In India, we love celebrating festivals and cultural events, usually accompanied by some mouthwatering mithais. Besides being a tradition, mithais are also considered a good dessert for people who crave sweets after meals. Gulab jamun, rasmalai, kaju katli, and ladoos are some of the most popular sweets in India.

Since mithais are readily consumed across the country, we need to pause and think about how these affect our health and the health of the ones we love. Traditional mithais are high in sugar and calories, which can have long-term effects on your health. The next best alternative is sugar-free mithais that have recently started getting recognition, making it popular with people who have started exploring healthy options.

In this article, we will take a look at both traditional mithais and  sugar-free mithai, understanding how both affect our lives.

A] Exploring the Delights of Traditional Mithais

Indian Traditional Mithais, with their rich history and deep-rooted origins in India, have been an integral part of Indian culinary traditions for centuries. Notably, the primary ingredients in these delightful treats are sugar, mawa, maida and ghee, essential for creating Indian mithais. The association of India with sweets dates back to ancient times, with Indians pioneering the art of refining sugar around 500 BC. As a result, the tradition of creating and savouring Indian Traditional Mithais has continued to flourish through the ages.

The creation of Indian sweets heavily relies on common ingredients that play a vital role. These ingredients include maida, mawa, cooking soda, sugar, and ghee. Each ingredient contributes to the overall taste, texture, and richness of traditional Indian Mithais.

  • Sugar, with its inherent sweetness, adds a delightful sugary note to these treats, while ghee enhances the flavour, bringing a distinct richness to the palate.
  • Additionally, mawa acts as a binding agent, ensuring the ingredients blend seamlessly together, while fine flour/ maida provides the necessary structure, giving the sweets their desired shape and consistency.

Traditional Indian sweets, known as mithais, are created by skillfully blending these ingredients together, resulting in a mouthwatering and irresistible taste.

B] Exploring the Growing Popularity of Sugar-Free Mithais

The popularity of sugar-free mithais is growing as more people adopt healthier lifestyles. These delightful sugar-free sweets, such as rasmalai, gulab jamun, kaju katli, halwa, laddoos, and barfi are sweetened with sugar alternatives like plant-based sweeteners erythritol and stevia providing guilt-free indulgence  They cater to individuals with dietary restrictions that monitor sugar intake and are diabetic-friendly sweets.

Health-conscious individuals can now enjoy sugar-free mithais, savouring the taste without experiencing the drawbacks of excessive sugar, mawa and maida consumption.  It can lead to inflammation, thickening, and stiffness of artery walls, increasing the risk of heart diseases like heart failure, heart attacks, and strokes. Sugar-free mithais provide a delicious alternative for those seeking a healthier twist on traditional Indian sweets while cutting their sugar intake and promoting heart health.

C] Examining the Nuances of Traditional and Sugar-Free Mithais

1. Taste and Texture

➢ Traditional Sweets

Sugar, mawa and maida plays a crucial role in determining the taste and texture of sweets. The combination of these ingredients can create desired shape and crunchiness in any mithais. Sugar’s molecular composition makes it easy to dissolve in water. This solubility allows sugar to bond effortlessly with other molecules, helping to retain moisture in sweets and ensuring they stay moist and delightful. Endless variety of delicious and popular sweets has been created in every state of India since ages.

In addition, sugary mithais intake boosts instant energy in our body. It triggers a rush of dopamine in our brain which results in an immediate joyful mood.

➢ Sugar-free Sweets

There is a subtle difference in taste between white sugar and plant sweeteners. Plant sweeteners like erythritol and stevia exhibit a higher level of sweetness than sugar. This sweetness ensures the person consuming a sugar-free sweet experiences the pleasure of eating a sweet treat without affecting your insulin levels. Plant sweeteners are Zero on carbs – Zero calories. Blending of erythritol and stevia gives pleasant sweetness and no after taste commonly associated with use of stevia alone.

In terms of texture, plant sweeteners add the perfect crunchiness and binding in sweets. They readily dissolve in liquids and form bonds with molecules, contributing to the desired consistency and structure of sweets.

2. Ingredients Used And Nutritional Aspects

➢ Traditional Sweets

Traditional mithai is made using a variety of ingredients, each with its own characteristics. It is important to note that consuming traditional sweets is not inherently associated with health risks. However, overconsumption of these sweets can have negative effects as we like to have sweets everyday after meals. To provide a better understanding, let’s explore the characteristics of some common ingredients used in traditional mithais.

