On the 16th October, 2014, Indian Express published an Article (written by Madhulika Das) titled "The Journey of Laddoo from a Medicine to the Much-Loved Indian Sweet"

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It is absolutely correct that Laddu has started its journey as a medicine and turned into much-loved Indian sweets. In the 3rd-4th century, on the Sanskrit medical text Sushruta Samhita, ladduka are described as small balls of jaggery, peanuts, and sesame seeds coated with honey. These sweets balls were used as an antiseptic and to deliver medication. 

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Laddus are also mentioned in the Lokapakara written around 1025 in Western India

 

In the Bloomsbury Handbook of Indian Cuisine (Bloomsbury Publishing. 2023. pp. 269–270. ISBN 978-1-350-12865-1), Laddo has been described as "perhaps the most universal and ancient of Indian sweets. Laddus are round balls made from various ingredients, held together by jaggery and deep fried. every region has its own version They are part of all happy occasions and many festivals, especially those associated with the deity Ganesh. Because of their relatively long shelf life, in the past laddus were taken by travelers on journeys."

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In the "Microscopic, biochemical and stable isotopic investigation of seven multi-nutritional food-balls from Indus archaeological site, Rajasthan (India)", Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports. 37 and

in the "Harappan people ate multigrain, high-protein 'laddoos': Study". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 19 February 2022. Retrieved 21 June 2021, 

it has been cited that archaeological excavations have found "food balls" made of legumes and cereals such as barley, wheat, chickpea and mung bean were consumed in the Indus Valley Civilization circa 2600 BCE.

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In the ancient India, Laddu were always made by using jaggery. Mattha Pandey, a follower of Mahatma Gandhi made "thaggu ke laddu" by using Khoya, suji and white sugar. The story was that  Mattha Pandey heard that Mahatma Gandhi call the white sugar as "white poison" and a cause of many diseases. Since sugar was an essential element in his laddu, he made his mind to let people know the truth by giving the name "thaggu ke laddu"​

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