Glycemic index of Indian drinks
Drinks are easy to forget, but sugar in liquid form reaches the blood fastest. Plain buttermilk, unsweetened chai and coffee, nimbu pani without sugar and coconut water in moderation are safe; sweet lassi, packaged juices, sugarcane juice and cold drinks raise blood sugar quickly.
Best picks for blood sugar
- Coconut WaterGI 35
- Sattu (Roasted Gram Flour)GI 35
- Lassi (Sweet)GI 55
- Buttermilk (Chaas)GI 15
- Sol KadhiGI 30
Keep these small
- Sugarcane JuiceGI 73
- Ragi Malt (Ragi Java)GI 72
- Nimbu Pani (Sweet Lemonade)GI 62
- Kashmiri KahwaGI 60
- Mango LassiGI 60
Easy swaps
The same kind of food, with a gentler effect on blood sugar.
Indian drinks ranked by glycemic index
Lowest GI first. Tap any food for its full nutrition, portion advice and swaps.
| Food | GI | GL | Serving | Calories | Protein | Fiber |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buttermilk (Chaas) | 15 | 1 | 1 glass | 40 kcal | 2.5g | 0g |
| Sol Kadhi | 30 | 2 | 1 glass | 90 kcal | 1g | 1g |
| Coconut Water | 35 | 3 | 1 tender coconut (~300ml) | 55 kcal | 0.5g | 0g |
| Sattu (Roasted Gram Flour) | 35 | 5 | 2 tablespoons in a glass of water | 120 kcal | 7g | 5g |
| Noon Chai (Kashmiri Pink Tea) | 35 | 3 | 1 cup | 110 kcal | 5g | 0g |
| Lassi (Sweet) | 55 | 10 | 1 glass | 180 kcal | 6g | 0g |
| Badam Milk | 56 | 11 | 1 glass (about 240ml) | 200 kcal | 8g | 1g |
| Thandai | 57 | 13 | 1 glass (about 250ml) | 230 kcal | 7g | 1.2g |
| Filter Coffee | 58 | 8 | 1 small tumbler (about 150ml) | 90 kcal | 3g | 0g |
| Aam Panna | 59 | 11 | 1 glass (about 240ml) | 80 kcal | 0g | 0.5g |
| Chai (Milk Tea) | 60 | 6 | 1 cup (with 2 tsp sugar) | 80 kcal | 3g | 0g |
| Mango Lassi | 60 | 16 | 1 glass (about 250ml) | 210 kcal | 6g | 1g |
| Kashmiri Kahwa | 60 | 4 | 1 cup (lightly sweetened) | 50 kcal | 1g | 0.3g |
| Nimbu Pani (Sweet Lemonade) | 62 | 11 | 1 glass (about 240ml) | 75 kcal | 0g | 0.1g |
| Ragi Malt (Ragi Java) | 72 | 16 | 1 glass (unsweetened) | 140 kcal | 5g | 2.5g |
| Sugarcane Juice | 73 | 18 | 1 glass | 180 kcal | 0.5g | 0g |
| Green Tea (Plain) | No carbs* | 0 | 1 cup (about 240ml) | 2 kcal | 0g | 0g |
GL and nutrition are per serving. * No meaningful carbohydrate, so GI doesn't apply and the food has minimal direct effect on blood sugar. How these values are sourced
Low-GI Indian drinks
GI 55 or below. These raise blood sugar slowly and make good everyday choices.
GI 15· LowButtermilk (Chaas)
छाछ · మజ్జిగ
Diluted curd with salt, cumin, and coriander. Virtually zero glycemic impact and great for digestion.
GI 30· LowSol Kadhi
सोल कढ़ी · సోల్ కఢీ
Pink, cooling drink of kokum extract and coconut milk with garlic, green chilli and coriander, drunk after meals along the Konkan coast and in Goa. Very little carbohydrate and no added sugar in the traditional recipe.
GI 35· LowCoconut Water
नारियल पानी · కొబ్బరి నీళ్ళు
Natural electrolyte drink from tender coconuts. Low GI, hydrating, and rich in potassium. Popular across South India.
GI 35· LowSattu (Roasted Gram Flour)
सत्तू · సత్తు పిండి
Flour of roasted Bengal gram (chana), a Bihar and UP staple drunk with water, lemon and salt in summer or stuffed into litti and parathas. High in protein and fiber, it gives slow, steady energy.
