The holiday season is upon us again, and the celebrations are never complete without indulging in something sweet, rich and decadent. However, after Covid-19, there has been an increase in demand for plant-based foods as awareness of the welfare of animals and the planet, as a whole, has taken center stage. The result? A vegan touch on delicious desserts!

“Vegan desserts are gaining popularity these days for two main reasons; firstly, it is the healthy alternative to sweet dishes, secondly, it is cruelty-free and plant-based. Vegan alternatives are made up of herbal ingredients which are healthy and also won’t lead to guilt of harming animals. Nowadays, people are more concerned about their food and devote themselves to a healthy diet. Therefore, instead of excluding dessert from your diet, including vegan dessert may be the best option, ”says Sairaj Dhond, Founder and CEO of Wakao Foods.

From vegan ice cream peanut butter chocolate chip cookie bars, vegan alternatives for every treat, which are usually heavily loaded with cream, eggs, butter and other animal ingredients, are available to health conscious consumers. “Vegan desserts tend to contribute less saturated fat, which means less bad cholesterol compared to a diet containing animal products. At the same time, a vegan diet generally gives more fiber, folic acid, vitamin C, and phytochemicals from higher consumption of legumes, nuts, fruits, vegetables and whole grains, which which helps to keep the body healthy ”, explains T. Vinay Kumar, director. Chef, Novotel Vijayawada Varun.

Ingredients that promote physical and mental well-being, such as matcha, goji, turmeric, black garlic, dragon fruit, hemp, chia, beetroot, manuka honey, ginger, maca, lingonberries and mushrooms are increasingly popular in herbal desserts. “Compared to commercial desserts, vegan desserts promote better health because they contain ‘functional foods’ in key ingredients like coconut milk, tahini, soy milk, almond milk and more. These are natural, safe and pure, ”says Palash Ghosh, Executive Chef, Taj Hotel & Convention Center, Agra.

With few simple ingredients, making knockout vegan desserts couldn’t be easier. Keep coconut oil on hand to replace butter, start looking for ground flax seeds instead of eggs, and invest in a bottle of pure maple syrup. You might be surprised to find that you don’t miss dairy or eggs at all.

“Vegan ice creams mostly have nut milks like almond or coconut milk as the main base. There are tips to make them taste very neutral, just as good as regular ice cream, by carefully choosing the ingredients used. More importantly, they are just as tasty and delicious as regular ice cream, ”add Varun and Ashni Sheth, NOTO ice creams.

Anand Panwar, Executive Pastry Chef, Hotels & Resorts Roseate Summarizes Vegan Life “Becoming a vegan is a great opportunity to learn more about your body, your nutrition and your diet. What better time than Navratri to walk a healthy path.