Who knew that the humble makhanas, which Bollywood celebs popularised as a fitness-friendly snack, will one day figure in the Union Budget? While presenting the Union Budget on Saturday, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said, 'A Makhana Board will be established in Bihar to improve production, processing, value addition and marketing of makhana. Bihar produces more than 90% of makhana in India. Often touted as a superfood and an apt replacement for popcorn or similar snacks, the puffed fox nuts or lotus seeds even won a Geographical Indication (GI) tag in 2022 for its Mithila variety. For long, it was a staple of the Maithil Brahmin community of Bihar and figured prominently even in their religious festivals and rituals for newlyweds. Why should it be included in your diet, too?

Health benefits of makhana
According to renowned nutritionist Rujuta Diwekar, makhanas have the following health benefits: 
1) It's low in fat, sodium and cholesterol, and this helps lower blood pressure. 
2) Its low glycemic index is beneficial for diabetics. 
3) Ayurveda says makhana has astringent properties, which means they can promote kidney health.
Various other health experts also say that makhanas can assist in weight loss due to their high fibre and protein content. It can stop you from binge eating as well. The snack also apparently has anti-ageing properties due to its antioxidant content and the presence of 'kaempferol,' an enzyme that can help slow down ageing. Many claim it can also stop hair loss and premature greying as well. 

ADVERTISEMENT

Here's why you should exercise caution
If you think you can keep popping makhanas mindlessly into your mouth being a 'superfood,' you should think again. Eating too many of them can have the following side effects:
1) As it's rich in fibre, excessive intake of makhanas can draw water from your intestine and cause bloating and constipation.
2) Being a rich source of calcium, too many makhanas can build excessive calcium deposits in your body, affecting your bone health.
3) Store-bought makhanas often have added salt or sugar content. Therefore, munching too many of them can even increase your blood pressure and risk of developing heart disease.
4) Some people can also develop allergic reactions like cough and diarrhoe if the overconsume makhanas.
5) A good amount of daily intake is a fistful of makhanas with tea. 
'Makhana' has more than 20K search volume on Google Trends in the past 19 hours. 

The comments posted here/below/in the given space are not on behalf of Onmanorama. The person posting the comment will be in sole ownership of its responsibility. According to the central government's IT rules, obscene or offensive statement made against a person, religion, community or nation is a punishable offense, and legal action would be taken against people who indulge in such activities.