Winter Archives

January 5, 2026 By Sunita Arora 1 Comment

Gond Ladoo: Your Much Needed Winter Essential

As winter knocks at your door, you might have noticed your Granny prepare Gond Ladoo. It is loved by both kids and adults alike. Gond Ladoo is the best warming food during winter and is quite a healthy snack especially in North India. It contains natural Gond (edible gum) which is extracted from the bark of trees.

Benefits of Gond Ladoo During Winter

It helps to keep the body warm in falling temperatures.
It prevents the body from cold, seasonal virus infections and keeps one safe from winter illnesses.
It helps improve eyesight.
It boosts immunity and improves stamina if prepared with Jaggery (Gud).
It is enriched with protein, fiber, calcium, and magnesium which makes bones and tissues strong.
Anti-inflammatory and good for arthritis as it lubricates the joints and provides relief for back & joint pain.
Due to high fiber it is effective in treating constipation.
It also improves sexual inadequacy or weakness in men.
Nourishing food for pregnant women as it helps in strengthening bones and prevents back pain after birth.
The combo of fat, fiber and protein is good for lactating mothers to meet the extra calories requirement and to speed up recovery. It increases milk production as well.
It is a wholesome, nourishing food for winter if someone lacks energy and feels tired.

Generally, Gond Ladoo is prepared with desi ghee, gond, coconut, lots of chunky nuts and dry fruits. Want to try it out if you haven’t already? Here’s the recipe!

What You Will Need:

Wheat Flour – 1 and ¼ cup
Gond (edible gum) – 4 tbsp
Dry Dates Powder – ¼ Cup
Jaggery Powder – ¼ Cup
Cardamom Powder – 1 tsp
Coconut Powder – 2 tbsp
Almond and Cashew Powder – 3-4 tbsp
Poppy Seeds (Khus Khus) – 1 tbsp
Dried Ginger Powder (optional) – ¼ tsp
White Pepper Powder (optional) – ¼ tsp
Desi Ghee (clarified butter) – 8-10 tbsp

How to Prepare

Take a Kadhai, add 2 tbsp of ghee and roast all the Gond till it gets puffed and becomes crispy. Take it aside and grind the Puffed Gond in a mixer.
Now add the dates powder Jaggery powder, cardamom powder, nut powder, poppy seeds, ginger powder, and white pepper powder and grind all together in a grinder.
In the same Kadhai, add 2 more tbsp of ghee and roast wheat flour on low flame till it turns golden brown and you get a nice aroma!
Add the previous mixture to the kadhai with wheat flour and mix well. Cook for 5-7 minutes more and add the remaining ghee.
The whole mixture should look wet. Take it off the gas.
Grease your palm with a few drops of ghee and start moulding them into a Ladoo shape. You can use a little more ghee while rolling them.
You can store these Gond Ladoos in an airtight container easily for a month and serve it anytime.

Please note that excessive intake may cause mild abdominal discomfort and increase your calorie intake as well. You must eat only one Ladoo in the morning or evening with warm milk.

If you have an allergy to any of the ingredients above, avoid eating this. If you’re unsure, please consult your doctor before you prepare.

We hope you enjoy this recipe and the winter season as well. For more healthy recipes, check out Healthy Reads or ask a GOQii Coach by subscribing for Personalised Health Coaching here.

#BeTheForce

Disclaimer: The information provided in this blog is for general awareness and educational purposes only. It is not intended to replace professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider for personalised medical guidance or concerns related to your health. Images shown are for representation purposes only and may not depict the exact recommendations or outcomes.

November 19, 2025 By Swati Savla Leave a Comment

5 Healthy Winter Vegetables For A Healthier You!

The chilly winters are here. This season brings us the most colorful fruits and vegetables in the market. All of them are rich in a variety of nutrients and flavors. The major reason for increasing our intake of this fresh produce is to build our immunity against the flu and cold viruses as well as stock our body with enough nutrients to last a few months post winter as well! Here’s my list of the 5 must have healthy winter vegetables!

Must Have Healthy Winter Vegetables

1. Mustard Greens
The famous ‘sarson ka saag’ is our go-to-immunity winter dish. Ever thought why? This low calorie, high fiber leafy green is also an excellent source of Vitamins B1, B2, B6, C, E, K, folic acid and minerals like calcium, carotenes, manganese, copper, magnesium, protein, potassium, and iron. This wide variety of Vitamins and Minerals perform many essential functions like blood clotting which makes it heart healthy, improving bone health and thus, reducing the risk of arthritis and osteoporosis. It also improves eyesight. The folic acid content is at par with levels needed for a healthy pregnancy and menopause. Last but not the least, the high fiber aids good bowel movements, easing hemorrhoids and constipation. Some other leafy greens like spinach and methi are also at their best in this season.

