Cultural Heritage and Historical Roots of Ghanad Undi (Laddu) in Bidar District: A Comprehensive Documentation

The traditional sweet "Ghanada Undi" (Laddu) from Karnataka’s Bidar district offers both cultural significance and nutritional benefits. In rural India, where healthcare challenges such as anaemia (affecting 52% of women), malnutrition (35% underweight children), and weakened immunity prevail, Ghanada Undi presents itself as a promising local intervention. Made with nutrient-rich ingredients like sugarcane juice, pulses, and dry fruits, Ghanada Undi not only provides essential micronutrients but also boosts rural employment. This study explores the preparation process, standardization, sensory evaluation, and nutritional analysis of Ghanada Undi, revealing significant nutritional differences between its varieties. The standard version, for instance, contains 15.55% fat, 9.42% protein, and 171.85 mg of calcium. Sensory evaluations indicate a decline in acceptability over eight days, while microbial analysis shows minimal yeast and mould presence, confirming product safety. These findings emphasise the need for standardised production to ensure quality and consistency, while also demonstrating Ghanada Undi's potential to improve health outcomes and provide year-round rural employment through sugarcane-based industries.