Katira Gum (Tragacanth) is a natural gum obtained from the dried sap of several species of Middle Eastern legumes of the genus Astragalus. The gum is sometimes called Shiraz gum, shiraz, gum elect or gum dragon. It is a tree gum just like any of myrrh but is less common in products than other gums, such as guar gum or gum arabic. Gond Katira is a viscous, odorless, tasteless, water-soluble mixture of polysaccharides obtained from a sap that is drained from the root of the plant and dried. The gum seeps from the plant in twisted ribbons or flakes that can be powdered. It absorbs water to become a gel, which can be stirred into a paste. The major fractions are known as tragacanthin, highly water-soluble as a mucilaginous colloid, and the chemically related bassorin, which is far less soluble but swells in water to form a gel.

Health Benefits of Katira (Tragacanth Gum)

Prevent Heart strokes
Gond katira has amazing cooling properties and thus it is often used to prepare a drink which helps to cool the body in the summer season. It works as a cooling agent and reduces the temperature of the body. This is turn helps in preventing a heat stroke. Gond katira is very useful in controlling nose bleeding that frequently occurs in children in the extreme summer season.

Good for pregnant women
Women become really weak after delivery. Gond katira is helpful in gaining the strength of the body and helps the new mother to cope with the challenges of motherhood. It also helps to control heavy blood flow during periods. Gond katira is very helpful during pregnancy. The practice of eating gond katira ladoos is very common in India. They are very beneficial for the mother and her baby. Gondh is very nourishing and gondh ladoo is one of the healthy sweets given to pregnant women traditionally as it rich in calcium and protein. It helps one develop strong bones and prevent back pain.

Urinary Lewdness
Gondh Katira has fantastic results against Urinary incontinence or involuntary urination. Gondh Katira helps in calming the urinary muscles in case of inflammation of the urinary tract and blockage of urine. It is believed that Gond Katira could suppress tumor and stimulate the immune system. It has been used as a modern treatment for burn and applied in the form of a paste. It is also utilized as an herbal cure for drastic conditions like a cough and diarrhea.

Health Benefits for Men
Tragacanth Gum Herb Boost Vigour In Male. In case of early discharge or night discharge or even involuntary discharge, Gond katira proves to be worthwhile in each case in men. It acts as an effective remedy for weakness and any sexual inadequacy in men. Pulverize an equal amount of Badam, Jaiphal, Salai Guggul, Vidari, Kawanch (processed), and Tragacanth gum. Take 6 gm of the resulting powder with milk. Take half teaspoon powder of chini, and a gram of Gond Katira with cold water, thrice a day for the first week, twice a day for the second week and once a day for the third week. Take a cup of water. Dissolve 10 gm of Gond Katira in it; stir it in the morning to scatter it. Add a tablespoon of misri to it. This should be taken on a daily basis.

Health Benefits for Women
Most women are unsatisfied with the size of their breasts. Gond katira is very useful and effective as a breast enhancer. A daily dosage of gond can help to increase the size of the breasts of women who have small breasts and want to increase their size. It is herbal treatment to enlarge breasts. Soak 5 grams of Gond Katira in water and leave it overnight. In the morning, first, pour water for cleaning and then add Gond katira in a glass of milk. Add sugar as well as ice. This should be taken daily to get amazing results.

Katira for Energy
A single ladoo will provide enough energy that will last for hours. Since it is usually made with very nutrient-dense ingredients like gond, whole wheat flour, ghee, and nuts, it is a perfect energy food for kids.

Good for Lactating mothers
Gondh ladoos are given to lactating mothers too as it is said to increase the production of breast milk. Thus, this wonderful natural gum has positive effects on lactating mothers.

Benefits for skin and beauty
Gond katira is very beneficial for your skin and enhancing your beauty. Gond katira contains anti-aging properties. It helps to delay wrinkles and fine lines. One can make an anti-aging mask using gond katira. Soak some gondh katira in water overnight and strain it next morning. Now add 2 tablespoons of egg white, 1 tablespoon milk powder, 2 tablespoons almond powder along with 1 tablespoon green vegetable powder to this gond katira water. Mix well till it becomes a smooth paste. Apply this mask on r face, neck and hands. Wash off after 20 minutes to get a glowing skin.

Benefits of gondh katira for treating constipation
Gond katira possesses purgative properties and so it is very helpful in treating constipation. It works as a laxative and provides a lot of relief. To get relief, just soak a small piece of gond katira in water for a couple of hours. The gum will swell up and look like crushed ice. Now drink this transparent jelly-like substance with lemon juice and cold water. One may also add some sugar to it since gondh is tasteless.

Uses of Katira (Tragacanth Gum)
Gondh Katira is utilized as a paste in modern treatment for burns. Mostly Gond katira is used in drinks, processed cheese, salad coverings, food dressings, and different puddings being both tasty and having amazing cooling properties. The beneficial Gond katira drink thus provides a sort of solace to our body. Also, in the field of foods, it works as a stabilizer, texture additive and emulsifier. As a thickener in sauces, confections, salad coverings, ice cream, etc. Also used as a thickening agent in preparing dyes for calico printing, textile dyes, for dressing fabrics, in making glues, for watercolors and to produce the gloss in ink. Gond Katira is also utilized as the traditional binder. It is frequently used in the making of pastels of an artist thanks to its property of not sticking to itself on being dry like other gums. To grip all the powdered herbs in collaboration, it is also used in incense making as a binder. As a binder, it also finds its use in paper manufacturing. Gond Katira is used as an edge slicking plus a polishing compound in veg-tanned leatherworking, in textiles as a stiffener. Not only this, but it is also used in the cosmetics industry and as a culture medium in laboratories, etc. Tragacanth gum is also utilized in making a paste used in floral sugarcraft to produce life-like flowers on wires which are used as decorations for cakes. It also makes a paste that dries in the air (too brittle) and can apprehend colorings.