2. Carrots
This crunchy powerfood, especially the red variety available during winter, contains a good amount of vitamins and nutrients such as Vitamin A, B2, B3, C, D, E and K. We all know about it’s benefits for a good eyesight and healthy skin because of it’s beta carotene. Little do we know that it contains high amounts of Lycopene, an antioxidant which helps prevent cancer, diabetes and heart diseases. Eating raw carrots or drinking carrot juice can help regularise blood flow, provide relief from pain and make you feel less fatigued during menstruation days owing to the carotene and iron content – making it a must have healthy winter vegetable.

3. White Radish
Do you enjoy relishing hot Mooli ke Parathe in winter? Then you’re definitely benefiting from the Vitamins A, B6, C & E and minerals like potassium, phosphorus and zinc present in White Radish. This entire range of Vitamins and minerals gives our whole body an immunity boost. It has shown to have anti-congestive properties, which clear mucus from the throat and respiratory tract due to the common cold and cough in this season. The combination of phosphorus and zinc, helps get rid of dryness, acne and rashes on the skin and the high water content of radish keeps you well hydrated. Don’t forget to use the green leaves of this root vegetable to perk up the health benefits!

4. Beetroot
This vibrant and colorful veggie contains essential nutrients like folate (Vitamin B9), manganese, potassium, iron, and Vitamin C. Plus, they’re one of the most delicious, healthy winter vegetables out there! The red color which indicates the high iron content which helps in improving the total blood count and Vitamin C boosts immunity and improves our WBC’s.

Very importantly, Betaine present in beets can protect the liver from inflammation and damage caused by toxins and chronic alcohol consumption. It helps break down fatty acids in the liver and may help in treating non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. To add to it, they’re completely safe for consumption by diabetics as well! Puzzled? Well, yes. The Glycemic Index of beets is of medium range (61) but the glycemic load they provide is only 5. Which means although they release blood sugar levels slightly fast after consumption, the total carbs present in them are comparatively very low.

5. Sweet Potato
Winter comes and you get to see hand carts on the streets filled with this excellent and inexpensive food item. These orange-hued delights are loaded with twice the fiber when compared to other types of potatoes. B6 content in it reduces homocysteine which has been linked to heart attacks. Vitamin C and antioxidants protect us from flu viruses and common colds. They also aid in the formation of blood cells. Sweet potatoes contain a good amount of Magnesium, essential for blood pressure regulation and nerve relaxation which in turn helps reduce stress. Plus, since they’re fairly low on the glycemic index, they’re beneficial for diabetics and also great for filling up without getting weighed down.

We hope these healthy winter vegetables help you level up your health and build immunity during this season! For more on nutrition and winter, check out Healthy Reads or reach out to our certified experts by subscribing to GOQii’s Personalised Health Coaching here.

Eat healthy and #BeTheForce

February 11, 2025 By Navnee Garg Leave a Comment

Load Up On Carrots During Winter! Here’s Why!

We’ve often advised people to eat seasonal fruits and for good reason! Seasonal veggies are a good source of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants which are required by the body during winter. There are many vegetables but one of them, which is a must-have during these chilly days is the carrot! Carrots are one of the most loved vegetables not only in India but all over the world. The reason is very evident, it not only serves as a salad but a lot more than that. This orange-coloured root is an ultimate health food with many health benefits. Let’s explore the health benefits of carrots during winter!

Why You Should Eat Carrots During Winter

Carrots help you get beautiful skin and can help in protecting you from cancer, especially lung cancer. As the temperature drops, this crunchy & colourful vegetable gives you a boost of antioxidants too.
As a rich source of Vitamin A, it helps treat vision loss. So during winter, you can definitely ditch your Vitamin A pills.
The Vitamin A in carrots also help the liver secrete bile and flush out toxins in the body, acting as a Natural Detox.
Carrots contain high amounts of soluble fibers, which indirectly helps in managing cholesterol levels. No more guilt! You can easily binge on your favorite carrot cake during winter.
Carrots are infused with natural pesticides, Falcarcinol, which is anti-fungal in nature. It protects you from any kind of fungal diseases. If your kids eat carrots, you don’t need to worry about them catching any kind of fungal infection.
Carrots aren’t boring! There are many variations you can try with this root – be it dips, juices or soups – carrots are definitely a hit with your taste buds!
Carrot tops are enriched in nutrients such as potassium, phytonutrients and they also contain around 6 times more Vitamin C than what the root does.
Carrots have reserved their place in the list of the World’s Healthiest Foods. Undoubtedly, this crunchy root deserves it too.

