How is FoxNut (MAKHANA) Processed?THE PROCESS

  • Step 1 : COLLECTION

    Makhana harvesting is a laborious method that requires skilled labour. The harvest takes place in the morning at about 10:00 a.m. and continues until about 3:00 p.m. It takes around four to five hours to collect seeds at a time from the bottom of the pond or river. In some communities, people fix a bamboo pole known as a kaara in one place and cover it up. Farmers take a dip in the water, diverging in different directions along with the long poles. They drag the seeds with the help of their palms and gather them to the base of the bamboo pole. The collected seeds are washed and cleaned.

  • Step 2 : CLEANING AND STORAGE

    The day's collection is put into a crescent-shaped container called gaanja, which is then shaken and swung repeatedly by touching the water surface until all the seeds get cleaned. Clean seeds are then packed into small bags. The seeds are again put into a cylindrical container and rolled on the ground. They bring the seeds to their huts and keep them overnight.

  • Step 3 : GRADATION

    All processed seeds are sieved for gradation. The process involves different sizes of makhanas passing through different sieving devices known as jharna, rectangular iron plates. The process requires the makhanas to pass through 10 sieves. All graded seeds are stored separately.

  • Step 4 : GETTING THE WHITE PUFF

    As soon as the makhanas dry, they require frying, or else they tend to spoil easily. After frying, these seeds are then preserved in a container made of long bamboo strips and plastered with cow dung. The upper portion of the container is shielded with a coarse cloth so as to maintain a certain temperature. After a few hours, they need to be fried again; the same process is followed, and the fried makhanas are placed on a wooden plate once done.

    These seeds are manually cleaned until the white puff pops out of the black-coloured seeds. It is ensured that no residue of the black seed is left on the doubly expanded white puff, which is kept in packets for sale in the markets.

Strong Roots HEALTH BENEFITS

Fox nuts have really high protein content. This is why they make such an important part of fasting food, because a handful can provide you with energy to last the entire day. Most snacks are either deep-fried or have a high amount of preservatives and additives. Having a bowl of fox nuts will fill you up and also keep the calories in check.

Fox nuts make for great anti-ageing food as they have an abundance of anti-oxidants. A handful every day can keep you looking younger and making your skin glow. The catch is that they must not be consumed as a fried snack.

Fox nuts are great snack food for diabetics and heart patients as they contain good fat and have a low quantity of saturated fats. These properties make makhanas good weight-loss food.

Fox nuts are high in fiber. The digestive process gets sorted by them as they prevent constipation and add bulk to the stool.

Fox nuts are great detoxifying agents. They aid in flushing out toxins from the body. They are really beneficial to the spleen, which is like a graveyard for cells in the body. It recycles the RBCs (red blood cells). The spleen is the nerve center of the immune system because it also stores white blood cells and platelets.

Having fertility issues? Fox nuts will come to the rescue. Touted as an aphrodisiac, they help with premature ejaculation, improve the quality of semen and help women suffering from infertility.

Fox nuts have a low glycemic index, which means that they release glucose slowly in the blood. This keeps you feeling full for longer.

Those suffering from wheat allergies can gorge on fox nuts as they are gluten-free but still high in protein and carbohydrate content.

They are high in magnesium and potassium and low in sodium. This makes fox nuts an ideal snack for those seeing their weight. High potassium and low sodium are a great combination for patients suffering from hypertension. The potassium brings down blood pressure and sodium tries to bring it up. So those who suffer from high blood pressure can snack on fox nuts without facing any spikes in their blood pressure.

Fox nuts have a natural compound, kaempferol, that reduces inflammation in the body. Inflammation is responsible for most modern diseases like diabetes, arthritis, rheumatism. Also, fox nuts have antibacterial properties.

Apart from magnesium, potassium, and sodium, foxnuts also contain a high amount of calcium. This means they fall under the category of foods that are good for the bones as well as the teeth. Makhana is also high in thiamine content, which means it helps in aiding cognitive function as well. The consumption of foxnuts helps the body to produce acetylcholine and thus contributes to the process of neurotransmission. This process of neurotransmission is key to maintaining the good functioning of the nerves.