Glycemic index of curries and sabzis

Most Indian curries and sabzis are made from vegetables, dal, paneer, fish or meat, so on their own they are low to medium GI. What raises the number is potato, sugar or cream in the gravy, and above all what you eat them with: the rice, naan or paratha on the side.

43 curries and sabzis on GlycemicIndia

Curries & SabzisGrains & RiceDals & LegumesRotis & BreadsSnacksSweets & MithaiBeveragesCondiments & ChutneysBreakfastFruitsVegetablesDairyNon-Vegetarian

Best picks for blood sugar

  1. KadhiGI 25
  2. Vatha KuzhambuGI 26
  3. Dal TadkaGI 30
  4. Dahi BaiganaGI 30
  5. Paruppu UsiliGI 30

Keep these small

  1. Aloo Pitika (Assamese Mashed Potato)GI 78
  2. Chole BhatureGI 72
  3. Kashmiri Dum AlooGI 70
  4. Misal PavGI 60
  5. Aloo PostoGI 58

Easy swaps

The same kind of food, with a gentler effect on blood sugar.

Kashmiri Dum AlooGI 70→Palak PaneerGI 20
Aloo PitikaGI 78→Baingan BhartaGI 15
Aloo MatarGI 58→Matar PaneerGI 34

Curries and sabzis ranked by glycemic index

Lowest GI first. Tap any food for its full nutrition, portion advice and swaps.

FoodGIGLServingCaloriesProteinFiber
Rasam1511 large bowl45 kcal2g1.5g
Baingan Bharta1511 medium bowl90 kcal2g4g
Haak (Kashmiri Collard Greens)1511 bowl90 kcal3g4g
Palak Paneer2021 medium bowl220 kcal14g3g
Kadhi2531 medium bowl120 kcal5g2g
Bhindi Masala2521 medium bowl150 kcal3g4g
Vatha Kuzhambu2641 small bowl95 kcal2g2g
Dal Tadka3051 medium bowl130 kcal7g4.5g
Sarson ka Saag3031 bowl150 kcal5g5g
Dahi Baigana3041 bowl110 kcal5g4g
Paruppu Usili3051 small bowl160 kcal9g6g
Ker Sangri3041 small bowl150 kcal5g7g
Pachi Pulusu3031 bowl60 kcal1g2g
Paneer Butter Masala3241 medium bowl320 kcal12g3g
Olan3241 bowl130 kcal5g4g
Avial3341 medium bowl190 kcal4g5g
Matar Paneer3451 medium bowl270 kcal12g5g
Sambar3541 large bowl100 kcal5g4g
Mixed Vegetable Curry3551 medium bowl170 kcal4g5g
Thoran3541 serving110 kcal3g4g
Shukto3551 bowl140 kcal4g5g
Kootu3571 bowl140 kcal7g5g
Zunka3581 small bowl180 kcal8g5g
Ghugni3571 bowl190 kcal9g7g
Khar (Assamese Raw Papaya Dal)3551 bowl110 kcal5g4g
Chana Masala3691 medium bowl240 kcal11g9g
Dal Makhani3881 medium bowl290 kcal12g8g
Santula3861 bowl120 kcal4g5g
Mirchi ka Salan4061 small bowl200 kcal6g4g
Erissery4071 bowl165 kcal6g5g
Nadru Yakhni (Lotus Stem in Curd)4071 bowl180 kcal6g5g
Eromba (Manipuri Vegetable Mash)4041 small bowl70 kcal3g3.5g
Bagara Baingan4271 bowl190 kcal5g5g
Undhiyu45101 bowl210 kcal6g7g
Gatte ki Sabzi48111 bowl with gravy230 kcal9g4g
Rajma Chawal55181 plate (rice + rajma)350 kcal14g9g
Aloo Gobi5681 medium bowl160 kcal4g3.5g
Aloo Matar58121 medium bowl200 kcal5g5g
Aloo Posto58141 bowl200 kcal5g3g
Misal Pav60301 plate with 1 pav400 kcal15g10g
Kashmiri Dum Aloo70211 bowl280 kcal5g3.5g
Chole Bhature72241 plate (2 bhature + chole)450 kcal12g5g
Aloo Pitika (Assamese Mashed Potato)78201 small bowl170 kcal3g2.5g

GL and nutrition are per serving. How these values are sourced

Low-GI curries and sabzis

GI 55 or below. These raise blood sugar slowly and make good everyday choices.

