Diwali 2022: Healthier sweet options you can indulge in this festive season

Diwali is almost here, and everyone is looking forward to celebrating the festival with all their friends and family. While it is a perfect opportunity to attend multiple get-togethers and eat all your favourite and delicious sweets, it is also essential that you choose the festive food mindfully if you want to avoid health issues and sudden weight gain. There is no shortage of healthy Indian sweets you can indulge in without feeling guilty. Sugar and maida are the two ingredients that can cause inflammation in your body, increasing your chances of chronic diseases. Have high-protein and high-fibre mithais and sweeten your Diwali delights with natural alternatives. Also, never go overboard. The key is to consume everything in moderate amounts. 

What is the usual problem with sweets? According to experts, most sweets have excessive sugar and maida, which usually contains high simple carbs and have a high glycaemic index. It would be better if you could try to reduce the intake of simple carbs during the festive season. This Diwali, you can choose sweets and foods with fewer carbs and sugar and not worry about weight gain.   

Choose sweets with a milk base: Milk contains protein and fats. Even if sweets are cream-based, the glycaemic index will be lower. So it is essential that you pick chena (milk protein) over rasmalai (milk fat) and biscuits or cake, which has both sugar and maida. Chena has the most protein, which is later followed by rasmalai and biscuits. 

Pick fibre-rich sweets: Besan is high in fibre, and millets come a close second. Having a besan ladoo over ragi sweets and atta ladoo can be a healthier option. Besan has the highest fibre, followed by ragi and atta. So having them as a substitute can help in managing your weight.  

Pick sweets with natural sugar or artificial sweeteners:  Having a fresh date with fructose and fibre is a much healthier option than artificial sweeteners; instead of using processed sugar or artificial sweeteners, you can substitute it with some jaggery which has many health benefits. But it is crucial that we consume them in moderate proportions.  

Moderation is key: It is also good to eat in small portions. By doing this, you can indulge in all the sweets, and delicious food prepared during the Diwali festivities and simultaneously not face any adverse effects on your weight or health. This habit can also be inculcated in your daily food intake, as it can have benefits in the long run. 

What if you love the high simple carb option? Even if you love simple carb sweets, it is still advisable to make changes in your diet, making it easier for you to manage food during festive activities. Sweets are primarily high in carbs and sometimes high in fat. So, make meals a bit more protein and fibre heavy to compensate. Have a few more spoons of paneer and daal than usual, and reduce roti rice if needed.