Glycemic index of non-vegetarian dishes
Eggs, chicken, fish and mutton have almost no carbohydrate, so on their own they don't raise blood sugar. The rice in a biryani, the batter on fried fish and the naan with butter chicken are what count, so watch the side, not the meat.
Best picks for blood sugar
- Butter ChickenGI 30
- Chicken XacutiGI 40
- Keema (Minced Meat)GI 5
- Fish FryGI 5
- Chicken 65GI 15
Keep these small
- Egg BiryaniGI 62
- Mutton BiryaniGI 60
- Chicken BiryaniGI 60
- HaleemGI 56
- Goan Fish Curry (Xitt Kodi)GI 40
Easy swaps
The same kind of food, with a gentler effect on blood sugar.
Non-vegetarian dishes 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Keema (Minced Meat) | 5 | 1 | 1 medium bowl | 280 kcal | 22g | 2g |
| Fish Fry | 5 | 0 | 2 pieces | 240 kcal | 28g | 0g |
| Chicken 65 | 15 | 1 | 1 plate | 320 kcal | 28g | 1g |
| Shorshe Ilish | 25 | 2 | 1 bowl (2 pieces) | 280 kcal | 23g | 1g |
| Macha Besara | 28 | 2 | 1 bowl (2 pieces) | 220 kcal | 24g | 1g |
| Butter Chicken | 30 | 3 | 1 bowl | 420 kcal | 28g | 2g |
| Fish Moilee (Meen Moilee) | 30 | 2 | 1 bowl | 250 kcal | 22g | 1g |
| Machha Jhola | 30 | 2 | 1 bowl (2 pieces) | 210 kcal | 22g | 1.5g |
| Yakhni (Kashmiri Mutton in Curd Gravy) | 30 | 2 | 1 bowl (2 pieces with gravy) | 330 kcal | 27g | 0.5g |
| Pork with Bamboo Shoot (Naga Style) | 30 | 2 | 1 bowl | 350 kcal | 26g | 3g |
| Pork Vindaloo | 35 | 3 | 1 bowl | 380 kcal | 26g | 2g |
| Rogan Josh | 35 | 2 | 1 bowl (2 pieces with gravy) | 380 kcal | 28g | 1.5g |
| Masor Tenga (Assamese Sour Fish Curry) | 35 | 2 | 1 bowl (2 pieces with gravy) | 200 kcal | 22g | 2g |
| Goan Fish Curry (Xitt Kodi) | 40 | 3 | 1 bowl (2 pieces with gravy) | 260 kcal | 22g | 2.5g |
| Chicken Xacuti | 40 | 4 | 1 bowl (2 pieces with gravy) | 340 kcal | 27g | 3g |
| Haleem | 56 | 17 | 1 bowl | 350 kcal | 22g | 4g |
| Chicken Biryani | 60 | 22 | 1 medium plate | 400 kcal | 20g | 1.5g |
| Mutton Biryani | 60 | 27 | 1 plate | 580 kcal | 26g | 2g |
| Egg Biryani | 62 | 28 | 1 plate | 450 kcal | 16g | 2g |
| Chicken Curry | No carbs* | 0 | 1 medium bowl (2 pieces with gravy) | 250 kcal | 25g | 1g |
| Fish Curry | No carbs* | 0 | 1 medium bowl (1 piece with gravy) | 180 kcal | 22g | 0.5g |
| Egg Curry | No carbs* | 0 | 2 eggs with gravy | 220 kcal | 14g | 1g |
| Mutton Curry | No carbs* | 0 | 1 medium bowl (2 pieces with gravy) | 300 kcal | 26g | 0.5g |
| Tandoori Chicken | No carbs* | 0 | 2 pieces (leg and thigh) | 260 kcal | 30g | 0g |
| Prawn / Shrimp Curry | No carbs* | 0 | 1 medium bowl | 200 kcal | 24g | 0.5g |
| Boiled Egg | No carbs* | 0 | 1 large egg | 78 kcal | 6g | 0g |
| Chicken Tikka | No carbs* | 0 | 6 to 8 pieces | 250 kcal | 35g | 0g |
| Masala Omelette | No carbs* | 0 | 1 omelette (2 eggs) | 190 kcal | 13g | 0.8g |
| Egg Bhurji | No carbs* | 0 | 1 plate (2 eggs) | 200 kcal | 13g | 1g |
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 non-vegetarian dishes
GI 55 or below. These raise blood sugar slowly and make good everyday choices.
GI 5· LowKeema (Minced Meat)
कीमा · కీమా
Spiced minced mutton or chicken with peas. High protein, very low GI from the meat. The peas add some carbs but also fiber.
GI 5· LowFish Fry
फिश फ्राई · ఫిష్ ఫ్రై
Shallow-fried fish fillets or steaks marinated in spices, with a light coating. High in protein with very few carbs and a low glycemic impact.
