See Date and Sesame Puranpoli recipe. Sweet, delicious and nutritious too – that’s a rare combination, isn’t it? Well, it all features in the Date and Sesame Puranpoli, a traditional treat loaded with the goodness of iron from dates and sesame seeds. It wins over hearts with its nutty taste and rich aroma of til, and is so satiating that it is a meal in itself. This highly nutritious sweet is grandma’s secret prescription for sudden hunger pangs attacking pregnant women!

Is Date and Sesame Puranpoli healthy?

No, this is not healthy. Let's see why.

Let's understand the Ingredients.

What's good.

1. Whole Wheat flour : Whole wheat flour is excellent for diabetics as they will not shoot up your blood sugar levels as they are a low GI food.  Whole wheat flour is rich in Phosphorus which is a major mineral which works closely with calcium to build our bones. Vitamin B9 helps your body to produce and maintain new cells, especially increase red blood cells. See detailed 11 benefits of whole wheat flour and why it's good for you.

2. Milk and Low Fat Milk : 1 cup of milk provides 70% of the Recommended Daily Allowance of Calcium. Milk promotes strong bones. The Calcium in Milk helps to protect your teeth against gum disease and keeps your jaw bone strong and healthy. Milk is low in carbs and therefore does not raise blood glucose levels. However diabetics must consider including low fat milk as advised by their dietitian only so as to avoid any fluctuations in blood sugar levels. Protein is another key nutrient which milk is rich in - 8.6 g from a cup. So all those looking to build protein stores can add milk and its products like curd and paneer to their diet. One cup of Milk gives 10 grams of carbs.  Low fat milk has lower fat and the same benefits of milk. 

3. Dates (Khajur) : 1 cup of dates (90 gm) gives around 8.05 gm of fiber and will lower down the cholesterol level and will also aid in weight loss. A cup of dates contain 703 mg of potassium (14.95% of RDA) which helps in the regulation of blood pressure and also prevents formation of kidney stones. Dates have a low glycemic index from 43 to 55 depending on the variety, so they are a boon to diabetics to satisfy their sweet tooth. See details for 8 super benefits of dates. 

4. Sesame Seeds (Til) : These tiny white seeds are indeed a good source of protein. Half of daily requirement of calcium is fulfilled by consuming ½ cup of sesame seeds. Sesame seeds are a storehouse of iron, folic acid and help to prevent iron deficiency  anaemia and boost your energy. The lignans, a type of polyphenol, present in seed does wonders to naturally reduce cholesterol levels. See detailed benefits of sesame seeds.  

5. Mava : Paneer or Mava contains high quality protein and calcium which aids in weight loss. Since paneer is low in carbs and high in protein it gets digested slowly and hence good for diabetes. Potassium in paneer helps to reduce the effect of high sodium, by lowering blood pressure and contraction of blood vessels, resulting in improved heart health and reduced risk of heart attack. Great for weight loss and read the interesting article on is paneer good for you?

What's the problem?

Brown Sugar : Brown Sugar used in the recipe is also called white poison. It is a simple carbohydrate with zero nutritional value. On intake, sugar will cause inflammation of the body which will last for many hours. It will spike your blood sugar level and shut down the fat burning process. This also causes high blood sugar levels in your body. The development of prediabetes comes from uncontrolled eating sugar and refined food products for many years and the classic symptom is if you have excess belly fat. This leads to diabetes and further onwards to heart attack, high blood pressure, strokes, impotence and kidney damage. To live a healthy life, try and cut sugar which from your diet. It requires a slow and deliberate attempt to do it. Find hidden sugar in packaged foods and drinks and stop having those products. Did you know that a can of your favourite soft drink is estimated to have 1/2 cup of sugar. Refinded carbohydrates like maida, sugar, bread, pasta, noodles and sugar on consumption get stored as unhealthy fat in the body. 

Can diabetics, heart patients and over weight individuals have Date and Sesame Puranpoli?

No, this recipe is not good for diabetics, heart and weight loss. Brown Sugar used in the recipe is also called white poison. It is a simple carbohydrate with zero nutritional value. On intake, sugar will cause inflammation of the body which will last for many hours. It will spike your blood sugar level and shut down the fat burning process. This also causes high blood sugar levels in your body. The development of prediabetes comes from uncontrolled eating sugar and refined food products for many years and the classic symptom is if you have excess belly fat. This leads to diabetes and further onwards to heart attack, high blood pressure, strokes, impotence and kidney damage.

What is a healthier Indian dessert option ?

We suggest you try low fat gajjar halwa recipe which uses dates as a sweetener and low fat milk which works well for diabetics. Make oats and mixed nuts ladoo recipe which is sweetened by jaggery or oats and dates kheer. 

Try a jowar based Indian dessert which is s a complex carb and will be absorbed slowly in the blood stream and not cause a spike in insulin. The jowar apple sheera recipe is made with the addition of cows milk and apples and sweetened with honey.

Jowar Apple Sheera, Healthy Indian Sweet

Can healthy individuals have Date and Sesame Puranpoli?

No. 

Date and Sesame Puranpoli is high in

1. Phosphorous : Phosphorous works closely with calcium to build bones. 

2. Vitamin B1 : Vitamin B1 protects nerves, helps in carbohydrate metabolism, prevents heart diseases and helps produce red blood cells. 

3. Fiber : Dietary fiber reduce the risk of heart disease, prevent the spike in blood sugar levels and hence super for diabetics. Consume more fruits, vegetables, moong, oats, matki, whole grains.

Note : a recipe is deemed high in a Vitamin or mineral if it meets 20% and above the recommended daily allowance based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

How to burn 239 calories that come from Four Date and Sesame Puranpoli?

Walking (6 kmph) = 1 hr 12 mins

Running (11 kmph) = 24 mins

Cycling (30 kmph) = 32 mins          

Swimming (2 kmph) = 41 mins

Note: These values are approximate and calorie burning differs in each individual.