Indian Food on a Low Carb or Ketogenic Diet

Diwali, or Deepavali, is the Indian festival of light. Diwali marks the triumph of light over darkness and of good over evil.  Regional interpretations of the Diwali story vary, and it can mark:

• King Rama's return to Ayodhya after he defeated Ravana by lighting rows of clay lamps (North India)
• Lord Krishna’s defeat of the demon Narakasura (South India)
• Lord Vishnu’s banishment of the demon King Bali to rule the nether world (Western India)

Diwali falls on the 15th day of the Hindu month of Kartik, so the date changes every year. This year, it begins on Wednesday, November 7, 2018.

Diwali is traditionally celebrated by eating with family, giving gifts, and lighting clay lamps. Many people also create beautiful rangoli designs out of flour or sand on their doorstep.

As Virta patient Neha explains,

“Diwali means family to me. Since I can remember, this was the most exciting time of the year in India. We used to meet up and spend time together shopping, cooking and eating. No matter what part of the world we were in, we always tried to go back to our parents and siblings and be with them during this time. New clothes, gifts, sweets, nostalgic recipes, the Laxmi Pooja preparation and fireworks were what made Diwali feel like Diwali for us. Lighting diyas (oil lamps) gave us a chance to reflect back on the light inside which always guides us to do the right thing, but which we tend to overlook, causing us to give in to worldly temptations and lose our way. This year, while lighting a diya, I'll be thanking God for helping me see the light of my heart to make better decisions for my health.”

Big Diwali meals with family can be tricky to navigate if you have diabetes or another condition. But if you’re choosing to follow a low carb or ketogenic eating plan for improved blood sugar control or other reasons, there are quite a few low carb Indian options. Check out some of our favorite recipes below.*

‍*Because carbohydrate restriction can lead to rapid decreases in blood sugar and blood pressure, Virta strongly recommends getting medical supervision before making any dietary changes if you are on medications for blood sugar or blood pressure. A physician can help you safely reduce your medications so that they don’t drive your blood sugar or blood pressure too low. Hypoglycemic (low blood sugar) and hypotensive (low blood pressure) episodes can be very dangerous.

Low Carb or Ketogenic Indian Recipes

Main Dishes

‍Palak Paneer Recipe

‍Vegetable Jalfrezi Recipe

‍Tandoori Chicken Recipe

‍Okra Recipe

‍Cauliflower Biryani Recipe

Baingan Bharta Recipe

‍Breads

‍Naan Recipe

‍Keto Dosa Recipe or alternate Keto Dosa Recipe

‍Low Carb Roti Recipe

‍Desserts

‍Til Laddu Recipe

‍Keto Rasmalai Recipe

‍Coconut Barfi Recipe

‍Cashew Barfi (Kaju Katli) - switch for non-sugar sweeteners and don't include corn starch in this recipe

‍Badampuri Recipe (Almond Cookies)

‍Kulfi Recipe (Indian Ice-Cream)