Rasam — 1 large bowlGI 15· Low

Rasam

रसम · రసం / చారు

South Indian spiced tamarind-tomato broth. Very low calorie and low GI. Excellent digestive and often served as a soup course.

South IndianTamilAndhra+2
GL 145 kcal1 large bowl
Baingan Bharta — 1 medium bowlGI 15· Low

Baingan Bharta

बैंगन भर्ता · వంకాయ పచ్చడి

Smoky roasted eggplant mashed with onions, tomatoes, and spices. Very low GI, full of flavor, and one of the healthiest North Indian dishes.

North IndianPunjabiTelangana
GL 190 kcal1 medium bowl
Haak (Kashmiri Collard Greens) — 1 bowlGI 15· Low

Haak (Kashmiri Collard Greens)

हाक साग · హాక్ సాగ్

Simple Kashmiri dish of collard greens (haak) cooked whole in mustard oil with green chillies, garlic and a pinch of asafoetida, eaten almost daily with rice. Leafy greens with very little carbohydrate.

Kashmiri
GL 190 kcal1 bowl
Palak Paneer — 1 medium bowlGI 20· Low

Palak Paneer

पालक पनीर · పాలకూర పనీర్

Spinach and cottage cheese curry. Low GI, high protein dish. The fat from paneer slows glucose absorption.

North IndianPunjabi
GL 2220 kcal1 medium bowl
Kadhi — 1 medium bowlGI 25· Low

Kadhi

कढ़ी · కడి / మజ్జిగ పులుసు

Yogurt-based curry thickened with besan (gram flour). Low GI from both curd and besan. Comfort food across North and West India.

North IndianGujaratiRajasthani+1
GL 3120 kcal1 medium bowl
Bhindi Masala — 1 medium bowlGI 25· Low

Bhindi Masala

भिंडी मसाला · బెండకాయ మసాలా

Okra stir-fried with onions, tomatoes and spices. Very low GI as okra is low in carbs and high in soluble fiber.

North IndianSouth Indian
GL 2150 kcal1 medium bowl
Vatha Kuzhambu — 1 small bowlGI 26· Low

Vatha Kuzhambu

वत्था कुळम्बु · వత్త కుళంబు

A tangy, spicy Tamil tamarind gravy with sundried vegetables (manathakkali or sundakkai vathal), no coconut and very little oil. Low in carbohydrate and big on flavour.

TamilSouth Indian
GL 495 kcal1 small bowl
Dal Tadka — 1 medium bowlGI 30· Low

Dal Tadka

दाल तड़का · దాల్ తడ్కా

Tempered yellow dal (toor or moong) with ghee, cumin, and garlic. The most common everyday dal in Indian households.

North IndianSouth IndianPunjabi+1
GL 5130 kcal1 medium bowl
Sarson ka Saag — 1 bowlGI 30· Low

Sarson ka Saag

सरसों का साग · ఆవ ఆకుల కూర

Punjab's beloved winter dish of slow-cooked mustard greens (often with spinach), finished with ghee. Very low GI and rich in fiber, iron and antioxidants.

PunjabiNorth Indian
GL 3150 kcal1 bowl
Dahi Baigana — 1 bowlGI 30· Low

Dahi Baigana

दही बैंगना · దహి బైంగన

An Odia dish of soft-cooked brinjal in a lightly spiced yogurt gravy tempered with mustard and curry leaves. Low in carbs and rich in probiotics from the curd.

Odia
GL 4110 kcal1 bowl
Paruppu Usili — 1 small bowlGI 30· Low

Paruppu Usili

परुप्पु उसिली · పరుప్పు ఉసిలి

A Tamil dry dish of beans or cluster beans tossed with crumbled, steamed and sautéed lentils (toor and chana dal). Very high in protein and fiber with a low glycemic impact.

TamilSouth Indian
GL 5160 kcal1 small bowl
Ker Sangri — 1 small bowlGI 30· Low

Ker Sangri

केर सांगरी · కేర్ సాంగ్రి

An iconic Rajasthani dry dish of desert berries (ker) and beans (sangri) cooked with spices and yogurt. Extremely high in fiber with a very low glycemic impact.

RajasthaniNorth Indian
GL 4150 kcal1 small bowl

Showing 12 of 36. The rest are in the ranked table above.

Medium-GI curries and sabzis

GI 56 to 69. Fine in moderate portions, ideally with protein or fiber on the plate.