GI 15· LowChicken 65
चिकन 65 · చికెన్ 65
Spicy deep-fried boneless chicken from South India, marinated with chilli, ginger-garlic and curry leaves. High in protein with low carbs and a low glycemic impact.
GI 25· LowShorshe Ilish
शोरशे इलिश · శోర్షే ఇలిష్
The quintessential Bengali dish of hilsa fish in a pungent mustard-paste gravy with green chillies. Rich in protein and omega-3 fats with almost no carbohydrate.
GI 28· LowMacha Besara
माछा बेसरा · మాఛా బెసర
A classic Odia fish curry in a tangy mustard-and-garlic gravy. High in protein and omega-3s with very little carbohydrate, so it has a minimal effect on blood sugar.
GI 30· LowButter Chicken
बटर चिकन · బటర్ చికెన్
Murgh Makhani, tandoori chicken simmered in a rich tomato, butter and cream gravy. Low GI overall as carbs are modest, but high in fat and calories.
GI 30· LowFish Moilee (Meen Moilee)
फिश मोइली · చేప మొయిలీ
A mild Kerala fish stew simmered in coconut milk with ginger, green chili and turmeric. High in protein and healthy fats with very few carbs, giving it a very low glycemic load.
GI 30· LowMachha Jhola
माछ झोल · మాఛ ఝోల్
Odisha's everyday light fish curry of rohu or other freshwater fish in a thin mustard, cumin and turmeric gravy, often with a few potato pieces. High in protein with very little carbohydrate.
GI 30· LowYakhni (Kashmiri Mutton in Curd Gravy)
यख़नी · యఖ్నీ
Pale, delicately spiced Kashmiri mutton curry cooked in a curd gravy with fennel, cardamom and dried mint, with no chilli or tomato. High in protein and low in carbohydrate.
GI 30· LowPork with Bamboo Shoot (Naga Style)
बांस की कोंपल के साथ पोर्क · వెదురు చిగురుతో పోర్క్
Nagaland's classic smoked or fresh pork cooked with fermented bamboo shoot, king chilli and ginger, with little oil. High in protein, and bamboo shoot adds fiber with very little carbohydrate.
GI 35· LowPork Vindaloo
पोर्क विंदालू · పోర్క్ విందాలూ
Fiery Goan pork curry marinated in red chillies, garlic, spices and palm vinegar, slow cooked until the meat is tender. Meat and a vinegar-based gravy contain very little carbohydrate.
GI 35· LowRogan Josh
रोगन जोश · రోగన్ జోష్
Kashmir's famous red mutton curry slow cooked in mustard oil or ghee with Kashmiri chilli, fennel, dry ginger and curd. Mutton and a curd-based gravy contain very little carbohydrate.
Showing 12 of 25. The rest are in the ranked table above.
Medium-GI non-vegetarian dishes
GI 56 to 69. Fine in moderate portions, ideally with protein or fiber on the plate.
GI 56· MediumHaleem
हलीम · హలీం
A rich Hyderabadi Ramadan stew of slow-cooked wheat, lentils and meat pounded to a thick paste. High in protein and fiber, though the wheat keeps its GI moderate.
GI 60· MediumChicken Biryani
चिकन बिरयानी · చికెన్ బిర్యాని
Layered rice and chicken dish. Uses basmati rice which has a lower GI than regular white rice, but the portion size matters.
GI 60· MediumMutton Biryani
मटन बिरयानी · మటన్ బిర్యానీ
Aromatic basmati rice cooked with tender spiced mutton in the dum style. The rice base gives it a medium glycemic impact alongside rich protein and fat.
GI 62· MediumEgg Biryani
अंडा बिरयानी · ఎగ్ బిర్యానీ
Fragrant basmati rice layered with spiced masala and boiled eggs. Rice content gives it a medium glycemic impact balanced by protein from the eggs.
Related guides
Common questions
Which non-vegetarian dishes are best for diabetes?
Most are fine in sensible portions: 25 of the 29 non-vegetarian dishes on GlycemicIndia are low GI. The best picks for blood sugar are Butter Chicken (30), Chicken Xacuti (40), Keema (Minced Meat) (5), Fish Fry (5), Chicken 65 (15).
Which non-vegetarian dishes should sugar patients limit?
The highest-GI non-vegetarian dishes are Egg Biryani (62), Mutton Biryani (60), Chicken Biryani (60), Haleem (56), Goan Fish Curry (Xitt Kodi) (40). 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 non-veg kha sakte hain?
Butter chicken, chicken xacuti, keema, fish fry jaise options sabse behtar hain, kyunki inka GI kam hai aur yeh sugar dheere badhate hain. egg biryani, mutton biryani, chicken biryani 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.