Turkey is one of the top tourist countries in the world. According to the data of the Turkish Ministry of tourism, the number of tourists who visited Turkey in the first half of 2022 is estimated at twenty-three million tourists; an increase of more than 128% over the number of tourists in the same period of last year.

In this context, Mr. Said Mutlu, the owner of a Turkish delights shop in one of the tourist places, emphasizes that one of the most prominent reasons why Turkey attracts such large numbers of tourists is the cultural diversity, especially the variety of foods that suit all international tastes.

It can be said that “dessert tourism” in Turkey, if you will, is no less important than other areas of tourism, such as medical or educational tourism, for example, which forms the backbone of tourism in Turkey in general.

Turkish delights, perhaps, is one of the famous Turkish sweets that motivates people to visit Turkey, taste it from its native land and enjoy its ancient Ottoman flavor.


What is Turkish Delights?

It's simply dessert in the form of jelly pieces consisting of a mixture of starch, sugar, water, glucose, as well as a set of spices, along with some nuts or dried fruits.


The Turkish lokum :

According to several identical versions, the first appearance of Turkish lokum was in the fifteenth century, when one of the Sultans ordered the formation of a special dessert dish for his wife; starch, honey, molasses, and rosewater were mixed until they reached their current gelatinous texture that is easy to chew, which is why it is called the “comfort of the throat”.

Haji Bekir, born in Kastamonu Vilayet, developed this Turkish dessert dough when he opened a small shop in Istanbul in 1777, and his fame soon reached the Sultan's Palace, where he was bestowed a badge of honor and appointed as the confectioner of the palace.

assorted turkish delight

From Domestic Dessert to Globalism

this sweets arrived in Europe by a young man from Britain who admired its taste and carried it with him. Nowadays, It is now known as “the piece of joy”. Since then, It has become world famous and has won many gold and silver medals at many exhibitions such as the Vienna, Nice, Brussels and Chicago exhibitions.

Among the prominent international figures who fell in love with the Turkish delights are Napoleon Bonaparte and Winston Churchill, and it is also said that the famous painter Pablo Picasso preferred to eat Turkish delights sweets during his breaks.


Types of Turkish Delights

It is usually kneaded with many spices and dried fruits. Here are some types of it:

  1. Turkish delight pistachio nougat
  2. Pomegranate pistachio Turkish delight
  3. Kiwi Turkish delight
  4. Turkish delight with milk
  5. Assorted Turkish delight
  6. Chocolate Turkish delight
  7. Orange Turkish delight


The Benefits of Turkish Delights

Medical reports indicate that Turkish delights has great benefits for the human being general health; it is very important in the process of removing toxins from the body because it contains large amounts of carbohydrates, especially those toxins that are not excreted through sweating or urination.

They are also useful in the treatment of kidney diseases. It is also possible that Turkish delights is used in the treatment of wounds, the thing that is still being done in some Turkish villages, as well as being very good in cases of tonsillitis.

On the other hand, doctors advise not to overeat because they contain sugars and thus may increase the chances of obesity, especially the abdominal area.

types of turkish lokum

A Turkish Tradition Continuing Through Time

During your stay in Turkey, you will get used seeing this dessert almost everywhere; its presence is very familiar. It is served with Turkish coffee or tea and always has a share at various events and holidays of the Turks, accompany them always on their sessions and travels.


Nutritional and Caloric Value of a Piece of Turkish Delights

According to nutritionists, one piece of rahat lokum contains:

  • 59 calories
  • 14 g carbohydrates
  • 0.5 g protein
  • 0.2 fats


The Best Turkish Delights in Istanbul

Hafiz Mustafa Turkish delights and Karakoy Gulluoglu sweets are of the largest stores in Istanbul in the manufacture of luxurious Turkish desserts. There is a wide variety of Turkish delights in their branches, for example, and not limited to, Turkish delights with nuts such as  pistachios,  walnuts,  fruits, including  lemon, orange, Kiwi, as well as  pomegranate, which is the most demanded in USA.


Buy Turkish delights Online

It's very simple, you can get the best and finest types of luxury Turkish delights through Sweet Saray Store; the first Arab store to order and deliver all kinds of this tasty dessert to all over the world