Got a sweet tooth? Go herbal!

f you have a sweet tooth and come back disappointed every time you visit a sweet shop, a sweet maker in Lucknow now has a remedy for your cravings!

Cashing in on the emerging trend of health consciousness among the public, sweets here are made of ingredients like papaya and other items with medicinal value.

There are also sweets made from Ayurvedic products that can act as rejuvenators, toners, digestive agents and can help those with acidity problems. Fresh, soft, munchy, the sweets displayed at the shop are tempting as they range from delicious sweets made out of fruits to pointed gourd and spinach.

"We started making sweets out of herbs and spices that are good for health, like fenugreek, spinach and cardamom, such that they tasty, too. They don't taste bitter like medicines and are healthy," said Suman Bihari, owner of the shop.

The shop also boasts of sugar-free sweets that satisfy the tastebuds without harming diabetic patients.

A K Maurya, a local and a frequent visitor, said, "Generally, people have sweets because of the taste. They are not good for your health. But these sweets are not only tasty, they have medicinal value, too."

Though priced higher than normal sweets, people flock to the shop to grab a few pieces and carry back kilogrammes of them for family members and friends.

While some of the mouth-watering sweets cost Rs 140 a kilo, others are priced as high as Rs 1,600 a kilo.