  • Sugar, mainly composed of sucrose, adds sweetness to mithai. However, excessive sugar consumption can lead to dental issues, weight gain, and metabolic disorders.
  • Ghee is used to give rich flavour and texture in mithai. It contains saturated fats and cholesterol, so it’s important to consume it in moderation to avoid potential risks to heart health.
  • Mawa made from milk contributes to cholesterol and is high in carbohydrates, it’s an important Ingredient in Indian mithais giving them binding and texture.
  • Maida and arrowroot powder/ araroat are important binding agents in mithais. Arrowroot powder, in particular, serves as a gluten-free alternative and aids digestion.
  • Cooking soda is used to make sweets fluffy and light which leads to digestive discomfort due to high sodium content.

➢ Sugar-free Sweets

In sugar-free and low-carb sweets, the choice of ingredients plays a crucial role in ensuring both taste and nutritional value. These nutritious mithais are carefully crafted in consultation with an on board Clinical Nutritionist who approves all the ingredients of every sweet before making.

Paneer is used for texture and binding in sugar free mithais, thus having protein along with taste.

Almond flour is used in mithais wherever flour is needed for binding. We should always check ingredients used in sweets as besides sugar other ingredients like mawa, maida, and cooking soda are equally harmful. Adding sugar free to these ingredients will not make it healthy.

Sugar-free mithais are an excellent choice for individuals who are following a specific diet, aiming to maintain stable blood sugar levels, or seeking to reduce their overall sugar intake.

  • Apart from the sweeteners, sugar-free mithais incorporate nutrient-dense ingredients such as almonds, walnuts, and cashews that  contribute healthy fats, proteins, fibre, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.
  • Some sugar-free mithais use low-fat dairy options and paneer to provide essential nutrients such as calcium and protein while keeping the fat content in check.
  • Aromatic substances like cardamom and saffron add flavour to food and contain bioactive compounds. Cardamom aids digestion, while saffron has anti-inflammatory properties. Including these spices in your diet may contribute to improved digestive health and reduced inflammation.

3. Variety and Availability

➢ Traditional Sweets

Traditional mithais hold a significant place in Indian cuisine, enjoying popularity both domestically and internationally. These delectable sweets are an essential part of festivals like Diwali, Holi, and Ganesh Chaturthi and weddings where they are shared with loved ones to celebrate auspicious occasions. It’s a ritual to exchange sweets with family and friends as a symbol of goodwill and prosperity on several festivals

Mithais like gulab jamun, rasgulla, kaju katli, and boondi ladoos create nostalgic memories and add sweetness to these festive moments. Traditional mithais are now readily available worldwide through online platforms and e-commerce. You can easily order and enjoy these delightful sweets from anywhere, making them convenient and accessible for everyone.

➢ Sugar-free Sweets

The growing awareness of sugar-free sweets has led individuals to seek healthier alternatives. People following special diets or managing conditions such as diabetes have actively sought out these healthier options. Fortunately, nowadays, you can find a wide variety of sweets online, ranging from the delicious rasmalais to yummy chocolate walnut fudge. In response to the growing demand for sugar-free mithais, visionary creators like Zeroguilt by Archana have embraced the challenge, crafting a delightful assortment of such guilt-free treats in three forms – low carb, keto and vegan.

Additionally, individuals aiming for weight loss or following a keto or vegan lifestyle  find sugar-free sweets appealing due to their lower calorie content. However, it’s important to read labels and be cautious of sugar-free sweets containing dextrose and maltodextrin, as they can have a high glycemic load and be worse than sugar itself. Other alternatives like brown sugar, dates , jaggery, and honey share the same glycemic index as sugar.

Conclusion

As we all know, in India, no festival or celebration would be truly enjoyable without the indulgence of sweets. Even individuals who are diabetic or following a strict diet can’t resist the temptation of relishing Indian sweets. For them sugar-free sweets have come as a rescue and blessing

Sugar-free sweets also provide a beneficial alternative by helping to prevent tooth decay. By opting for sugar-free options, individuals can indulge in the sweetness they desire without compromising on their blood sugar levels. But before you buy or indulge in any sweet, it’s important to check the labels and understand what ingredients it contains. This way, you can make informed choices and prioritise your well-being.

You can indulge in guilt-free sweetness with our range of fresh and healthy sugar-free sweets. With the growing demand for healthier alternatives, we have carefully crafted these delectable treats to satisfy your sweet tooth while keeping your well-being in mind. Place your order now and experience the delightful pleasure of our sugar-free delights.