Is Curd (Dahi) Good For Diabetes? GI, GL & Daily Serving Guide

By Asfia Fatima, Chief Dietitian at Clearcals | Medically Reviewed | Updated May 2025

TLDR

• Curd (dahi) has a glycemic index (GI) of 34 and a glycemic load (GL) of under 2 per 100g — extremely low.
• Studies show that daily curd consumption reduces the risk of developing type 2 diabetes by 14–18%.
• Plain, low-fat, unsweetened curd is the best choice — avoid flavoured or sweetened varieties.
• 1–2 small cups (100–200g) per day is the recommended amount for people with diabetes.

Is Curd (Dahi) Good for People With Diabetes?

Yes — curd is one of the most consistently recommended foods for people with diabetes, and the research is stronger here than for almost any other food on this list.

Curd (dahi) has a glycemic index of just 34 — one of the lowest of any dairy product. At a 100g serving, it contains only 4.7g of carbohydrates, giving it a glycemic load of just 1.6. This means that eating curd has almost no impact on blood sugar levels on its own.

But the benefit of curd goes beyond its low GI.

Multiple large studies have found that people who eat curd regularly have a significantly lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes, and for people already managing diabetes, regular curd consumption helps improve fasting blood glucose and HDL cholesterol levels.

Curd Nutrition Facts

Curd is particularly valuable for its probiotics, calcium, and protein content — all of which play a direct role in metabolic health and blood sugar regulation.

Glycemic Index and Glycemic Load of Curd

The type of curd matters significantly. Plain, unsweetened dahi is excellent for diabetics. Flavoured curd, mango lassi, and sweetened yogurt drinks are not.

How Curd Helps Manage Diabetes

1. Very low glycemic load — nearly zero blood sugar impact With a GL of just 1.6 per 100g, curd eaten in any normal meal quantity will not raise blood sugar. This makes it one of the safest foods to eat freely without counting carbohydrates.

2. Probiotics improve gut health and insulin sensitivity The live bacteria in curd — primarily Lactobacillus acidophilus and Lactobacillus bulgaricus — improve the gut microbiome. Emerging research shows a strong link between gut health and insulin sensitivity. People with a healthy gut microbiome tend to have better blood glucose control.

3. High protein slows sugar absorption Curd's protein content (3.5g per 100g) slows gastric emptying, meaning the overall meal digests more slowly. Eating curd alongside a carbohydrate-rich dish — rice, roti, poha — effectively lowers the glycemic response of that entire meal.

4. Calcium and vitamin D support metabolic health Calcium deficiency has been linked to impaired insulin secretion. Regular curd consumption supports adequate calcium intake, which may contribute to better insulin function.

5. Reduces LDL cholesterol and raises HDL People with type 2 diabetes are at significantly higher risk of cardiovascular disease. Several studies have found that regular curd consumption reduces LDL (bad) cholesterol and increases HDL (good) cholesterol — a meaningful secondary benefit.

What Does the Research Say?

Study 1: A meta-analysis published in the Journal of Nutrition (Salas-Salvadó et al., 2017) found that people who consumed yogurt/curd daily had a 14% lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes compared to those who consumed no yogurt.

Study 2: A larger meta-analysis (Chen et al., 2014) across three US cohort studies found that each additional serving of yogurt per day was associated with a 17–18% reduction in the risk of type 2 diabetes.

Study 3: A randomised controlled trial found that consuming 100ml of conventional yogurt per day significantly reduced fasting blood glucose (FBG) and improved HDL cholesterol in patients with type 2 diabetes (Lestari et al., 2019).

These are some of the strongest numbers for any food in diabetes research. The evidence is from human trials, and the effect size is meaningful.

Which Type of Curd Is Best for Diabetics?

How Much Curd Can a Diabetic Eat Per Day?

1–2 small cups (100–200g) of plain, unsweetened curd per day is the recommended amount.

• The best time is with meals — at lunch or dinner, where it can lower the glycemic response of the entire meal
• Curd is also excellent as a mid-morning or afternoon snack, particularly when paired with a small portion of fruit
• Avoid eating curd late at night before bed (traditional Ayurvedic guidance, also supported by some research showing altered gut bacteria activity when consumed at night)
• If you are lactose intolerant, curd is generally better tolerated than milk because the fermentation process breaks down most of the lactose

Track your curd intake, recipes, and full nutrition with the Hint app. Download on the App Store | Get it on Google Play

