Goan Foods
Goan food is coastal and coconut-rich: fish curry and rice ('xitt kodi'), recheado and rava-fried fish, prawn curries, Portuguese-influenced dishes like vindaloo and xacuti, poi bread from the village bakery, sannas, sol kadhi after meals and bebinca for Christmas. The fish, meat and coconut curries are low GI; rice, poi, sannas and the sweets are where the carbohydrate is.
Best picks for blood sugar
- Chicken XacutiGI 40
- Fish FryGI 5
- Sol KadhiGI 30
- Pork VindalooGI 35
- Goan Fish Curry (Xitt Kodi)GI 40
Keep these small
- SannasGI 72
- Goan Poi (Pao)GI 68
- BebincaGI 65
Easy swaps
The same kind of food, with a gentler effect on blood sugar.
Goan foods 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fish Fry | 5 | 0 | 2 pieces | 240 kcal | 28g | 0g |
| Sol Kadhi | 30 | 2 | 1 glass | 90 kcal | 1g | 1g |
| Pork Vindaloo | 35 | 3 | 1 bowl | 380 kcal | 26g | 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 |
| Bebinca | 65 | 22 | 1 slice | 300 kcal | 4g | 0.5g |
| Goan Poi (Pao) | 68 | 23 | 1 poi | 180 kcal | 6g | 3g |
| Sannas | 72 | 29 | 3 sannas | 200 kcal | 3.5g | 1g |
| Prawn / Shrimp Curry | No carbs* | 0 | 1 medium bowl | 200 kcal | 24g | 0.5g |
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 Goan foods
GI 55 or below. These raise blood sugar slowly and make good everyday choices.
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 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· 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 40· LowGoan Fish Curry (Xitt Kodi)
गोवन फिश करी · గోవా చేపల కూర
Tangy, orange-red Goan curry of kingfish or pomfret in a ground coconut, red chilli and kokum or tamarind gravy, eaten with rice as the everyday 'xitt kodi'. The fish is pure protein and the coconut gravy has little carbohydrate.
GI 40· LowChicken Xacuti
चिकन शकुती · చికెన్ షకూటి
Goan chicken curry in a dark, aromatic gravy of roasted coconut, poppy seeds, dried red chillies and a dozen roasted spices. High in protein; the coconut adds fat rather than sugar.
No carbsPrawn / Shrimp Curry
झींगा करी · రొయ్యల కర్రీ
Prawns cooked in spiced coconut or onion-tomato gravy. Very low GI, high protein, and rich in omega-3 fatty acids.
Medium-GI Goan foods
GI 56 to 69. Fine in moderate portions, ideally with protein or fiber on the plate.
GI 65· MediumBebinca
बेबिंका · బెబింకా
The queen of Goan sweets: a dense layered cake of coconut milk, egg yolks, sugar, ghee and a little flour, each of its many layers baked one at a time. Very sweet and rich; the fat slows it down a little, but the sugar load is high.
GI 68· MediumGoan Poi (Pao)
गोवन पोई · గోవా పోయి
Round, hollow Goan bread rolls made from part whole-wheat flour and dusted with wheat bran, baked by the local poder (baker) every morning and eaten with curries and bhaji. A little more fiber than white pav, but still a refined-flour bread.
High-GI Goan foods to keep small
GI 70 or above. These raise blood sugar fastest, so keep portions small and have them with a meal.
Related guides
Common questions
Is Goan food good for diabetes?
Largely, yes: 6 of the 9 Goan foods in our database are low GI. Foods like Chicken Xacuti (40), Fish Fry (5), Sol Kadhi (30) raise blood sugar slowly, while Sannas (72), Goan Poi (Pao) (68), Bebinca (65) raise it fastest and are best kept to small portions.
Which Goan foods have the lowest glycemic index?
The lowest-GI Goan foods in our database are Chicken Xacuti (40), Fish Fry (5), Sol Kadhi (30), Pork Vindaloo (35), Goan Fish Curry (Xitt Kodi) (40).
Which Goan foods should diabetics limit?
The highest-GI Goan foods are Sannas (72), Goan Poi (Pao) (68), Bebinca (65). You don't have to avoid them entirely — keep portions small and pair them with protein, fiber or curd.
Sugar ke mareez ke liye kaun sa Goan khana sabse accha hai?
Chicken xacuti, fish fry, sol kadhi, pork vindaloo jaise options sabse behtar hain, kyunki inka GI kam hai aur yeh sugar dheere badhate hain. sannas, poi, bebinca kam matra mein hi lein, aur dal, sabzi ya dahi ke saath khayein.
Is Goan fish curry rice good for diabetes?
The curry itself is fine (GI about 40, with only 8g of carbohydrate per bowl); the rice is the part to control. Have a smaller portion of rice, preferably red or brown, with extra curry and a vegetable on the side.
Is sol kadhi good for diabetics?
Yes, the traditional unsweetened kind. Sol kadhi of kokum and coconut milk has just 6g of carbohydrate per glass and a GI of about 30. It's a good after-meal drink; skip versions with added sugar.
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.