Odia Foods
Odia cooking is simple and rice-based — including fermented pakhala in summer — with dalma (dal cooked with vegetables), fish (machha), light vegetable dishes like santula and saga bhaja, and a rich tradition of pithas and chhena sweets. Dalma, greens and fish dishes are low GI; rasgulla and fried festival pithas are the highest.
Best picks for blood sugar
- Masoor Dal (Red Lentils)GI 26
- Dahi BaiganaGI 30
- Moong DalGI 31
- GhugniGI 35
- Sattu (Roasted Gram Flour)GI 35
Keep these small
- Murmura (Puffed Rice)GI 90
- RasgullaGI 80
- KhajaGI 78
- Arisa PithaGI 75
- Pumpkin (Kaddu)GI 75
Easy swaps
The same kind of food, with a gentler effect on blood sugar.
Odia 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 |
| Spinach (Palak) | 6 | 0 | 1 large bowl (cooked) | 23 kcal | 2.9g | 2.2g |
| Curd / Yogurt (Dahi) | 14 | 1 | 1 medium bowl | 90 kcal | 5g | 0g |
| Bitter Gourd (Karela) | 15 | 1 | 1 medium bowl (cooked) | 20 kcal | 1g | 2.5g |
| Brinjal (Baingan) | 15 | 1 | 1 medium bowl (cooked) | 25 kcal | 1g | 3g |
| Saga Bhaja | 15 | 0 | 1 small bowl | 70 kcal | 3g | 3g |
| Masoor Dal (Red Lentils) | 26 | 4 | 1 medium bowl (cooked) | 115 kcal | 8g | 4g |
| Macha Besara | 28 | 2 | 1 bowl (2 pieces) | 220 kcal | 24g | 1g |
| Dahi Baigana | 30 | 4 | 1 bowl | 110 kcal | 5g | 4g |
| Machha Jhola | 30 | 2 | 1 bowl (2 pieces) | 210 kcal | 22g | 1.5g |
| Moong Dal | 31 | 5 | 1 medium bowl (cooked) | 105 kcal | 7.5g | 4g |
| Ghugni | 35 | 7 | 1 bowl | 190 kcal | 9g | 7g |
| Sattu (Roasted Gram Flour) | 35 | 5 | 2 tablespoons in a glass of water | 120 kcal | 7g | 5g |
| Santula | 38 | 6 | 1 bowl | 120 kcal | 4g | 5g |
| Raw Banana (Plantain) | 40 | 8 | 1 medium raw banana (cooked) | 90 kcal | 1.3g | 2.5g |
| Dalma | 40 | 10 | 1 bowl | 200 kcal | 10g | 6g |
| Elephant Yam (Suran / Jimikand) | 54 | 13 | 1 cup cooked pieces | 118 kcal | 1.5g | 4g |
| Chhena Poda | 55 | 17 | 1 slice | 250 kcal | 10g | 0g |
| Pakhala Bhata (Fermented Rice) | 55 | 23 | 1 bowl with water | 200 kcal | 4g | 1g |
| Colocasia (Arbi / Taro root) | 58 | 13 | 1 cup cooked pieces | 112 kcal | 1.5g | 4.1g |
| Khechudi | 58 | 21 | 1 bowl | 260 kcal | 9g | 4g |
| Dahi Bara Aloo Dum | 60 | 26 | 1 plate (2 bara + aloo dum) | 380 kcal | 12g | 6g |
| Enduri Pitha | 62 | 26 | 2 pithas | 250 kcal | 6g | 3g |
| Chakuli Pitha | 63 | 18 | 2 pithas | 180 kcal | 5g | 2g |
| Rasmalai | 70 | 15 | 1 piece with milk | 190 kcal | 6g | 0g |
| White Rice (Polished) | 73 | 30 | 1 medium bowl (cooked) | 195 kcal | 4g | 0.6g |
| Pumpkin (Kaddu) | 75 | 3 | 1 medium bowl (cooked) | 26 kcal | 1g | 0.5g |
| Arisa Pitha | 75 | 35 | 2 pieces | 330 kcal | 3g | 1.5g |
| Khaja | 78 | 25 | 1 piece | 250 kcal | 2.5g | 0.5g |
| Rasgulla | 80 | 20 | 2 pieces | 190 kcal | 5g | 0g |
| Murmura (Puffed Rice) | 90 | 16 | 1 bowl (20 g) | 80 kcal | 1.3g | 0.3g |
| Fish Curry | No carbs* | 0 | 1 medium bowl (1 piece with gravy) | 180 kcal | 22g | 0.5g |
| 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 Odia 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 6· LowSpinach (Palak)
पालक · పాలకూర
Iron-rich leafy green used in palak paneer, dal palak, and many other dishes. Negligible GI and highly nutritious.
GI 14· LowCurd / 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.
GI 15· LowBitter Gourd (Karela)
करेला · కాకరకాయ
Traditionally used for diabetes management in India. Contains compounds that mimic insulin action. Very low GI.
GI 15· LowBrinjal (Baingan)
बैंगन · వంకాయ
Eggplant used in bharwa baingan, baingan bharta, and many South Indian dishes. Very low GI with good fiber.
GI 15· LowSaga Bhaja
साग भाजा · సాగ భాజా
Leafy greens (spinach, amaranth or other saga) stir-fried with garlic, dried red chilli and a little mustard oil — the simplest and most common green dish on an Odia plate. Very low in carbs and GI.
GI 26· LowMasoor Dal (Red Lentils)
मसूर दाल · మసూర్ పప్పు
Red/orange lentils that cook quickly. One of the most affordable protein sources in India. Low GI with good iron content.
