A Rasgulla That Will Not Raise Your Blood Sugar
Someone opens a box of rasgullas after a meal, and everyone reaches in except you. Or you take one, just one, and then spend the evening worrying about your next sugar reading. For most people with diabetes, rasgulla sits right at the top of the "do not touch" list, because it is a ball of paneer soaked in sugar syrup.
This sugar free rasgulla changes that. It is made with just paneer, water, a pinch of elaichi and Diabexy Sugar Substitute. No sugar, no maida, no sooji. It comes out soft, white and spongy, just like the one from the mithai shop, and each piece has an EGL of only 0.11. That is so low that for your blood sugar, it is almost like eating plain paneer.
In this rasgulla recipe, you will see why a regular rasgulla spikes your sugar, how this version brings the glucose load down to nearly zero, and exactly how to make rasgulla at home with the step-by-step method. If you have ever searched "rasgulla kaise banate hain" and wished there was a version for diabetics, this is it.
Can Diabetics Eat Rasgulla?
Diabetics should avoid regular rasgulla, but they can enjoy a sugar free rasgulla made without sugar syrup. A regular rasgulla is cooked and soaked in heavy sugar syrup, and one piece carries around 15 to 20 grams of sugar. With sugar having a glycemic index of about 65, that gives one rasgulla a glucose load of roughly 10 to 12. Two pieces after dinner can undo a whole day of careful eating.
So a good rasgulla for diabetics is simply one where the syrup has no sugar. The chhena or paneer inside is not the problem. Paneer is mostly protein and fat, with very little carbohydrate. The sugar syrup is what turns a harmless ball of paneer into a glucose bomb. Replace the sugar with a zero-glycemic sweetener, and the problem disappears.
| Regular Rasgulla | Sugar Free Rasgulla | |
|---|---|---|
| Syrup | Sugar syrup (GI about 65) | Diabexy Sugar Substitute syrup |
| Sugar per piece | 15 to 20 g | 0 g added sugar |
| EGL per piece | 10 to 12 | Just 0.11 |
| Calories per piece | About 120 to 150 | About 55 to 60 |
| After-meal sugar | Sharp spike | Almost no change |
What Is EGL and How Is This Rasgulla Just 0.11 Per Piece?
EGL, or Estimated Glucose Load, tells you how much glucose a food actually puts into your blood. It depends on how fast the carbohydrate turns into sugar (glycemic index) and how much of it you eat. A glucose load under 10 per serving is considered low. At 0.11 per piece, this rasgulla is about 100 times lower than a regular one.
Here is a simple way to picture it. A regular rasgulla is a sponge dipped in sugar water, and every squeeze sends sugar into your blood. This one is the same sponge dipped in water that only tastes sweet. The sponge still feels juicy, but there is almost nothing in the water for your body to absorb as glucose.
| Ingredient | Quantity | Approx. EGL |
|---|---|---|
| Paneer | 200 g | 1.1 |
| Diabexy Sugar Substitute | 1 tsp | Close to 0 |
| Elaichi powder | A pinch | 0 |
| Water | 2 cups | 0 |
| Total (whole batch) | About 10 rasgullas | About 1.1 |
| Per rasgulla | 1 piece | About 0.11 |
Put it this way: the whole batch of 10 sugar free rasgullas together has a glucose load of about 1.1. A single regular rasgulla has 10 to 12. You would need to eat the whole batch nearly ten times over to match one piece from the mithai shop.
The sweetener used for the syrup in this recipe. A low glycemic blend of erythritol, prebiotic fibres and sucralose with a glycemic load of just 1. It is twice as sweet as regular sugar, dissolves easily in water and stays stable when boiled, so your rasgulla syrup tastes sweet without the sugar. Works just as well in kheer, halwa, tea and every other sweet you make at home.
Buy here: diabexy.com/products/sugar-free-powder
Ingredients for Sugar Free Rasgulla
This white rasgulla recipe needs only four ingredients. The batch makes about 10 rasgullas.
| Ingredient | Quantity |
|---|---|
| Fresh soft paneer | 200 g |
| Water | 2 cups |
| Diabexy Sugar Substitute | 1 tsp (add more to taste) |
| Elaichi (cardamom) powder | A pinch |
How to Make Rasgulla at Home: Step by Step
Here is the full sugar free rasgulla recipe. The only part that needs patience is kneading the paneer. Everything after that is easy.
