Ask Mira : Eating Right to Live Happy & Healthy
What is Jallab?
Jallab is one of the most popular drinks in the Middle East. Jallab is made by diluting Jallab syrup (made of grape molasses, dates and rose water) with water, and serving it with crushed ice. It is always topped with pine nuts, raisins and almonds.
So the main ingredient of Jallab is dates. Dates are loaded with all the essential nutrients needed to replenish the loss we have during the daytime fasting during Ramadan. Dates are equally beneficial to people who do not fast.
Dates are enriched with 20 different types of amino acids. It is an excellent source of potassium, phosphorus, calcium, magnesium, copper, manganese, iron, sulfur, selenium and dietary fiber. It is also high in essential vitamins like niacin, thiamin, riboflavin, pantothenic acid and vitamin B6 needed to prevent dehydration.
Besides dates, the almonds and pine nuts in jallab provide the ‘heart-friendly’ mono-unsaturated fatty acids that help in reducing cholesterol levels in the blood.
Pine nuts specifically are loaded with the healthiest minerals like manganese, potassium, calcium, iron, magnesium, zinc and selenium.
But do remember that over-consumption of Jallab increases the risk of obesity. One glass provides not less than 200 calories. It is also a high glycemic index drink, which means it increases your blood sugar level and eventually increases your chance of having diabetes. If you are already diabetic, half a glass of jallab is the maximum recommended serving to have a day, and not more than that.
As you notice,d jallab drink has a lot of pros but also cons like many food categories, and so moderation is all it takes to benefit out of it. This is why I believe in the slogan that I created and followed throughout my career: ’Create healthy habits, not restriction’.
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