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gulab jamun is a Punjabi sweet served not only at restaurants but also on the streets in North India. Learn how to make gulab jamun.

There are umpteen ready mixes available in the market for making gulab jamun, but none can beat the traditional recipe made with homemade khoya. While it is slightly time consuming, making them is not very difficult. 

Though famous from North India, this sweet is famous across India, especially in the west of India. Make and relish gulab jamun with khoya with family and friends on occasions like Diwali Raksha - Bandhan and Dussehra. 

Gulab Jamun is an all-time favorite Indian delicacy, which everybody loves to indulge in. Be it parties, occasions or a regular day, it is always a big ‘YES’. The nutrition facts of a gulab jamun may vary with the ingredients and their proportions.  It is a dairy based dessert, consisting of soft, deep fried balls, soaked in an aromatic sugar syrup. It is made up of refined flour and sugar and therefore is high on calories.

The calories in any dessert can add up really quick, so if you are watching your weight, make sure, you take only small servings at a time and make gulab jamun a rare indulgence on special occasions. 

5 Main Ingredients of Gulab Jamun that are not healthy

1. Gulab Jamun consists of Khoya which is made from 100% full fat milk and not good for weight loss or diabetics. 

2. Plain flour (maida) : This recipe uses plain flour or maida which is refined carb not suitable for healthy lifestyle. Maida consumption in any food should be totally avoided or just a little bit of usage as any consumption of this will cause a larger spike in blood levels which is not good for diabetics, heart patients. 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.  Read is maida good for you to understand fully.

3. Sugar : 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. 

4. Deep fried foods : This recipe is deep fried. Any food that is deep fried is not suitable for healthy living. Your fat levels increase as deep frying increases oil absorption. Also when you use the same oil again for deep frying then smoking point decreases which leads to the development of blue smoke which is not good for health. Processed food, Deep Fried Foods also increases inflammation in the body and shuts down the fat burning process. Most diseases from heart, to cardio vascular, diabetes, parkinsons, alzheimer, cancer and obesity result when the cells get inflamed and don't then function correctly. Inflammation in the arteries can cause heart attacks. So your diet should contain foods that fight inflammation in the body. That's how your body gets healthier by eating the right stuff. So you have given the cells in your body the right food to stay healthy and that is so important in staying disease free for the rest of your life.

5. Arrowroot flour : This is a refined flour similar to cornstarch.  

Eat Gulab Jamun in moderation.

If you are a big gulab jamun fan, eating a single gulab jamun ball or even two will not cause a major damage to a healthy diet plan, if you are sure to make it an occasional treat! If you go overboard with it, it will make a difference and will interfere with your health and cause inflammation as it consists of mailny simple carbohydrates!

Once in a while, if you have had gulab jamun, do not feel guilty about it. Go, and do a bout of exercise! Burn out some calories and it will be fine!

Can Diabetics eat Gulab Jamun?

No. This food is definately avoidable as its empty fat calories which will lead to weight gain and increase blood sugar levels. Gulab jamun recipe is deep fried. Any food that is deep fried is not suitable for healthy living.

Your fat levels increase as deep frying increases oil absorption. Also when you use the same oil again for deep frying then smoking point decreases which leads to the development of blue smoke which is not good for health. Processed food, Deep Fried Foods also increases inflammation in the body and shuts down the fat burning process.

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. Packed with fresh carrots, this classic healthy gajar ka halwa provides you with plenty of vitamin A. We have sweetened the Low-Fat Carrot Halwa with iron-rich dates and completely avoided white sugar. This not only reduces the fat but also boosts the health quotient.