Preparing the Paneer Dough
Step 1: Crumble the paneer
Take 200 grams of fresh, soft paneer in a wide plate. Crumble it with your fingers so there are no big pieces left. Soft, fresh paneer works much better than hard, packaged paneer, because it binds smoothly and turns spongy.
Step 2: Knead for 30 minutes
Now start kneading the paneer with the heel of your palm, pressing and spreading it across the plate, then gathering it back. Keep doing this for about 30 minutes. It sounds long, but this is the secret of a soft rasgulla. The paneer will slowly turn smooth, soft and slightly greasy, like a dough. If it still feels grainy, keep going.
Step 3: Shape small balls
Divide the dough into about 10 equal portions. Roll each one between your palms into a smooth ball with no cracks. Cracks on the surface are where rasgullas break open in the syrup, so press them out as you roll. Keep the balls small, because they will almost double in size while cooking.
Making the Sugar Free Syrup
Step 4: Boil water with sweetener
In a wide pan, add 2 cups of water and 1 teaspoon of Diabexy Sugar Substitute. Stir and bring it to a boil. Use a wide pan so the rasgullas have space to puff up without touching each other.
Step 5: Add elaichi
Once the syrup starts boiling, add a pinch of elaichi powder. It gives the syrup that classic mithai shop aroma. Taste the syrup at this point, and add a little more sweetener if you like it sweeter.
Cooking the Rasgullas
Step 6: Add the paneer balls
Keep the syrup on a rolling boil and gently slide the paneer balls in one by one with a spoon. Do not drop them from a height, and do not crowd the pan.
Step 7: Cover and cook for 15 minutes
Cover the pan with a lid and let the rasgullas cook for about 15 minutes on medium-high heat. The steam inside the covered pan is what makes them puff up. During this time they will swell, turn light and become spongy. Avoid opening the lid again and again.
Step 8: Cool completely and serve
Take the rasgullas out of the syrup and let them cool completely. You can serve them at room temperature or chilled, with a spoonful of the syrup on top. Your soft, spongy paneer rasgulla is ready, with an EGL of just 0.11 per piece.
What Are the Benefits of This Sugar Free Rasgulla?
Most articles on the benefits of rasgulla talk about calcium and protein from chhena, but skip the sugar problem. This version keeps the good part and removes the bad one:
- Almost zero glucose load: just 0.11 EGL per piece, so it barely moves your blood sugar.
- Protein in every piece: about 4 grams of protein per rasgulla from paneer, which keeps you satisfied.
- Calcium: paneer is a good source of calcium, which supports bones and teeth.
- Half the calories: about 55 to 60 calories per piece compared to 120 to 150 in a regular rasgulla.
- No maida or sooji: many shop rasgullas add these for binding. This one is pure paneer.
- Satisfies the sweet craving: you get the real mithai experience, so you are less likely to give in to regular sweets later.
How Many Calories Are in Rasgulla?
Talking about calories in 1 rasgulla, a regular piece from a sweet shop has about 120 to 150 calories, and most of that comes from the sugar it soaks up. A sugar free rasgulla from this recipe has about 55 to 60 calories, because the only real source of calories is the paneer itself.
When people check the calories in rasgulla, they often forget the syrup. Two regular rasgullas with a spoon of syrup on top can easily cross 300 calories and 40 grams of sugar. Two sugar free rasgullas come to about 120 calories and zero added sugar, with around 8 grams of protein. For anyone watching both sugar and weight, that difference adds up every single week.
Which Sugar Free Sweets for Diabetics Are the Safest?
The safest sugar free sweets for diabetics are the ones with a low glucose load and no maida, sugar or jaggery. Here is how common syrup-based sweets compare with safer choices.
| Sweet | Main Glucose Source | Blood Sugar Impact |
|---|---|---|
| Regular rasgulla | Sugar syrup | High (EGL 10 to 12 per piece) |
| Gulab jamun | Sugar syrup, khoa and maida, deep fried | Very high |
| Rasmalai | Sugar syrup and sweetened milk | High |
| "Sugar free" shop mithai with maida | Maida, sooji or starch fillers | Medium to high |
| Diabexy Sugar Free Kaju Barfi | Real cashews, desi ghee, no sugar | Low (GL 3 per 100 g) |
| This sugar free rasgulla | Paneer and Diabexy Sugar Substitute | Very low (EGL 0.11 per piece) |
Two boxes of real mithai made with desi ghee and no sugar: Sugar Free Kaju Barfi, with a glucose load of just 3 per 100 g compared to about 60 in regular kaju katli, and Sugar Free Coconut Barfi. Perfect for days when you do not have time to cook, or as a gift for anyone in your family living with diabetes.
