The Festival Sweets Quiz — Diwali, Pongal, Onam

Sixteen things families say every Diwali, Pongal and Onam. True or false? Nothing here is banned — but the arithmetic surprises almost everyone.

16 claims heard in the clinic. Answer each one, read why, and see how your household scores.

The quiz needs JavaScript. The 16 claims are below — every answer is on the linked page.

Tirunelveli halwa is mostly wheat, so it is gentler than a sugar sweet.

Adhirasam is made with jaggery instead of sugar, so it is the safe Diwali sweet.

Payasam sweetened with karupatti instead of sugar is fine for a sugar patient.

Murukku and mixture are savoury, not sweet, so they don't affect blood sugar.

The ghee in sakkarai pongal slows the sugar down, so a full serving is fine.

Sweet paniyaram is fermented batter, so it is the healthy Diwali snack.

Shop sweets labelled 'sugar-free' can be eaten freely during the festival.

Sweets made with stevia or sucralose are more dangerous than the sugar ones.

Someone with diabetes must refuse prasadam completely.

Skipping lunch to save room for sweets keeps the day's sugar even.

Besan laddu is made from gram flour, so it counts as a protein sweet.

Dates-and-nut laddus with 'no added sugar' can be eaten without counting.

A long walk after the Onam sadya cancels the payasam.

One festival day of sweets will barely move my HbA1c.

Eating the sweet at the end of a full meal raises sugar less than eating it alone at tea time.

Testing two hours after the sweet tells me what it actually did to me.

General education, not personal medical advice. Festival portions and medicines are personal — for your own plan, consult your doctor.

All of diabetes