Come Diwali, and Indian households start overflowing with sweets, snacks and chocolates during the five-day festivities, as people exchange gifts and families prepare feasts for everyone to enjoy. Some of the most common Indian sweets and desserts found in homes are laddu, chocolate boxes, soan papdi, and barfi.
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In an Instagram post shared on October 15, Dr Alok Chopra, a cardiologist and functional medicine expert, MD, MBBS, listed down some of the common Diwali sweets and desserts that you should avoid, and provided healthy alternatives to each dish. Let’s find out what the doctor suggested.
Which Indian sweet to pick and drop this Diwali?
Sharing the list of Indian sweets you should ditch and which you should pick, Dr Alok Chopra wrote, “This Diwali, redefine indulgence. Health isn’t about cutting joy — it’s about choosing better joy. From A2 ghee laddus to antioxidant hampers, let your celebrations reflect true abundance — inside and out.”
This Diwali, try these suggestions provided by a cardiologist:
1. Market boondi laddu vs homemade besan laddu
Instead of the boondi laddu available in the market, which is made with refined sugar, cheap oil, and synthetic colour (there is approximately 700 g of sugar present in a kg of laddu), choose homemade besan laddus made with A2 ghee and organic jaggery
2. Packaged soan papdi or barfi boxes vs pistachio and rose coconut bites
Every year, during Diwali, every Indian household gets at least a box of soan papdi or barfi, and these sweets are full of refined sugar. Therefore, the cardiologist suggests enjoying pistachio and rose coconut bites made with date purée instead of these Indian sweets.
3. Deep-fried namkeen vs roasted nut and seed mix
As you entertain guests at your home during Diwali festivities, you might end up serving them namkeen, which are deep-fried and full of preservatives. So, instead, try serving a roasted nut and seed mix, the cardiologist suggests.
4. Fancy gift hampers vs curated wellness baskets
For Diwali gifts, we often end up choosing fancy gift hampers which include wafers, chocolates, and packaged sweets, and they are not healthy options. Therefore, Dr Chopra suggests curating wellness baskets, instead, made with blueberries, avocado, dragon fruit, and dark chocolate (85%).
Note to readers: This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your doctor with any questions about a medical condition.
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