The Forgotten Gums

That Power Traditional Winter Sweets

Quick Summary

Edible gums, like gond and dink and karaya, have always been the secret strength builders of Indian winters. They melt into ladoos and halvas and bars to provide energy and warmth, and comfort. This article looks at why these old-school ingredients are used, where they come from, and why they should have a resurgence in modern, gender-neutral kitchens.

Deep Dive

This article discusses almost-forgotten winter gums from India that many of our grandmothers swore by. It examines how each behaves, and why they are full of energy, how they are used in different regions, and how they’ve survived centuries of cooking. It also touches on very personal nostalgia for winter sweets and how edible gums act as energy and a memory.

Gond: The Classic Winter All-Rounder

To begin, we'll focus on the star of the edible gum world—gond, also known as gondh or acacia gum. This is the gum that appears in nearly every North Indian kitchen once the weather gets chilly outside. Gond is beloved due to the "puff" it creates when fried, yielding crispy, airy balls that provide the characteristic crunch of the ladoo.

Generally, families come to use gond because it is warming, comforting, and nourishing for overall strength. If you've ever wondered why gond ke ladoo were made during postpartum pregnancy or given to kids before exams, it is because gond was thought to nourish their bones, keep their bodies insulated, and prevent them from becoming fatigued. It is wholesome food, without fuss, and very "grandma-approved for winter."

Dink: Maharashtra’s Hidden Winter Gem

Dink, or edible gum, is an unsung hero in Maharashtrian cooking. If you’ve tasted a good dink ladoo, you know just what I’m talking about. Dink acts similarly to gond—it puffs when warmed—but it has a slightly different taste, and often combines beautifully with coconut, nuts, and jaggery.

In Maharashtra, these ladoos are a complete winter food staple and part of that is because they provide the slow, sustained energy to farmers, schoolchildren, and new moms need. They are warming without being too filling, and they just feel like a hug in a sweet.

Kikar/Karaya: The “Oldest But Most Ignored” Gum

Karaya gum sometimes isn’t mentioned as a cooking ingredient, because it isn’t glitzy for laddoo making, but among “older households” —most likely in Rajasthan and Gujarat—it was generally accepted as part of winter meals. Karaya gum is different from gond in that it doesn’t puff/bloat out, but it thickens desserts to help make a more fulfilling dessert.

It’s a powder and it’s used in small amounts, because a little goes a long way, but it’s recommended for its digestive properties and to add strength. It was essentially the ingredient that made sweets “healthy” without using the term “superfood.”

Why India Trusted These Gums in Winter

Each area had its own reason, but the rationale was always the same: winter is hard on digestion and energy, and the edible gums help by introducing warmth and slow nourishment. These edible gums are a natural partners with ghee, jaggery, millet flour, and other nuts—the mainstays of winter food in India.  

And then this is the emotional aspect. These sweets weren't simply calories; they were rituals. Families would gather and make them. Children eagerly waited for that first batch of ladoos. Grandmothers did not use tablespoons; they measured everything by hand. Winter sweets were never just sweets; they were ingredients that caused memories of seasons past.

Why These “Gums” Are Suddenly Trending Again

Interestingly enough, the modern wellness culture was enough to bring these gums back. People were learning that gond is a natural prebiotic, that dink provides long-lasting satiety, and that karaya is good for digestion. And quite frankly, in a world of protein bars and powdered supplements, there is something that feels good about returning to something considered food a long time ago (and by grandmas). 

Winter recipes are also compatible with edible gums as part of the "cleaner, simpler dessert" trend. There are no additives or preservatives, and most of the sweetness comes from jaggery. 

The Warm Charm of Forgotten Winter Wisdom

When reconsidered, edible gums were India’s first functional foods: not just for taste, but for health benefits too. Even sweet winter desserts, eaten to provide strength and warmth or as a tradition, still offer the same comfort as they used to. We just forgot to appreciate them.

So, perhaps this winter, instead of grabbing a bag from the store, consider buying a bag of gond or dink. Toast it and fold it into something warm, share it with your family, and you will instantly see why these will all win some crystals have been carried on for parents and grandparents for generations. These weren’t forgotten, just waiting for a comeback.