GI 35· LowNoon Chai (Kashmiri Pink Tea)
नून चाय · నూన్ చాయ్
Kashmir's everyday pink tea, made by boiling green tea leaves with baking soda until deep red, then adding milk and salt instead of sugar. Milk gives it a little natural sugar and a gentle effect on blood sugar.
GI 55· LowLassi (Sweet)
मीठी लस्सी · తీపి లస్సీ
Yogurt blended with sugar and sometimes cardamom. The curd base is low GI but added sugar raises it considerably.
No carbsGreen Tea (Plain)
ग्रीन टी · గ్రీన్ టీ
Unsweetened brewed green tea leaves. Very low GI with virtually no carbohydrates; rich in antioxidants.
Medium-GI Indian drinks
GI 56 to 69. Fine in moderate portions, ideally with protein or fiber on the plate.
GI 56· MediumBadam Milk
बादाम दूध · బాదం పాలు
Warm milk blended with almond paste, saffron and sugar. Medium GI; almond fat and milk protein moderate the sugar.
GI 57· MediumThandai
ठंडाई · ఠండాయి
Chilled spiced milk drink with almonds, fennel, poppy seeds, saffron and sugar, popular at Holi. Medium GI from sugar tempered by nuts and milk.
GI 58· MediumFilter Coffee
फ़िल्टर कॉफ़ी · ఫిల్టర్ కాఫీ
South Indian brewed coffee mixed with hot milk and sugar, served frothy. Medium GI mainly from the added sugar.
GI 59· MediumAam Panna
आम पन्ना · ఆమ్ పన్నా
Tangy summer cooler of boiled raw mango, sugar, cumin and mint. Medium GI from added sugar balanced by tart mango and spices.
GI 60· MediumChai (Milk Tea)
चाय · టీ / చాయ్
Indian milk tea with sugar. The GI depends heavily on sugar added — without sugar it has minimal glycemic impact.
GI 60· MediumMango Lassi
आम लस्सी · మామిడి లస్సీ
Blended drink of yogurt, ripe mango pulp and sugar. Medium GI; yogurt protein tempers the mango and added sugar.
GI 60· MediumKashmiri Kahwa
कश्मीरी कहवा · కశ్మీరీ కహ్వా
Golden green tea brewed with saffron, cardamom, cinnamon and crushed almonds, usually sweetened with sugar or honey. Without the sweetener it has almost no carbohydrate.
GI 62· MediumNimbu Pani (Sweet Lemonade)
नींबू पानी · నిమ్మ పానీయం
Refreshing lemonade of lime juice, water, sugar and a pinch of salt. Medium-high GI from dissolved sugar that absorbs quickly.
High-GI Indian drinks to keep small
GI 70 or above. These raise blood sugar fastest, so keep portions small and have them with a meal.
GI 72· HighRagi Malt (Ragi Java)
रागी माल्ट · రాగి జావ
Thin porridge drink of finger millet (ragi) flour cooked in water, then mixed with milk and jaggery or with salted buttermilk. Ragi is nutritious, but cooked into a smooth, thin drink it raises blood sugar quickly.
GI 73· HighSugarcane Juice
गन्ने का रस · చెరకు రసం
Freshly pressed sugarcane juice, popular street drink. High in natural sugars — despite being 'natural', it's essentially liquid sugar.
Related guides
Common questions
Which Indian drinks are best for diabetes?
Choose carefully: 7 of the 17 Indian drinks on GlycemicIndia are low GI. The best picks for blood sugar are Coconut Water (35), Sattu (Roasted Gram Flour) (35), Lassi (Sweet) (55), Buttermilk (Chaas) (15), Sol Kadhi (30).
Which Indian drinks should sugar patients limit?
The highest-GI Indian drinks are Sugarcane Juice (73), Ragi Malt (Ragi Java) (72), Nimbu Pani (Sweet Lemonade) (62), Kashmiri Kahwa (60), Mango Lassi (60). You don't have to give them up entirely: keep the portion small, have them after a meal rather than on an empty stomach, and pair them with protein, fiber or curd.
Sugar ke mareez kaun sa drink pee sakte hain?
Nariyal pani, sattu, lassi, chaas jaise options sabse behtar hain, kyunki inka GI kam hai aur yeh sugar dheere badhate hain. ganne ka ras, ragi malt, nimbu pani kam matra mein hi lein, aur dal, sabzi ya dahi ke saath khayein.
Building a full meal? Add foods to the meal calculator to see the glycemic load of the whole plate, or browse the complete list of low-GI Indian foods.