Tips to Add Carrots To Your Diet

Soup It: Add grated carrots to your soups and clear broths to add roughage in diet
Crunch It: Raw carrots are enjoyed the best while soaking under the Sun during winters. Great way to boost up the vitamin quotient.
Lick It Up: Our very own Gajar ka Achar or Gajar ka Paani is every grandmother’s special recipe.
Bake It: The versatility of carrots gets it added even in bakery products. Add shredded carrot while baking muffins, cakes or breads to make a delightful dessert.

DO NOT throw away the carrot tops. Surprisingly, these carrot tops can be replaced with all the herbs in all kinds of dishes adding taste and Nutrition adequately.

We hope you’re all set to enjoy the crunch this season. Any more queries in mind? Please feel free to type them down in the comments section below, because, We Carrot about You!

For more topics on the health benefits of foods, check out Healthy Reads or ask a GOQii Coach by subscribing for Personalised Health Coaching here.

Eat Health and #BeTheForce

February 3, 2025 By GOQii 5 Comments

Why You Need To Consume More Water During Winter

Winter can be a dreadful experience if you don’t have the resistance to withstand cold. While searching for things to keep us warm from the outside and within, consuming water is quite low on our winter checklist. But there are many reasons why you need to consume more water during winter – one of them being that we get more dehydrated during winter.

Why Do We Feel More Dehydrated During Winter?

It’s a fact that we get more dehydrated in winter when compared to summer. This is because when the surrounding temperature drops, we cling to the heater or cover ourselves with layers of clothing to keep us warm. This artificial heat causes dehydration.

Though we do not sweat during this season, water vapor is still lost from our body through our breath. Winter can even accelerate dehydration because of the lifesaving mechanism that’s functional in our body which constricts our blood vessels in cold weather, in turn conserving heat and maintaining body temperature.

Shrinking blood vessels increase blood pressure, making our kidneys produce more urine which means less blood to fill in the veins and arteries and frequent visits to the loo, hence, increasing the risk of dehydration. Dehydration causes muscle fatigue, cramps, loss of coordination and even a stroke. A dehydrated body is easily prone to flu and winter cold.

Basically, during winters we refrain from having enough water. With the days being short, it makes us exercise less and our food intake grows. When our body is well hydrated, its efficiency to break down fat for energy increases so that we have better control of our appetite.

The other concern is that of water retention due to the body not being well hydrated during winter. This takes place when our body starts feeling the scarcity of water and it starts holding back water leading to water retention.

How do I know if I am dehydrated? – Thirst is our body’s way of saying “I am on the verge of dehydration”. You can even be watchful of how clear or light colored your urine is. If it is dark, hydrate immediately.

How Do I Consume More Water During Winter?

Drink Warm Water: 90% of the excuses that we give for not having water in winter is that it makes us feel cold. The best solution here is to drink lukewarm water, which would not only soothe your throat but will also replenish your water stores while boosting your metabolism
Balance Tea and Coffee With Water: Caffeine and alcohol are diuretics (they cause us to lose more water through urine), so try to have a glass of water before having your evening tea/coffee. Have another glass after a few mins of after having your tea/coffee This way, we can replenish our body’s water store.
Include Water Based Food In Your Menu: Vegetables and fruits are naturally rich in water, which also provide vital minerals and vitamins. Soups are the best way to go! Try this Chilli Bean Soup to keep you warm.
Drink Water Throughout Your Exercise: Make it a point to have water before, during and after your exercise. Due to the cold climate, there are very fewer chances of sweating too much or feeling too thirsty, mind it your body needs it!
Make Water Interesting: Many find drinking plain water very boring. If you are one of them, then you can add natural flavors to water (not free calories though) by adding some fruits or herbs which give the water some mild taste and make it delicious to sip on.

In conclusion, I would say be it summer, monsoon or winter, our body remains same through the year. So keep sipping and always stay hydrated! If you have difficulty keeping track of your water intake, you can log and track your daily water intake via the GOQii App as well as set reminders to drink water.

We hope this article helps you consume more water. For more on staying healthy during winter, check out Healthy Reads or ask a GOQii Coach by subscribing for Personalised Health Coaching here.