Indian foods and diabetes: what to eat, limit and avoid

In Type 2 diabetes the body either does not make enough insulin or cannot use it effectively, so glucose from a meal stays in the bloodstream longer and climbs higher. What matters for any given food is the size of the glucose rise it produces — which depends on the glycemic index, the portion, and crucially what else is on the plate alongside it.

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Browse every food

Looking for a food that isn't rated for diabetes? The full Indian food index lists every food we cover, grouped by category.

Every food, A to Z

Every food we rate for diabetes, with verdict and glycemic index
Food	Verdict	GI
Adai	Yes	≈ 45
Almonds	Yes	—
Aloo	Limit	≈ 82
Aloo Paratha	Limit	≈ 75
Aloo Tikki	Avoid	≈ 80
Appam	Limit	≈ 76
Apple	Yes	≈ 36
Arbi	Yes, with changes	≈ 58
Baingan	Yes	—
Bajra Roti	Yes	≈ 54
Banana	Yes, with changes	≈ 51
Barfi	Limit	≈ 76
Basmati Rice	Yes, with changes	≈ 58
Bhature	Avoid	≈ 82
Bhel Puri	Yes, with changes	≈ 65
Bhindi	Yes	—
Biryani	Limit	≈ 70
Biscuits	Limit	≈ 74
Bread	Limit	≈ 75
Broccoli	Yes	—
Brown Rice	Yes, with changes	≈ 68
Butter Chicken	Yes, with changes	—
Buttermilk	Yes	≈ 30
Cabbage	Yes	—
Cashews	Yes, with changes	—
Cauliflower	Yes	—
Chaat	Limit	≈ 74
Chai	Yes, with changes	≈ 60
Chana	Yes	≈ 28
Chapati	Yes	≈ 58
Cheese	Yes, with changes	—
Chia Seeds	Yes	—
Chicken Curry	Yes	—
Chikoo	Limit	≈ 70
Chilla	Yes	≈ 42
Chole	Yes	≈ 28
Chole Bhature	Avoid	≈ 80
Coconut	Yes	—
Coconut Water	Yes	≈ 54
Corn	Yes, with changes	≈ 60
Curd	Yes	≈ 35
Curd Rice	Yes	≈ 62
Dahi Puri	Limit	≈ 68
Dal Makhani	Yes, with changes	≈ 32
Dal Tadka	Yes	≈ 29
Daliya	Yes	≈ 52
Dates	Yes, with changes	≈ 62
Dhokla	Yes	≈ 48
Dosa	Yes, with changes	≈ 65
Egg	Yes	—
Fenugreek Seeds	Yes	—
Filter Coffee	Yes, with changes	≈ 58
Fish Curry	Yes	—
Flaxseed	Yes	—
Fruit Juice	Avoid	≈ 68
Ghee	Yes	—
Grapes	Yes, with changes	≈ 59
Green Peas	Yes	≈ 22
Green Tea	Yes	—
Guava	Yes	≈ 33
Gulab Jamun	Avoid	≈ 85
Halwa	Limit	≈ 80
Handvo	Yes	≈ 52
Honey	Limit	≈ 61
Idiyappam	Yes, with changes	≈ 68
Idli	Yes, with changes	≈ 60
Idli Sambar	Yes	≈ 58
Jaggery	Limit	≈ 84
Jalebi	Avoid	≈ 88
Jowar Roti	Yes	≈ 55
Karela	Yes	—
Khandvi	Yes	≈ 45
Kheer	Limit	≈ 78
Khichdi	Yes	≈ 63
Ladoo	Limit	≈ 74
Lassi	Limit	≈ 68
Lauki	Yes	—
Lemon Rice	Yes, with changes	≈ 70
Maggi	Limit	≈ 70
Maida	Avoid	≈ 85
Makhana	Yes	≈ 40
Mango	Yes, with changes	≈ 51
Masala Dosa	Limit	≈ 77
Masoor Dal	Yes	≈ 26
Methi	Yes	—
Milk	Yes	≈ 39
Misal Pav	Yes, with changes	≈ 64
Modak	Limit	≈ 76
Momos	Yes, with changes	≈ 66
Moong Dal	Yes	≈ 25
Moong Dal Chilla	Yes	≈ 38
Murukku	Limit	≈ 75
Mutton Curry	Yes	—
Namkeen	Limit	≈ 72
Nimbu Pani	Yes	≈ 30
Oats	Yes	≈ 55
Pakora	Limit	≈ 60
Palak	Yes	—
Paneer	Yes	—
Pani Puri	Limit	≈ 75
Papaya	Yes	≈ 60
Paratha	Yes, with changes	≈ 62
Pasta	Yes, with changes	≈ 55
Pav Bhaji	Limit	≈ 76
Peanuts	Yes	—
Pesarattu	Yes	≈ 38
Pizza	Limit	≈ 74
Poha	Yes, with changes	≈ 72
Pomegranate	Yes	≈ 53
Poori Bhaji	Avoid	≈ 80
Prawns	Yes	—
Pulao	Yes, with changes	≈ 66
Pumpkin Seeds	Yes	—
Puri	Avoid	≈ 80
Puttu	Yes, with changes	≈ 67
Quinoa	Yes	≈ 53
Ragi Mudde	Yes	≈ 55
Ragi Roti	Yes	≈ 55
Rajma	Yes	≈ 29
Rajma Chawal	Yes	≈ 60
Rasam	Yes	—
Rasgulla	Avoid	≈ 82
Rava Dosa	Limit	≈ 72
Red Rice	Yes	≈ 66
Roasted Chana	Yes	≈ 28
Sabudana Khichdi	Avoid	≈ 85
Samak Rice	Yes	≈ 50
Sambar	Yes	≈ 32
Samosa	Avoid	≈ 78
Sev Puri	Limit	≈ 72
Soft Drinks	Avoid	≈ 63
Soya Chunks	Yes	≈ 20
Sprouts	Yes	≈ 25
Sugar	Avoid	≈ 65
Sugarcane Juice	Avoid	≈ 70
Sweet Potato	Yes, with changes	≈ 63
Tandoori Chicken	Yes	—
Thali	Yes, with changes	≈ 65
Thepla	Yes	≈ 58
Tinda	Yes	—
Tofu	Yes	—
Upma	Yes, with changes	≈ 66
Urad Dal	Yes	≈ 43
Uttapam	Yes, with changes	≈ 64
Vada Pav	Avoid	≈ 80
Walnuts	Yes	—
Watermelon	Yes, with changes	≈ 72
White Rice	Limit	≈ 73

Medical disclaimer

This is general dietary information, not medical advice. If you take insulin or a sulfonylurea (glimepiride, glipizide, gliclazide), reducing your carbohydrate intake — or adding foods like bitter gourd or fenugreek that lower glucose on their own — can cause hypoglycemia. Talk to your doctor before making changes, and monitor your glucose while you do.

Plate.Fit provides diet recommendations and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult a qualified medical practitioner before starting a new diet, especially if you are pregnant, nursing, taking medication, or have a chronic health condition.