Gulkand Health Benefits & Disadvantages

Gulkand, a sweet preserve of rose petals, is an ayurvedic medicine and Indian traditional recipe used for skin, constipation in pregnancy & kids, acidity, gastritis, ulcer, Indigestion, dysmenorrhea, acne, foul body odor, palpitation, hypertension, nosebleed, stress, etc.

Gulkand is prepared from fresh rose petals and sugar. Other ayurvedic ingredients such as Praval Pishti and Mukta Pishti can also be added to boosts its action in hot season and diseases that occur due to excess heat.

Other Names

1. Rose petal jam
2. Rose petal jelly
3. Rose jam

How to make Gulkand

However, Gulkand can be prepared from any of rose variety or species. Almost all have similar medicinal value and uses. Rosa Centifolia and Rosa Damascena is considerably best for making Gulkand. For making Gulkand, you need following ingredients.

Method – 1

1. Take 200 grams fresh rose petals and 100 grams sugar.
2. Crush rose petals with hands. Grind the sugar crystals to make powder.
3. Mix crushed rose petals and sugar together.
4. Preserve the mixture in glass jar and keep under sunlight.
5. You may need keeping under sunlight for a few days.

In India, generally, people do not grind the sugar and crush rose petals. They just mix these two ingredients and keep it in a glass jar under direct sunlight. After a few days, sugar dissolves and mixes with rose petals. They start consuming the Gulkand. This method is without heating the rose petals. This method helps to preserve nutrients present in the rose petals.

Method – 2 (Rose petal jelly)

1. Take 200 grams of rose petals and 100 grams sugar.
2. Crush the rose petals and grind the sugar crystals.
3. Mix both ingredients in stainless steel pan.
4. Heat the mixture until sugar and rose petals dissolves well. It will take 5 to 10 minutes.
5. Now, let it cool down and then preserve the rose petal jelly in a glass jar.

Method – 3 (Gulkand with honey or rose jam)

Gulkand preparation with honey with refined sugar

1. Take 100 grams rose petals and 5 teaspoons honey.
2. Crush the rose petals and mix it with honey.
3. Keep the mixture in glass jar under the direct sunlight.
4. After 3 to 5 days, you Gulkand with honey will be ready to consume.

If you prefer gulkand with honey, then do not heat the rose petal or honey. Ayurveda does not suggest heating the honey at high temperature, but you can keep the honey under sunlight.

Note: Some people also use jaggery for making Gulkand.

Gulkand Nutrition Facts

Rose petals contain 80 to 95% water content. The values provided below are based Gulkand prepared with method one using 100 grams sugar and 200 grams fresh rose petals.

Disclaimer: The exact data for nutrition analysis is not available for Gulkand. Data provided here is just an estimate and calculation based on sugar content nutrition data and available data for nutrition facts of rose petals.

Medicinal Properties of Gulkand

All healing properties of Gulkand are attributed to Rose Petals. Almost all varieties of Roses used for making Gulkand have similar therapeutic actions. Rose flowers have following therapeutic properties.

1. Mild laxative
2. Antibacterial
3. Antioxidant
4. Antitussive
5. Mild hypnotic (in larger doses, the property appears more in Rosa Damascena)
6. Demulcent
7. Anti-inflammatory
8. Cardio-tonic
9. Carminative
10. Digestive Stimulant (appears more in patients with heartburn, dyspepsia etc.)
11. Anti-ulcerogenic

Therapeutic Indications

Gulkand is beneficial in following health conditions:

1. Mild to Moderate Constipation
2. Heartburn
3. Acid Reflux
4. GERD
5. Dyspepsia
6. Intestinal Gas
7. Peptic Ulcer
8. Mouth Ulcer
9. Bleeding disorders like nosebleed
10. Tachycardia (along with Mukta Pishti)
11. Excessive Sweating
12. Hot Flashes in Menopause
13. Generalized Burning sensation
14. Burning pain of any specific organ
15. Headache with burning pain and when pain increases after pressure on head or head massage
16. High Fever with burning sensation all over the body (to reduce burning sensation)

Benefits of Gulkand

Health benefits of gulkand include its uses in various diseases that occur due to excess heat in the body or hot temperature outside. Diseases that occur due to excess heat are known as PITTA diseases in ayurveda. Gulkand is a best remedy for these diseases.

Constipation

Gulkand is best for mild to moderate constipation.

Constipation in Pregnancy

Women can take gulkand during pregnancy because ayurveda consider it safe in pregnancy. In India, it is widely used for treating constipation that occurs in pregnancy.

Gulkand softens the stool and its sugar content helps drawing liquids in the intestines, which ultimately helps to get rid of constipation in the pregnancy.