Buy here: diabexy.com/products/sugar-free-sweets
Tips for Soft and Spongy Sugar Free Rasgulla
- Use fresh, soft paneer: homemade chhena or fresh malai paneer works best. Hard, dry paneer gives hard rasgullas.
- Do not skip the kneading: 30 minutes of kneading is what makes the balls smooth enough to puff up without breaking.
- No cracks on the balls: a smooth surface keeps the rasgulla whole in the boiling syrup.
- Keep the syrup boiling: if the syrup is not boiling when the balls go in, they turn dense instead of spongy.
- Use a wide pan and a lid: rasgullas nearly double in size and need space and steam to cook evenly.
- Adjust sweetness freely: 1 teaspoon of sweetener gives a light sweetness. Add more if you like, since it adds almost nothing to the glucose load.
- Store in the fridge: keep the rasgullas in their syrup in a closed container and finish them within 2 to 3 days.
Diabexy is India's number one diabetes education platform, trusted by more than 2 million people. Diabexy makes India's first low glycemic load foods, including Sugar Control Atta, which is India's 1st atta backed by published clinical evidence. Our mission is to eradicate diabetes from India the way polio was eradicated, through the right knowledge and the right food. Visit diabexy.com.
Frequently Asked Questions
Diabetics should avoid regular rasgulla because one piece carries 15 to 20 grams of sugar and a glucose load of about 10 to 12. A sugar free rasgulla made with paneer and Diabexy Sugar Substitute has an EGL of just 0.11 per piece, which makes it a safe sweet for most diabetics. Keep an eye on portion size and enjoy 2 to 3 pieces at a time.
Each sugar free rasgulla in this recipe has an EGL, or Estimated Glucose Load, of about 0.11. The whole batch made from 200 g paneer and 1 tsp Diabexy Sugar Substitute has a glucose load of about 1.1, shared across roughly 10 rasgullas. A regular rasgulla has an EGL of 10 to 12 per piece, which is about 100 times higher.
One regular rasgulla has about 120 to 150 calories, most of it from the sugar syrup. One sugar free rasgulla from this recipe has about 55 to 60 calories, because the syrup has no sugar and all the calories come from paneer. It also gives you about 4 grams of protein per piece.
A sugar free rasgulla made with paneer and a low glycemic sweetener raises blood sugar very little, because its EGL is just 0.11 per piece. Paneer has very little carbohydrate, and Diabexy Sugar Substitute has a glycemic load of just 1. Be careful with shop-bought "sugar free" rasgullas, as some add maida or sooji for binding, which does raise blood sugar.
Rasgulla made from paneer or chhena gives you protein and calcium, which support muscles and bones. The problem with regular rasgulla is the sugar syrup, not the paneer. When made sugar free, each rasgulla gives about 4 grams of protein with an EGL of only 0.11, so you get the benefits without the sugar spike.
Yes, you can make rasgulla with paneer instead of chhena, as long as the paneer is fresh and soft. Knead it for about 30 minutes until it is completely smooth, then roll it into crack-free balls. Hard or old paneer does not puff up well and can break in the syrup, so homemade paneer or fresh malai paneer gives the best result.
Sugar free rasgulla stays fresh for 2 to 3 days in the fridge when kept in its syrup in a closed container. Since the syrup has no sugar, which normally acts as a preservative, it does not last as long as regular rasgulla. Make small batches and serve them chilled or at room temperature.
Watch the Full Recipe Video
Want to see how smooth the paneer should get after kneading and how the rasgullas puff up in the syrup? Watch the complete video here: Sugar Free White Rasgulla That Does Not Raise Blood Sugar
Video link: https://youtu.be/P4b8g0SATvk
EGL 0.11 per piece. Diabetic friendly. Family friendly.
