Fish for Diabetes: Which Indian Fish Are Good to Eat?

Yes, people with diabetes can eat fish, and the American Diabetes Association (ADA) recommends it: it suggests fish at least twice a week, especially fatty fish like sardines, mackerel and salmon, cooked by baking, grilling or broiling rather than breading and frying. In Indian fish terms, that points to tarli (oil sardine), bangda (Indian mackerel), surmai and pomfret for omega-3, and to lean fish like rawas, rohu and prawns for protein. ICMR’s 2018 guidelines for type 2 diabetes list fish and lean meats among recommended protein sources.

Fish is a good food for a diabetic plate, but it is not a treatment. A long study found that eating fish did not lower the risk of getting type 2 diabetes (more below).

This is general food information, not medical advice. If you have diabetes, prediabetes or kidney disease, please check with your doctor or dietitian before changing your diet.

Why does fish fit a diabetic meal plan?

Protein without much carbohydrate. ICMR’s Guidelines for Management of Type 2 Diabetes (2018) say protein should provide 12% to 15% of total energy for people with diabetes, and list fish and lean meats among recommended protein sources. Plain fish has practically no carbohydrate; the Philippine food table, for example, lists rawas at 0 g carbohydrate per 100 g. Carbohydrate comes from what is around the fish: rava or batter coating, rice and rotis.
Omega-3 for the heart. The ADA’s nutrition consensus says the general advice to eat fish, particularly fatty fish, at least two times a week “is also appropriate for people with diabetes.” ICMR’s diabetes guidelines note that fish and flax seeds are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which are protective for heart disease.
A swap for fattier foods. For people with diabetes and high blood lipids, ICMR’s guidelines advise restricting sources of saturated and trans fats such as vanaspati, butter, ghee, coconut oil and red meats like sausages, ham and bacon.

Which Indian fish are best for diabetes?

The ADA’s list of fish high in omega-3 includes salmon, herring, sardines, mackerel, trout and albacore tuna. Here are the closest Indian picks, with values per 100 g raw edible portion from India’s food composition tables (IFCT 2017):

Fish	Protein (g)	Fat (g)	Omega-3 EPA + DHA (g)
Surmai (kingfish)	22.28	5.18	1.05
Halwa (black pomfret)	18.91	4.83	0.81
Tarli (oil sardine)	17.91	8.99	0.61
Pomfret (white, paplet)	19.02	5.12	0.59
Bangda (Indian mackerel)	21.51	1.53	0.33
Rohu	19.71	2.39	0.07
Prawns (tiger prawns)	14.25	0.74	0.12
Rawas (Indian salmon; see note)	17.9	0.1	—

Note: rawas is not in IFCT 2017. Its row is from the Philippine Food Composition Table for the same species, Eleutheronema tetradactylum, which does not report EPA or DHA.

Bangda is a different species from the Atlantic mackerel common in Western lists, and tarli is an Indian sardine, but both are oily sea fish with omega-3. Surmai, halwa, tarli and pomfret are the best of these for omega-3; bangda, rohu, rawas and prawns are leaner.

If mercury is a concern, sardine (tarli) and shrimp (prawns) are on the US FDA’s lowest-mercury list; see our low-mercury fish guide.

How should fish be cooked for diabetes?

The ADA suggests fish that is broiled, baked or grilled “to avoid extra carbohydrate and calories,” and warns against breaded and fried versions. For Indian kitchens:

Good: Steamed or grilled pomfret, rawas or bhetki; a bangda or rohu curry with little oil; prawns cooked with vegetables.
Go easy: Tawa fry, with a thin masala coat rather than a thick rava crust, and little oil.
Limit: Deep-fried fish with rava or batter, which adds both carbohydrate and oil.

Watch the rice or roti served with the fish too; your doctor or dietitian can tell you the portion that fits your plan.

Does eating fish prevent diabetes?

Don’t count on it. A study of 4,472 Dutch adults aged 55 and over (the Rotterdam Study, published in Diabetes Care in 2009) found that its results “do not support a beneficial effect” of total fish, type of fish, or EPA and DHA intake on the risk of type 2 diabetes. Total fish intake was linked to a slightly higher risk, mainly from lean fish; the authors suggested other factors in the diet or contaminants might explain this. It was an observational study, so it shows an association, not cause.

The fair summary: fish is a good protein and omega-3 choice for people who already have diabetes, as the ADA and ICMR advise, but it is not a way to prevent or cure diabetes.

FAQ

What fish is safe for diabetics? Plain fish, baked, grilled, steamed or in a light curry, fits a diabetic diet. The ADA highlights fatty fish such as sardines, mackerel and salmon; in India that means tarli, bangda, surmai and pomfret.

Which Indian fish is good for diabetes? For omega-3: surmai (1.05 g EPA + DHA per 100 g), halwa, tarli and pomfret. For lean protein: rawas, rohu, bangda and prawns (IFCT 2017; rawas from PhilFCT).

Can diabetics eat chicken and fish? Yes. ICMR’s diabetes guidelines list fish and lean meats among recommended protein sources. See fish vs chicken for a per-100 g comparison.

Is fried fish okay for diabetes? The ADA suggests avoiding breaded and fried fish because of the extra carbohydrate and calories. A light tawa fry with little oil and no thick coating is a middle ground.

How often should a diabetic eat fish? The ADA suggests at least twice a week. If you have kidney disease, ICMR’s guidelines set a lower protein target, so ask your doctor.

Getting fresh fish

Verified sellers on Relifish list tarli, bangda, surmai, pomfret and rawas when they have them, and can clean and cut them for grilling or curry. See today’s fish.

You might also like: omega-3 fish for heart health and best fish for weight loss.

Sources

American Diabetes Association. What superstar foods are good for diabetes? Fatty fish at least twice a week; cooking advice; Nutrition Consensus Report quote.
American Diabetes Association. Best Protein-Rich Foods for Diabetes. Fish at least two times a week; fish high in omega-3.
Indian Council of Medical Research. ICMR Guidelines for Management of Type 2 Diabetes 2018, section 6.2 (diet): protein 12% to 15% of energy, fish and lean meats as protein sources, fish and flax seeds for omega-3, nephropathy protein target. Copy hosted at medbox.org.
Longvah T, Ananthan R, Bhaskarachary K, Venkaiah K. Indian Food Composition Tables 2017 (IFCT 2017). ICMR-National Institute of Nutrition, Hyderabad. PDF at nin.res.in. Table 1 (protein, fat) and Table 7 (EPA, DHA): Vanjaram P087, Pomfret black P055, Sardine P071, Pomfret white P057, Mackerel P034, Rohu S006, Tiger prawns orange Q008.
DOST-FNRI, Philippine Food Composition Table (PhilFCT): Threadfin, fourfinger (Eleutheronema tetradactylum), Food ID G143. Used for rawas.
van Woudenbergh GJ, van Ballegooijen AJ, Kuijsten A, et al. Eating fish and risk of type 2 diabetes: a population-based, prospective follow-up study. Diabetes Care. 2009;32(11):2021-2026. doi:10.2337/dc09-1042 (full text on PMC).
US Food and Drug Administration. Advice about Eating Fish. Best Choices list.