Diabetes · CGM Log
7 Days, 1 CGM, and My Favorite Desi Meals
Here’s what actually spiked my glucose — and what didn’t
I wore a CGM for a week eating normal desi food — dals, biryani, tandoori chicken, one dosa. No diet, no restriction. Just watching the numbers. Here’s what happened.
The 3 Biggest Spikes
| Meal | Start | Peak | Rise | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 🍚 Bajra khichdi (millet + 3 dals) | 99 | 187 | +88 | 67 min |
| 🍗 Chicken biryani | 91 | 176 | +85 | 63 min |
| 🥞 Plain dosa | 85 | 151 | +66 | 35 min (still climbing) |
Dosa moved the fastest — 66 points in barely half an hour. Khichdi and biryani hit harder overall but took an hour+.
The 3 Flattest Meals
| Meal | Range | Verdict |
|---|---|---|
| 🍗 Tandoori chicken (x3 separate times) | 80–100 | Basically a flat line, every time |
| ☕ Tea + milk, no sugar (x2) | 92 → 99 | +7, barely moves the needle |
| 🥑 Sprouts + avocado + chole | 83 → 105 | Slow, gentle, delayed |
Chicken was the most boring — in a good way — food of the entire week. Zero drama, three separate occasions.
Exercise = My Best Glucose Tool
| After this meal | Before moving | After moving | Move | Recovery |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Khichdi | 187 | 133 | 🚴 10 min | 🐇 Fast — 54 pts in 10 min |
| Biryani | 176 | 112 | 🚴 20 min | 🐇 Fast — 64 pts in 20 min |
| High-fiber dinner | 111 | 70 | 🚴 30 min | 🚀 Fastest — 41 pts, dropped below baseline |
| Oil-free moong dal | ~160 est. | 102 | 🚶 shopping/walking | 🐢 Slower — took the whole afternoon |
Even 10 minutes of cycling knocked 54 points off a 187. A short walk did almost the same job as 30 minutes on the bike.
The Oil Difference (1 comparison, worth watching)
| Same base dal | Oil/fat | Peak | Recovery |
|---|---|---|---|
| Moong dal + ghee/oil | Yes | ~155–160 est. | 🐢 Slow |
| Moong dal, oil-free | No | ~160–165 est. → back to 102 fast | 🐇 Fast (with walking) |
Peaks looked similar, but the oil-free version recovered much faster with some walking. One data point — not a rule yet.
Everything Else, at a Glance
| Day | Meal | Start → Peak | Severity | Recovery | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Biryani | 91 → 176 | 🔴 High | 🐇 Fast (cycling) | Rice + protein, big & fast |
| 2 | Saag + salted lassi | ~119 → ~128 est. | 🟢 Low | — not tracked | Mild |
| 2 | Guac + broccoli + moong dal | 90 → ~128 est. | 🟡 Moderate | 🐇 Fast (natural + cycling) | Slow build |
| 3 | Moong dal + ghee | 99 → ~158 est. | 🔴 High | 🐢 Slow | Fat-heavy version |
| 3 | Chole, minimal oil | ~83 → ~138 est. | 🟡 Moderate | 🚶 Moderate (natural) | Moderate |
| 4 | Sprouts + avocado + chole | 83 → ~108 est. | 🟢 Low | 🚶 Moderate (natural, delayed) | Delayed, gentle |
| 4 | Tandoori chicken | flat | 🟢 Low | ➖ N/A, never spiked | No real rise |
| 5 | Bajra khichdi | 99 → 187 | 🔴 High | 🐇 Fast (cycling) | Week’s steepest |
| 5 | Tandoori chicken x2 | flat | 🟢 Low | ➖ N/A, never spiked | Consistent |
| 6 | Oil-free moong dal | 99 → ~163 est. → 102 | 🟡 Moderate | 🐇 Fast (walking) | Fast recovery w/ walking |
| 6 | Dosa | 85 → 151+ | 🔴 High | — not captured | Fastest rate of rise |
| 7 | Moong dal + kala chana | 104 → ~183 est. | 🔴 High | 🐢 Slow (hours) | Big legume combo spike |
| 7 | Chicken + paneer dinner | ~75 → 100 | 🟢 Low | ➖ N/A, never spiked | Gentle, walked earlier that day |
🟢 Low = rise under ~30 pts
🟡 Moderate = ~30–60 pts
🔴 High = 60+ pts
Bottom Line
- Rice + starch, big portions → biggest, fastest spikes. Biryani, khichdi, dosa all cracked +65 or more.
- Skinless chicken → almost no spike, ever. Three separate meals, same flat result.
- Movement works, and works fast. Even 10 minutes cut a 187 down by 54 points.
- Legumes alone are gentle — legumes + rice are not. Moong and chole by themselves stayed under 140 most of the time.
- Oil-free might recover faster, but I need more than one comparison to be sure.
Disclaimer: This post is based on my personal experience and should not be taken as medical advice.