One teaspoon of sehat

Representation pic

For the masses who are accustomed to eating Chyavanprash out of plastic jars, the pretty glass pots with wooden lids of Varaahi can are a surprise. Like a time-honoured recipe, painstakingly made, and shared by your grandmother and therefore, sacred.

The formulations of what its makers call immunity boosters originated in the home kitchen of Purvai Jain, a second-generation entrepreneur from the Sweet Caterers family of Jaipur. "It started as an endeavour to provide good health to my family and friends. Our family has been involved in the food industry for generations," says Jain, who at the age of 50, wanted to challenge her entrepreneurial side.

Founder Purvai Jain handpicking the herbs for Anandprash

The encouragement from those who had tried the products prompted her to turn it into a business venture that she has called Varaahi (www.varaahiindia.com). "The pandemic taught us a lot about our food choices and the impact it has on our physical, emotional, and mental health; of mindful dining over pleasure eating. We decided to improve an age-old recipe passed on to us by our great grandmother,"' she says. The brand gets its name from an avatar of goddess Laxmi, known to bless mortals with good health and longevity.

This writer tried Jain's flagship product, Anandprash (Rs 1,500 per 100 gms). Jain says it's a concentrated blend of nutrient-rich brahmi, ashwagandha and spices. Made with Gir cow ghee, amla, and safed musli, it carried the goodness of Vitamin C. Jain claims that among its benefits are aiding memory and hair growth and strengthening the body senses. Unlike its market competitor, this one was addictive and we tended to go beyond the prescribed dosage of one teaspoon a day. Then, we looked at the price, and ended up keeping the spoon back in its place, and greed in check.

Ojas (Rs 1,950 per 100gms) is made with munakka, is vegan and rich in antioxidants, assisting with vision, digestion, gut health and stamina. Jain tells us, "We use chandan - it induces good sleep, relaxes the mind. Brahmi helps improve memory, dealing with anxiety, and is a general tonic to fight stress."

Purvai Jain

Slightly less sweet than the Anandprash, this one is tasty too, Jain's range also includes ladoos (Rs 750 for a box of six) that are gluten-free and popular, That both boosters were laced with edible gold leaf became the highlight of the product for the kids at home. Extra attention, we realised, has been given to the packing, with each jar, packed in a well-crafted box, making it ideal for gifting (to yourself first) because what else would you eat gold out of, right?