Diabetic-Friendly Ways to Eat Curd

• Plain dahi with a pinch of cumin (jeera) — the simplest and best option
• Raita with cucumber, onion, tomato, or mint — adds vegetables and keeps GL very low
• Chaas / buttermilk — diluted with water, seasoned with jeera and curry leaves; excellent for afternoon hydration
• Curd rice — a South Indian staple that is actually a good diabetic meal when made with moderate rice quantity; the curd significantly lowers the overall GL of the rice
• Hung curd with herbs — used as a dip instead of mayonnaise or butter; lower fat and much lower GL

For more diabetic meal ideas, read our Diabetes Diet Guide.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. क्या शुगर में दही खा सकते हैं? (Can we eat curd/dahi in diabetes?) हाँ। दही का GI सिर्फ 34 है और glycemic load 1.6 है — इससे blood sugar पर बहुत कम असर पड़ता है। रोज 100–200g plain दही खाना diabetes के लिए फायदेमंद है।

Yes. Curd (dahi) has a GI of just 34 and a glycemic load of 1.6 — it has minimal impact on blood sugar. Eating 100–200g of plain dahi daily is beneficial for people with diabetes.

2. What is the glycemic index of dahi (curd)? The GI of plain curd/dahi is 34 — this falls in the low GI category (below 55). Its glycemic load at a 100g serving is just 1.6, which is extremely low.

3. Is curd good for type 2 diabetes? Yes. Multiple large-scale human studies have found that regular curd consumption reduces the risk of developing type 2 diabetes by 14–18%. For people already managing type 2 diabetes, daily curd consumption has been shown to reduce fasting blood glucose and improve HDL cholesterol.

4. Can diabetics eat curd rice? Yes, in moderation. Curd rice (thayir sadam) made with a moderate quantity of rice is a good diabetic meal — the curd significantly lowers the glycemic response of the rice. Use 2 parts rice to 1 part curd, and add a small amount of chaas/buttermilk to dilute rather than excess curd.

5. What is the best time to eat curd for diabetics? With lunch or dinner is ideal. Eating curd alongside a carbohydrate-heavy meal (rice, roti) lowers the overall glycemic response of that meal. As a mid-morning snack is also effective. Avoid eating curd very late at night.

6. Is flavoured curd (fruit yogurt) good for diabetes? No. Flavoured curd and fruit yogurts typically contain 15–20g of added sugar per 100g serving, raising the glycemic load to 8–14. These should be avoided. Always choose plain, unsweetened dahi.

7. Can a diabetic drink lassi? Unsalted or salted lassi without added sugar is safe in moderation (200ml). Sweetened mango lassi or flavoured lassi with sugar should be avoided — the GL can exceed 15 per serving.

Download the Hint App

The Hint app helps you build a personalised diabetic diet plan, track every meal, and connect with registered dietitians — all in one place.

Download on the App Store | Get it on Google Play

Garmin users: Buy a Garmin watch and get Hint Premium free for 1 month (worth ₹1,999) — including unlimited dietitian consultations.

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About the Author

Asfia Fatima is the Chief Dietitian at Clearcals, with a Master's Degree in Dietetics and Clinical Nutrition and over a decade of experience in clinical nutrition and lifestyle management.

She specializes in evidence-based diet planning for weight loss, diabetes, and metabolic health.

At Clearcals, she leads the nutrition strategy behind the Hint app, helping users achieve their goals with science-backed guidance.

🔗 Connect with Asfia on LinkedIn

Also Read: Diabetes & Food Guide

• Is Coconut Water Good For Diabetes?
• Is Papaya Good For Diabetes?
• Is Jackfruit Good For Diabetes?
• Is Beetroot Good For Diabetes?
• Is Pomegranate Good For Diabetes?
• Is Sweet Potato Good For Diabetes?
• Is Orange Good For Diabetes?
• Is Guava Good For Diabetes?
• Complete Diabetes Diet Guide

References

1. Wolever TM. Yogurt Is a Low-Glycemic Index Food. J Nutr. 2017;147(7):1462S–1467S. ↗
2. Salas-Salvadó J, Guasch-Ferré M, Díaz-López A, Babio N. Yogurt and Diabetes: Overview of Recent Observational Studies. J Nutr. 2017;147(7):1452S–1461S. ↗
3. Chen M, Sun Q, Giovannucci E, et al. Dairy consumption and risk of type 2 diabetes: 3 cohorts of US adults and an updated meta-analysis. BMC Med. 2014;12:215. ↗
4. Lestari AL, Ratnasari D, Azizah E, et al. Short-Term Consumption of Probiotic Yogurt Improved HDL-C of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Patients: A Double-Blind Randomized Controlled Trial. Romanian J Diabetes Nutr Metab Dis. 2019;26:381–392. ↗
5. Parle M, Malik J. Curd: a sedative with a bonus bowl of useful side effects. Int Res J Pharm. 2014;5(3). ↗