function, and is the key to converting the carbohydrates we eat to energy in the body. That’s why deficient of B1 often leads to chronic fatigue. Makhana might just be your key to staying super charged.

There’s more!

Ayurveda and Unani medicine practitioners consider it an aphrodisiac and a boon for reproductive health. Plus they are known to improve appetite, fight diarrhea, keep insomnia at bay, detoxify the body, prevent arthritis, and are said to be antiviral.

Eat them

There are multiple ways to eat makhana, of course.

Soaked overnight, they become soft and can be added as is to salads, curries, soups, and desserts; I grew up eating makhana kheer and often preferred it to the regular rice kheer. Makhana pulao and curries are commonly made during festivities.

Today, of course, popped makhana is getting a makeover and is available in unusual flavoors like wasabi, jalapeño and more to suit all palates.

Time is right to include more of this ancient, super food in our diets.

Maybe you can begin with favourite ready-in-a-jiffy raita: dry roast makhana till crunchy, crush coarsely (big chunks) and mix in with lightly beaten chilled yoghurt.

Season with salt, pepper, roasted cumin, and dig in immediately as it thickens and the crunch disappears if left for too long. A delicious way to score the benefits!