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Sambar Vada

Measured glycemic index 36.9 — low — from J Food Sci Technol 2022.

GI 36.9 Sambar Vada has a measured glycemic index of 36.9 against glucose as 100 — low on the standard categories. The tested preparation was described as "Vada sambar".

The study that measured this glycemic index did not publish a per-food carbohydrate figure, so a glycemic load cannot be calculated from it, and this page does not substitute a figure from elsewhere.

This page is reference information, not medical advice.

Nothing here can diagnose you, and nothing here is a treatment plan. Blood glucose results are interpreted by a doctor alongside your history, your symptoms and a repeat test — a single number on a screen is not a diagnosis. If any reading concerns you, or if you feel unwell, see a doctor rather than a website.

The measured value

The published glycemic index for Sambar Vada, exactly as the study reported it.
Glycemic index (glucose = 100)36.9
CategoryLow — 55 or less
Preparation testedVada sambar
Measured byShakappa D, Naik R, Sobhana PP. Glycemic carbohydrates, glycemic index, and glycemic load of commonly consumed South Indian breakfast foods. J Food Sci Technol 2022;59(9):3619–3626.

What a serving contains

Sambar Vada — composition per serving and per 100 g, from the Indian Food Composition Tables 2017 and standard recipe analysis. Assumption: medu vadas soaked in sambar.
1 plate (2 vadas in sambar) (150 g)Per 100 g
Carbohydrate33.0 g22.0 g
Fibre3.9 g2.6 g
Protein9.3 g6.2 g
Energy263 kcal175 kcal

Home-cooked Indian food varies enormously with oil, ghee and portion size. These are averages for a stated serving, not a measurement of your plate. Full nutrition for this dish, including fat and other servings, is on ThaliFacts.

Source: Longvah T, Ananthan R, Bhaskarachary K, Venkaiah K. Indian Food Composition Tables 2017. National Institute of Nutrition, ICMR, Hyderabad. Link

PeakForm is a training and accountability programme. It is not a treatment for diabetes or prediabetes, it is not a substitute for your doctor's advice, and nothing on this site should be acted on before speaking to one.

What this page is not saying

It is not saying sambar vada is good or bad for blood sugar, and it is not recommending or discouraging it. No food treats diabetes and no food causes it on its own. Meals are eaten in combination, portions differ, and people differ.

If you have diabetes, prediabetes, or a result that worries you, what belongs on your plate is a conversation with a doctor or a registered dietitian who has seen your reports.

General information only — NOT medical advice, and never a diagnosis. Only a doctor can interpret your results and diagnose or treat diabetes. If a reading concerns you, see a doctor rather than a website.

Common questions

What is the glycemic index of sambar vada?
36.9 against glucose as 100, which is low. It was measured in J Food Sci Technol 2022, where the tested preparation was described as "Vada sambar". Cooking method and what else is on the plate both move the real-world response.
How many carbohydrates are in sambar vada?
About 33.0 g of carbohydrate in 1 plate (2 vadas in sambar) (150 g), alongside 3.9 g of fibre and 263 kcal, from the Indian Food Composition Tables 2017. Home cooking varies, so treat it as an average for a stated serving.
Is sambar vada good for diabetes?
This site does not answer that, for any food. No food treats diabetes, and what belongs on your plate depends on your results, your medicines and your circumstances — which is a conversation with a doctor or a registered dietitian, not a web page.

General information only — NOT medical advice, and never a diagnosis. Only a doctor can interpret your results and diagnose or treat diabetes. If a reading concerns you, see a doctor rather than a website. Every threshold, equation and glycemic index value used on this site is listed with its publication on the data & method page.

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