5 Holi Sweets Swaps for a Joyful, Healthy Festival

Holi, the festival of colours, is also about eating traditional Indian sweets and drinks apart from splashing colors. There are a variety of dishes, which people enjoy along with playing holi with each other. These include - gujiyas, thandai, pakoras, kheer and other sweets.

Of course, these irresistible traditional sweets and treats taste heavenly, but they are loaded with sugar, are deep fried and contain lot of calories, which make them not so good for health. However, what if simple tweaks transformed them into guilt-free versions you can savor worry-free?

Healthy Food Swaps for Holi

1) Gujiya Becomes Guilt-Free

Gujiya is an integral part of every Holi celebration. The crescent-shaped sweets are traditionally prepared by deep-frying them after filling with mawa or khoya (made of condensed milk solids) and sugar syrup.

A healthier twist? The product needs to be baked instead of frying. The crust requires whole wheat flour while jaggery and dates serve as the sweetener substitute for refined sugar.

The filling consists of chopped nuts and desiccated coconut together with a small quantity of cardamom. The result is a gujiya that maintains its crisp texture and taste while providing a guilt-free indulgence.

2) Thandai Made Nourishing

The cooling beverage Thandai is essential to celebrate Holi with fervor. The classic recipe includes full‑fat milk and generous amount of sugar.
To make it healthy, the recipe needs almond milk or toned milk as a replacement while honey and stevia as sweeteners. Put almonds, fennel and rose petal to maintain its original taste while adding chia seeds to boost fiber content.

This version of Thandai allows users to experience refreshing effects without increasing their blood sugar levels.

3) Kheer - Superfood Pudding

Rice kheer serves as a traditional dessert for festivals, but it contains excessive amounts of sugar and cream. The healthy twist requires you to use quinoa or millet as a rice substitute, which should be cooked with low-fat milk. Use dates or jaggery as natural sweeteners and pistachios together with saffron as its finishing touch. This is not only tasty but very healthy.

4) Pakoras – Retain the Crunch with Air-frying/Baking

Who doesn’t relish crispy pakoras and chutney.  But it becomes unhealthy upon deep-frying. This Holi, you should use air-frying and baking methods as cooking alternatives for making pakoras.

Combine gram flour with spinach, onions and grated carrots while adding ajwain and chili for flavoring. The crunch stays intact while the oil does not create a burden on your body. Serve them with mint yogurt dip because it provides a light and tangy flavor to complements the dish.

5) Colourful Drinks – Health in Every Sip

People tend to sip on a bottle of soda during festivals. The substitute needs to be naturally colorful beverages that include beetroot lemonade and cucumber-mint coolers or fresh coconut water. The products provide hydration benefits while they bring natural color to your Holi celebration.

These food replacements not only help us maintain our traditions, but also create a better food experience for all. This year, let’s celebrate Holi with brightest colors and healthy festival foods.

Disclaimer: This content is for general informational purposes only and should not replace professional medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider with any questions about your health or treatment options.