Constipated After Diwali? Why Sweets Slow Digestion and How to Find Relief

Diwali 2026 fell on 8 November. The five-day festival ends on 10 November with Bhai Dooj. Many homes still have boxes of ladoo, barfi and gulab jamun. Many people also have a heavy stomach and hard stools. Is sugar to blame? Not quite. Changes in eating habits, reduced water intake and irregular meal timings can also affect bowel movements. According to Dr Kapil Sharma, the problem often comes down to a combination of low fibre intake, excess fat and disrupted routines.

Why Diwali Sweets May Cause Constipation? 

Dr Kapil Sharma, Group Director of Gastroenterology, Yatharth Super Speciality Hospital, Greater Noida, says, “It is rarely the sugar alone. Diwali sweets are rich in refined flour, sugar, ghee and milk solids, but low in fibre and water.”

Fibre is the part of plant food your body cannot digest. It adds bulk to stool and holds water, so stool stays soft. Sweets made from maida (refined flour), besan (gram flour), sugar and khoya (milk solids) have very little fibre. They also push out meals that would have given you some.diwali sweets

A 2022 review in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition looked at 16 trials with 1,251 adults who had chronic constipation. About 66% of people on fibre responded to treatment, compared with 41% on control. Doses above 10 g a day worked best. 

How Diwali Sweets Slow Digestion: Fat, Milk Solids and Big Portions

Dr Sharma explains, “Ghee and fried sweets slow stomach emptying, so food sits longer and you feel full and bloated.”

Three things add to the problem:

• Heavy fat: Ghee and fried sweets keep food in your stomach for longer.
• Milk solids: Khoya, paneer and condensed milk sweets are low in fibre. In sensitive people, dairy can slow bowel movements.
• Large portions: Too much food at once can overload digestion. It can also delay the natural urge to pass stool.

Festive Habits That Make Diwali Sweet Constipation Worse

“Late meals, travel, poor sleep, less exercise and stress all slow the gut,” says Dr Sharma. “The gut works best on a regular schedule.”

Research points the same way. Less water means more tea, coffee, colas or alcohol can dry out stool. Your colon pulls water from stool, so dry stool is harder to pass. A 2026 German trial tested mineral water rich in magnesium and sulphate. With at least 1.5 litres of total fluid a day, bowel movements became more frequent in people with chronic constipation. Plain water was not the test here. 

Who Is More at Risk of Constipation After Diwali Sweets?

Dr Sharma says some people need extra care during festivities. These include:

• People who already get constipation or have IBS (irritable bowel syndrome)
• Pregnant women and older adults
• People with diabetes, since high sugar also affects blood glucose
• People on iron, calcium, some blood pressure or painkiller medicines
• Anyone who skips water or movement

How to Prevent and Relieve Constipation After Diwali Sweets

“Eat sweets after a proper meal that includes vegetables, salad or dal, not on an empty stomach,” advises Dr Sharma.

To prevent it:

• Keep portions small and spread them through the day.
• Choose sweets with nuts, dates, figs, jaggery or seeds.
• Drink six to eight glasses of water daily.
• Walk for 15 to 20 minutes after meals.
• Do not ignore the urge to pass stool.

To get relief:

• Eat papaya, guava, apple, oats or soaked chia and flax seeds.
• Try warm water or herbal tea in the morning.
• Take psyllium husk (isabgol) with plenty of water. Ask your doctor first if you take other medicines. It can cause some wind.
• Avoid frequent use of strong laxatives.

When to See a Doctor for Constipation After Diwali

• Seek medical advice if you notice:
• Constipation lasting more than two to three weeks
• Blood in stool, or black stools
• Severe stomach pain or a swollen belly
• Unexplained weight loss or vomiting
• Constipation that alternates with diarrhoea
• No improvement with diet and water

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Dr Sharma sums it up: “Diwali sweets cause constipation mainly because they displace fibre and fluids and slow digestion, not because sugar alone blocks the gut. Eat them in small portions, drink water and keep moving.”