Diwali is considered the festival of lights and sweets are a part and parcel of it. Binge eating on sweets in the festive season is common but it is only later that the guilt sets in. In order to avoid this ordeal, youngsters in the city are opting to choose a healthier version of Diwali sweets that are low in calories and don’t pack on the pounds later. City-based sweet shops like Anand and Kanti Sweets are selling sugar-free sweets like Kaju Katli, Anjeer Dry Fruit Halwa and Soan Papadi.
Eating healthy does not necessarily mean tasteless and bland. This Diwali, for people who maintain strict fitness goals, gym routines and are health conscious, sweet shops and home bakers have been selling sweets that meet all dietary expectations. Taking advantage of this are Bengalureans like Akanksha Raju, a city-based business owner who says, “For Diwali, I will be buying dark chocolate peanut butter barfi, ragi laddoo and obattu. The reason for buying obattu is because it is made of dal, jaggery and wheat flour which to me screams health and protein.” Aditya Rao, a city-based chef feels that people prefer Western desserts more to break the high of burfis, he says, “In order to indulge in something sweet that does not pack in calories, I would prefer the dry fruit laddoo which is nutritious and does not have any added sugar and dark chocolate brownies that use palm sugar, ragi crepes and also wheat waffles.”
We have all read about the bad effects of social media but this festive season, social media is helping people maintain fitness goals. “This generation strives to maintain their gym routine and have a set of fitness goals, so they are opting for low calorie sweets. Social media influences this generation to be fit by posts they put up of fitness, etc. I have always been into fitness and I am really proud that the generation’s mindset is changing for the better,” feels Trishala Ashok, founder, Fit Bakes, who is making a variety low calorie sweets this Diwali.
Dr Meghana Mevawala, a nutritionist and dietician says, “Opting for low calorie sweets is always good but one should make sure that while having artificial sweeteners, and compensating it as low calorie sweets is not really the right way of going about it. It is a good thing that this generation is aware about health and fitness but unfortunately most of the time, they are not educated in the right way. It’s good they are conscious about their health but the right education will help them make the right decisions.”