Aloo Gobi — 1 medium bowlGI 56· Medium

Aloo Gobi

आलू गोभी · ఆలూ గోబీ

Potato and cauliflower curry. The potato component raises the GI — the cauliflower helps balance it somewhat.

North IndianPunjabi
GL 8160 kcal1 medium bowl
Aloo Matar — 1 medium bowlGI 58· Medium

Aloo Matar

आलू मटर · ఆలూ మటర్

Potatoes and green peas in a spiced tomato gravy. Medium GI from the potato, partly offset by fiber from peas.

North IndianPunjabi
GL 12200 kcal1 medium bowl
Aloo Posto — 1 bowlGI 58· Medium

Aloo Posto

आलू पोस्तो · ఆలూ పోస్తో

A Bengali favourite of potatoes cooked in a ground poppy-seed (posto) paste with mustard oil and green chilies. The potato gives it a medium GI despite the poppy seeds.

Bengali
GL 14200 kcal1 bowl
Misal Pav — 1 plate with 1 pavGI 60· Medium

Misal Pav

मिसल पाव · మిసల్ పావ్

A spicy Maharashtrian curry of sprouted moth beans (usal) topped with farsan and served with pav. The sprouts are low-GI and protein-rich, but the pav adds refined-flour carbs.

Maharashtrian
GL 30400 kcal1 plate with 1 pav

High-GI curries and sabzis to keep small

GI 70 or above. These raise blood sugar fastest, so keep portions small and have them with a meal.

Kashmiri Dum Aloo — 1 bowlGI 70· High

Kashmiri Dum Aloo

कश्मीरी दम आलू · కశ్మీరీ దమ్ ఆలూ

Baby potatoes pricked, deep fried and simmered in a spiced curd and Kashmiri-chilli gravy with fennel and dry ginger. The potatoes carry most of the carbohydrate, and frying adds fat.

KashmiriNorth Indian
GL 21280 kcal1 bowl
Chole Bhature — 1 plate (2 bhature + chole)GI 72· High

Chole Bhature

छोले भटूरे · ఛోలే భటూరే

Chickpea curry with deep-fried maida bread. While chole alone is low GI, the bhatura (refined flour + deep fried) makes this a high GI combination.

North IndianPunjabi
GL 24450 kcal1 plate (2 bhature + chole)
Aloo Pitika (Assamese Mashed Potato) — 1 small bowlGI 78· High

Aloo Pitika (Assamese Mashed Potato)

आलू पिटिका · ఆలూ పిటికా

Assamese comfort food of boiled potatoes mashed with raw mustard oil, onion, green chilli and coriander, sometimes with a boiled egg, eaten with rice. Mashed potato is one of the fastest-acting starches.

Northeast Indian
GL 20170 kcal1 small bowl

Related guides

Complete List of Low-GI Indian FoodsThe complete list of low glycemic index Indian foods — dals, vegetables, fruits, grains, snacks, dairy and more — ranked from India's lowest GI upward.Indian Foods That Don't Spike Blood SugarIndian foods that don't spike blood sugar — the lowest glycemic index dals, vegetables, fruits and grains that release glucose slowly, ranked from lowest GI up.High-Fiber Indian FoodsThe highest-fiber Indian foods — dals, whole grains, millets, vegetables and fruits — ranked by fiber content, to slow blood-sugar spikes and improve digestion.Best Low-GI Indian DinnersLow glycemic index Indian dinner ideas — dals, sabzis, whole-grain rotis and millet dishes that won't spike blood sugar, ranked by GI for a diabetes-friendly plate.

Common questions

Which curries and sabzis are best for diabetes?

Most are fine in sensible portions: 36 of the 43 curries and sabzis on GlycemicIndia are low GI. The best picks for blood sugar are Kadhi (25), Vatha Kuzhambu (26), Dal Tadka (30), Dahi Baigana (30), Paruppu Usili (30).

Which curries and sabzis should sugar patients limit?

The highest-GI curries and sabzis are Aloo Pitika (Assamese Mashed Potato) (78), Chole Bhature (72), Kashmiri Dum Aloo (70), Misal Pav (60), Aloo Posto (58). 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 si sabzi aur curry kha sakte hain?

Kadhi, vatha kuzhambu, dal tadka, dahi baigana jaise options sabse behtar hain, kyunki inka GI kam hai aur yeh sugar dheere badhate hain. aloo pitika, chole bhature, Kashmiri dum aloo 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.