Glycemic index of dairy foods

Milk, curd, paneer and buttermilk are low GI because of their protein and fat, and curd with a meal can soften the rise from rice or roti. Sweetened dairy, like flavoured yogurt, sweet lassi and milk with sugar, is the exception.

10 dairy foods on GlycemicIndia

DairyGrains & RiceDals & LegumesRotis & BreadsCurries & SabzisSnacksSweets & MithaiBeveragesCondiments & ChutneysBreakfastFruitsVegetablesNon-Vegetarian

Best picks for blood sugar

  1. Buffalo MilkGI 30
  2. Milk (Full Fat)GI 31
  3. Toned MilkGI 31
  4. PaneerGI 10
  5. Greek Yogurt (Unsweetened)GI 11

Keep these small

  1. Khoya (Mawa)GI 45
  2. Processed CheeseGI 25
  3. Curd / Yogurt (Dahi)GI 14

Dairy foods ranked by glycemic index

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

FoodGIGLServingCaloriesProteinFiber
Paneer1004-5 cubes260 kcal18g0g
Greek Yogurt (Unsweetened)1111 small bowl90 kcal15g0g
Curd / Yogurt (Dahi)1411 medium bowl90 kcal5g0g
Processed Cheese2511 slice80 kcal5g0g
Buffalo Milk3031 glass (200 ml)194 kcal7.5g0g
Milk (Full Fat)3141 glass150 kcal8g0g
Toned Milk3131 glass120 kcal7g0g
Khoya (Mawa)4532 tablespoons120 kcal4g0g
GheeNo carbs*01 teaspoon90 kcal0g0g
Butter (Table)No carbs*01 teaspoon72 kcal0g0g

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 dairy foods

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

Paneer — 4-5 cubesGI 10· Low

Paneer

पनीर · పనీర్

Indian cottage cheese. Very low GI, high protein. One of the best vegetarian protein sources for diabetics.

North IndianPunjabiBengali
GL 0260 kcal4-5 cubes
Greek Yogurt (Unsweetened) — 1 small bowlGI 11· Low

Greek Yogurt (Unsweetened)

ग्रीक दही · గ్రీక్ పెరుగు

Thick strained yogurt, unsweetened, with higher protein and lower carbs than regular curd. Low GI and a good choice for blood sugar management.

North IndianSouth Indian
GL 190 kcal1 small bowl
Curd / Yogurt (Dahi) — 1 medium bowlGI 14· Low

Curd / Yogurt (Dahi)

दही · పెరుగు

Plain homemade curd, a daily staple across India. Very low GI, probiotic benefits, and helps slow digestion of other foods when eaten together.

North IndianSouth IndianGujarati+2
GL 190 kcal1 medium bowl
Processed Cheese — 1 sliceGI 25· Low

Processed Cheese

प्रोसेस्ड चीज़ · ప్రాసెస్డ్ చీజ్

Manufactured cheese slices or cubes, popular in sandwiches and snacks. Very low in carbohydrates with a low glycemic impact but high in fat and sodium.

North IndianSouth Indian
GL 180 kcal1 slice
Buffalo Milk — 1 glass (200 ml)GI 30· Low

Buffalo Milk

भैंस का दूध · గేదె పాలు

The most common milk in many Indian homes, thicker and creamier than cow milk with almost twice the fat. Its sugar is lactose, which raises blood sugar slowly, so the GI is low; the extra fat mostly adds calories.

North IndianPunjabiGujarati+2
GL 3194 kcal1 glass (200 ml)
Milk (Full Fat) — 1 glassGI 31· Low

Milk (Full Fat)

दूध · పాలు

Whole buffalo or cow milk, consumed daily in most Indian households. Low GI — the fat and protein slow lactose absorption.

North IndianSouth IndianGujarati+1
GL 4150 kcal1 glass
Toned Milk — 1 glassGI 31· Low

Toned Milk

टोंड दूध · టోన్డ్ పాలు

Standardised low-fat milk with reduced fat content but similar protein and natural milk sugars. Low GI like most dairy milk.

North IndianSouth Indian
GL 3120 kcal1 glass
Khoya (Mawa) — 2 tablespoonsGI 45· Low

Khoya (Mawa)

खोया · ఖోవా

Mawa or khoya, milk reduced by slow simmering until thick and solid, used as a base for many Indian sweets. Moderate in milk sugars with a low to medium glycemic impact.

North IndianPunjabi
GL 3120 kcal2 tablespoons
Ghee — 1 teaspoonNo carbs

Ghee

घी · నెయ్యి

Clarified butter, essential in Indian cooking. Pure fat with zero carbohydrates, so it has zero glycemic impact. Use in moderation for calories.

North IndianSouth IndianRajasthani+1
GL 090 kcal1 teaspoon
Butter (Table) — 1 teaspoonNo carbs

Butter (Table)

मक्खन · వెన్న

White or table butter churned from cream, used as a spread and in cooking. Almost pure fat with negligible carbohydrates and effectively no glycemic impact.

North IndianPunjabiSouth Indian
GL 072 kcal1 teaspoon

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.Best Indian Foods to Control Blood SugarA ranked list of the best Indian foods to control blood sugar — dals, vegetables, millets, whole-grain rotis, curd and low-GI fruits that release glucose slowly.Best Low-GI Indian Foods for PCOSA low-GI Indian diet helps manage PCOS and insulin resistance — dals, vegetables, millets, low-GI fruits, curd and whole grains ranked by glycemic index, with diet tips.

Common questions

Which dairy foods are best for diabetes?

Most are fine in sensible portions: 10 of the 10 dairy foods on GlycemicIndia are low GI. The best picks for blood sugar are Buffalo Milk (30), Milk (Full Fat) (31), Toned Milk (31), Paneer (10), Greek Yogurt (Unsweetened) (11).

Which dairy foods should sugar patients limit?

The highest-GI dairy foods are Khoya (Mawa) (45), Processed Cheese (25), Curd / Yogurt (Dahi) (14). 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 doodh, dahi aur paneer kha sakte hain?

Bhains ka doodh, doodh, toned doodh, paneer jaise options sabse behtar hain, kyunki inka GI kam hai aur yeh sugar dheere badhate hain. khoya, processed cheese, dahi 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.