Constipation in Kids

Gulkand is natural remedy for kid’s constipation. It is also delicious and favorite among children.  You may need giving Gulkand for several days to get a cure of constipation. In addition to Gulkand, include fiber rich foods such as fruits and vegetables in your kid’s diet.

Sunburn

The regular intake of Gulkand prevents sunburn or sun poisoning that commonly occurs in summer season. It reduces the impact of excess heat on the body.

Nosebleed

Nosebleed in summer is a common issue in kids. Gulkand is a natural remedy that helps get rid of nosebleed. Give 1 teaspoon of gulkand to your children to prevent and treat nosebleed.

Heartburn & Gastritis

Acidity is a common problem worldwide and many people have to take antacid drugs on empty stomach every day. Some feel burning sensation in throat, heartburn, sour mouth or throat, indigestion and stomach ache.

You can get rid of all these problems using Gulkand in your daily life. You can eat Gulkand every day at night just before sleep.

Ayurvedic physicians prefer giving Gulkand in between meal for treatment of gastritis and ulcers.

Mouth Ulcers

Gulkand is a cool herbal preparation, which has cooling effects in the body. It reduces the occurrence of mouth ulcers and helps reducing burning sensation and pain in the mouth due to mouth ulcers.

Anal Problems

Burning Sensation after a Bowel Movement

Some patients suffer with burning sensation after a bowel movement. Gulkand can help in this condition. It reduces acidity in the body, which a main cause of burning sensation. Other causes include spicy food and peppers. Gulkand helps in all conditions that cause burning sensation except intestinal worms.

Hemorrhoids (Piles)

The most common cause of Hemorrhoids/Piles is chronic constipation and low fiber diet. However, other causes including pregnancy or chronic diarrhea may also play role in hemorrhoids development.

Gulkand help reduce swelling of the hemorrhoids by providing mild laxative action in constipation. It also reduces the pressure in the lower section of the large intestine and lets the easier passage of the stools. It also provides strength to the veins, which helps restoring natural elasticity of the veins. The important thing is that Gulkand has little effects if disease progresses. It is only effective in mild causes of hemorrhoid (first-degree hemorrhoids), but it is highly effective in bleeding piles. It reduces habit of constipation and stops bleeding. In mild cases, the results appear within a week, but in severe cases, it may not alone effective solution and other remedies may also require.

How to Take Gulkand for Bleeding Piles

In bleeding piles or first-degree hemorrhoids, Gulkand can be taken in dosage of 2 teaspoons 2 hours after food two times a day with milk or water.

General tonic

Gulkand is a general tonic, which helps to reduce fatigue, muscle pain, burning, lethargies and mental stress.

Many students in India using Gulkand for improving memory and reducing exam related stress.

Conjunctivitis

Gulkand also improves eyesight and helps in conjunctivitis. For conjunctivitis, it is used as adjuvant for other ayurvedic medicines.

Above ingredients are mixed together and advised to take with milk in conjunctivitis. It reduces burning sensation and itching in the eyes.

Gulkand in Cancer

Cancer patients undergoing radiations therapy or chemotherapy are advised to take rose petal jam to reduce the side effects of these therapies.

Spasmodic Dysmenorrhea

In spasmodic dysmenorrhea, sharp abdominal cramps occur at the start of menstrual flow. However, a mild pain on first day of menstrual period is normal, but when it starts causing troubles with daily life activities, then women need medication.

Gulkand is a natural solution for this problem. It reduces abdominal cramps and pain during periods. Women suffering from this type of dysmenorrhea should take Gulkand on regular basis for at least 3 months.

Foul smelly yellow discharge in women

Gulkand helps to reduce foul smell and yellow discharge that occurs due to chronic infections, vaginitis or leucorrhea in women.

Other Uses of Gulkand

1. Gulkand helps to get rid of burning sensation in soles and palms.
2. It helps to reduces pain in heels.
3. It reduces serum uric acid level, so it is beneficial for patients with Gout.
4. It relieves mental stress and calms the mind.
5. Gulkand is a mild laxative, so if you suffer with constipation, you should use this remedy first than trying strong laxatives.
6. Gulkand also helps to reduce the side effects of antibiotics, painkillers and other strong drugs that cause nausea, burning sensation and ulcers.

Dosage & Administration

When to Take Gulkand

How to Take Gulkand

However, one can eat Gulkand without any adjuvant or with water, but cow’s milk is a best adjuvant for Gulkand in most of diseases especially in constipation. Water is good adjuvant for Gulkand in gastric problems.

Safety Profile

Gulkand is LIKELY SAFE for healthy individuals, pregnant women and lactating mothers. There are no side effects observed with the regular use of Gulkand for a period of six months.

Disadvantages of Gulkand

The only disadvantage of Gulkand is for diabetic patients. It is rich in sugar content, so it can increase your blood sugar level. Therefore, Gulkand is contraindicated in diabetes mellitus.