Snacks & Desserts

Educational guidance only — not a personal diet prescription. Content is medically reviewed and based on recognised clinical guidelines — see references. If you have feedback or a suggestion to improve this website, give us feedback.

Green · Choose more often

Air-popped popcorn

popcorn

Whole-grain snack when plain — avoid butter and caramel.

Portion: 3 cups (about 24 g)

Green · Choose more often

Almonds

badam, lawz

Healthy fats and protein; very low glycaemic impact.

Portion: 10–12 almonds (about 15 g)

Red · Limit / avoid routinely

Baklava

baklawa

Pastry, nuts and syrup — occasional only.

Portion: 2 small pieces (about 50 g)

Red · Limit / avoid routinely

Banana chips

kaya varuthathu

Fried in coconut oil — high in fat.

Portion: small handful (about 30 g)

Red · Limit / avoid routinely

Besan ladoo

laddu

Sweet made with gram flour, ghee and sugar.

Portion: 1 piece (about 40 g)

Red · Limit / avoid routinely

Bibingka

rice cake

Sweet rice cake — share one.

Portion: 1 piece (about 100 g)

Amber · Watch your portion

Dark chocolate (70%+)

dark chocolate

If you want chocolate, small dark is the better choice.

Portion: 2 squares (about 20 g)

Red · Limit / avoid routinely

Digestive biscuits

biskut, cookies

'Digestive' does not mean low sugar.

Portion: 2 biscuits (about 30 g)

Red · Limit / avoid routinely

French fries

chips, fries

Fried potato — high in fat and carbohydrate.

Portion: 1 medium portion (about 117 g)

Red · Limit / avoid routinely

Gulab jamun

gulab jaman

Fried and soaked in sugar syrup — a festive sweet only.

Portion: 1 small piece (about 40 g)

Red · Limit / avoid routinely

Halo-halo

halu-halo

Shaved ice with sweetened beans, fruit and milk — very sugary.

Portion: 1 glass (about 300 g)

Red · Limit / avoid routinely

Honey

asal, pulot, shahad

Honey is still sugar — not a diabetes-friendly sweetener.

Portion: 1 tablespoon (about 21 g)

Red · Limit / avoid routinely

Ice cream

kulfi (similar), sorbetes

Sweet dessert — small scoop, occasionally.

Portion: ½ cup (about 66 g)

Red · Limit / avoid routinely

Jalebi

jilapi, zulbia

Fried batter in sugar syrup — one of the fastest glucose raisers.

Portion: 2 small pieces (about 50 g)

Red · Limit / avoid routinely

Kheer (rice pudding)

firni, payesh

Milk, rice and sugar — keep it small and occasional.

Portion: ½ cup (about 120 g)

Red · Limit / avoid routinely

Kunafa

knafeh

Cheese pastry in sugar syrup — share a small piece.

Portion: 1 piece (about 100 g)

Red · Limit / avoid routinely

Leche flan

flan

Caramel custard rich in sugar and condensed milk.

Portion: 1 thin slice (about 80 g)

Red · Limit / avoid routinely

Lumpiang shanghai

fried spring rolls

Deep-fried rolls — keep for parties.

Portion: 4 pieces (about 100 g)

Red · Limit / avoid routinely

Luqaimat

awamat, lokma

Fried dough with date syrup.

Portion: 5 pieces (about 60 g)

Red · Limit / avoid routinely

Medu vada

uddina vade, ulundu vadai

Deep-fried lentil doughnut.

Portion: 2 pieces (about 80 g)

Red · Limit / avoid routinely

Milk chocolate

chocolate bar

Mostly sugar and fat.

Portion: 1 small bar (about 40 g)

Red · Limit / avoid routinely

Namkeen mixture

bombay mix, chevda

Fried and salty — easy to over-eat.

Portion: small handful (about 30 g)

Red · Limit / avoid routinely

Pakora

bhajia, pakoda

Deep-fried gram-flour fritters — try baked or air-fried versions.

Portion: 5–6 pieces (about 100 g)

Red · Limit / avoid routinely

Payasam

kheer (South Indian), paysam

Sweet milk pudding — festive only.

Portion: ½ cup (about 120 g)

Green · Choose more often

Peanuts

ful sudani, mani, moongphali

Unsalted peanuts are a good snack in small amounts.

Portion: small handful (about 30 g)

Green · Choose more often

Pistachios

fustuq, pista

Healthy fats and protein — measure your handful.

Portion: about 30 nuts (about 30 g)

Red · Limit / avoid routinely

Pizza

pizza

Refined dough and cheese — two slices with salad at most.

Portion: 2 slices (about 200 g)

Red · Limit / avoid routinely

Rasmalai

ras malai

Sweetened milk dessert — occasional and small.

Portion: 1 piece (about 80 g)

Green · Choose more often

Roasted chana

bhuna chana, chickpea snack

Crunchy, high-protein snack — a smart swap for chips.

Portion: small handful (about 30 g)

Green · Choose more often

Roasted makhana

fox nuts, lotus seeds

Light, crunchy snack when roasted with very little ghee.

Portion: 1 cup (about 25 g)

Red · Limit / avoid routinely

Samosa

sambusa, samsa

Deep-fried refined-flour pastry with potato filling.

Portion: 1 medium (about 100 g)

Red · Limit / avoid routinely

Suji halwa

sheera, sooji halwa

Semolina, ghee and sugar — very rich.

Portion: ½ cup (about 100 g)

Red · Limit / avoid routinely

Table sugar

asukal, cheeni, sukkar

Added sugar — keep to a minimum.

Portion: 1 teaspoon (about 4 g)

Red · Limit / avoid routinely

Taho

silken tofu with syrup

Tofu is good — the arnibal syrup is the problem.

Portion: 1 cup (about 250 g)

Red · Limit / avoid routinely

Turon

banana lumpia

Fried banana with sugar wrapper.

Portion: 1 piece (about 80 g)

Red · Limit / avoid routinely

Umm Ali

om ali

Bread pudding with cream and sugar.

Portion: 1 small bowl (about 150 g)

Green · Choose more often

Walnuts

akhrot, jawz

Omega-3 rich nut.

Portion: 6–7 halves (about 15 g)