Modak stabilises blood pressure and blood sugar levels. (File photo)

Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations are incomplete without modak. Considered to be Lord Ganesha’s favourite, modak is a traditional sweet dumpling made of rice flour and coconut and jaggery filling. Here is an easy recipe you can try.

Modaks are not just tasty but they have health benefits too, revealed celebrity nutritionist Rujuta Diwekar. In an Instagram post, she explained in detail how the ingredients of modak boost one’s health.

Health benefits of modak

Constipation: The ghee used to make modak helps in rebuilding intestinal mucus lining and eliminating toxins, Diwekar said.

Blood pressure: The coconut filling has medium-chain triglycerides that protect the heart and keep blood pressure levels in check.

Cholesterol: Diwekar mentioned that coconut, along with dry fruits used in the filling, have plant sterols that help reduce bad cholesterol and boost good cholesterol levels.

Read| In pictures: How people are celebrating Ganesh Chaturthi amid COVID-19 pandemic

Diabetes: Modaks have medium to low glycemic index and can be safely consumed by diabetics, wrote Diwekar. It is “beneficial for a steady blood sugar response”, she added.

Arthritis: “The butyric acid found in ghee is a traditional therapy for reducing inflammation in every tissue of the body, more specifically in the joints,” the nutritionist mentioned.

PCOD: Polycystic ovary disease is a hormonal disorder that causes enlarging of ovaries with small cysts on the outer edges. According to Diwekar, the rice flour used to make modak stabilises blood sugar. Besides, rice contains vitamin B1, which helps reduce PMS (premenstrual syndrome) and sugar cravings.

Thyroid: Diwekar wrote, “Celebrated as an anti-aging mixture, this is one delicacy that your thyroid gland will thank you for.”

Weight loss: Turns out, modak can promote weight loss also. The traditional sweet is low on the glycemic index and is full of good fats. Modak is also celebrated as food for “virya”, which means “vigour in the body and stability in the mind”, Diwekar wrote in her post.

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