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· LowDahi 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.
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 31· LowMoong Dal
मूंग दाल · పెసర పప్పు
Split green gram, one of the lightest and most easily digestible dals. Low GI and high in protein.
GI 35· LowGhugni
घुगनी · ఘుగ్ని
A spiced curry of dried yellow or white peas, the favourite street breakfast and snack of Odisha and Bengal, usually topped with onion and served with puri or on its own. The whole peas keep it high in fiber and low GI.
Showing 12 of 21. The rest are in the ranked table above.
Medium-GI Odia foods
GI 56 to 69. Fine in moderate portions, ideally with protein or fiber on the plate.
GI 58· MediumColocasia (Arbi / Taro root)
अरबी · చామదుంప
A starchy tuber with a moderate GI. Higher in carbs than green vegetables, so portion control matters for diabetics.
GI 58· MediumKhechudi
खेचुड़ी · ఖేచుడి
Odia khichdi of rice and moong dal cooked with ghee, cumin and ginger — the famous Jagannath temple bhoga and a comforting home meal. The dal lowers its GI compared with plain rice.
GI 60· MediumDahi Bara Aloo Dum
दही बड़ा आलू दम · దహి బడా ఆలూ దమ్
Cuttack's iconic street food: soft urad-dal vadas soaked in spiced curd, served with a spicy potato curry (aloo dum) and ghugni. The potato and fried vadas make it a heavy, medium-GI plate.
GI 62· MediumEnduri Pitha
एंडुरी पीठा · ఎండూరి పీఠా
A steamed Odia festival cake of fermented rice and urad dal batter filled with coconut and jaggery, cooked wrapped in turmeric leaves. Steaming keeps it light, but the jaggery filling adds sugar.
GI 63· MediumChakuli Pitha
चकुली पीठा · చకులి పీఠా
A soft Odia fermented pancake made from a ground rice and black-gram batter, similar to dosa. Overnight fermentation makes it lighter and slightly gentler on blood sugar than plain rice.
High-GI Odia foods to keep small
GI 70 or above. These raise blood sugar fastest, so keep portions small and have them with a meal.
GI 70· HighRasmalai
रसमलाई · రసమలై
Bengali sweet of soft chhena (paneer) discs soaked in thickened, saffron and cardamom-flavoured sweet milk. The milk protein and fat slow it a little compared with rasgulla, but the sugar is still high.
GI 73· HighWhite Rice (Polished)
सफेद चावल · తెల్ల బియ్యం
Polished white rice, the most commonly consumed staple in India. High GI due to removal of bran and fiber during polishing.
GI 75· HighPumpkin (Kaddu)
कद्दू · గుమ్మడికాయ
Orange-fleshed gourd rich in beta-carotene. High GI but very low GL because it's mostly water with moderate carbs per serving.
GI 75· HighArisa Pitha
अरिसा पीठा · అరిసా పీఠా
A deep-fried Odia sweet of rice flour and jaggery dough coated in sesame seeds, made for festivals like Raja and Manabasa (the Telugu ariselu is a close cousin). Refined rice flour, jaggery and frying make it high GI.
GI 78· HighKhaja
खाजा · ఖాజా
Flaky, many-layered pastry of maida, deep fried in ghee and dipped in sugar syrup, famous from Silao in Bihar and Puri in Odisha. Refined flour, frying and syrup together make it one of the fastest-acting sweets.
GI 80· HighRasgulla
रसगुल्ला · రసగుల్లా
Spongy cottage cheese balls in sugar syrup. Bengali classic. High GI from the sugar syrup, but slightly better than gulab jamun as it's not fried.
GI 90· HighMurmura (Puffed Rice)
मुरमुरे · మరమరాలు
Light, crisp puffed rice used in bhel puri, jhal muri, chivda and as a quick snack. Puffing makes the starch very easy to digest, so it raises blood sugar quickly even though a bowl feels light.
Which is better? Side-by-side comparisons
Related guides
Common questions
Is Odia food good for diabetes?
Largely, yes: 21 of the 33 Odia foods in our database are low GI. Foods like Masoor Dal (Red Lentils) (26), Dahi Baigana (30), Moong Dal (31) raise blood sugar slowly, while Murmura (Puffed Rice) (90), Rasgulla (80), Khaja (78) raise it fastest and are best kept to small portions.
Which Odia foods have the lowest glycemic index?
The lowest-GI Odia foods in our database are Masoor Dal (Red Lentils) (26), Dahi Baigana (30), Moong Dal (31), Ghugni (35), Sattu (Roasted Gram Flour) (35).
Which Odia foods should diabetics limit?
The highest-GI Odia foods are Murmura (Puffed Rice) (90), Rasgulla (80), Khaja (78), Arisa Pitha (75), Pumpkin (Kaddu) (75). 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 Odia khana sabse accha hai?
Masoor dal, dahi baigana, moong dal, ghugni jaise options sabse behtar hain, kyunki inka GI kam hai aur yeh sugar dheere badhate hain. murmura, rasgulla, khaja kam matra mein hi lein, aur dal, sabzi ya dahi ke saath khayein.
How many calories are in chakuli pitha?
A serving of 2 pithas has about 180 calories, with 33g of carbohydrate and 5g of protein. It has a GI of 63 (medium GI) — eat it with dalma or ghugni rather than sugar for a steadier blood-sugar response.
Is pakhala good for diabetes?
Pakhala is still rice, but overnight fermentation lowers its GI to about 55, compared with 73 for freshly cooked white rice. Keep the portion moderate and eat it with saga bhaja, fish or dalma rather than with potato or fried sides.
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.