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Eating rice, does really matters for diabetics ?
Billions of people around the world eat rice every single day for multiple meals .scientific studies shows that it provides about 20% of the world’s calorie intake and is also one of the most cultivated and consumed cereals worldwide. It is composed of starch, which is an important source of energy, hypoallergenic proteins, and other bioactive compounds with known nutritional functionalities. Noteworthy is that the rice bran (outer layer of rice grains), a side-stream product of the rice milling process, has a higher content of bioactive compounds than white rice (polished rice grains). Bran functional ingredients such as γ-oryzanol, phytic acid, ferulic acid, γ-aminobutyric acid, tocopherols, and tocotrienols (vitamin E) have been linked to several health benefits.
Now the discussion would be whether People with diabetes can eat rice as part of a healthy diet? Research inputs can justify the above as , the type of rice , combination with rice , portion size all matters in incorporating rice as a staple meal in diabetes meal plate.
Data from the large multinational prospective cohort study of 21 countries show that in the overall PURE cohort, higher consumption of white rice is associated with an increased risk of diabetes, which was most marked and driven by the strong association seen in South Asia.
A meta-analysis by Hu et al. (which included data on 352,384 participants with 13,284 incident diabetes from four studies in China, Japan, U.S., and Australia), showed that each extra serving of white rice (equivalent to about 150 g of cooked rice) increased the risk for diabetes by 11%.
With the above research data it is evident that polished white plain rice will not be a good choice for diabetes control but we have strategies to help you enjoy your mealtime while minimizing the potential glucose swings when rice is a staple food
Eating smaller portions, choosing whole and unpolished grains, and pairing rice with other nutritious foods can minimise post meal blood glucose.
Portion size
Rice Type
Choose a
variety of rice that is low in carbs and has a low GI score.
Parboiled
rice has a medium GI and can be a better alternative to white rice.
Other
choices would be unpolished or
whole-grain rice varieties like brown rice , red matta rice, rajmudi , brown
basmathi etc over processed white
rice.
Pairings
Pair rice
with proteins like steamed fish,lean
meat ,egg whites,sprouts, soya , low fat panner, whole legumes etc , high
fibre vegetables, and other healthy fats
like peanut butter , small amount of desi ghee, olive oil , nuts and seeds .
Combining
rice with beans can be helpful because the fiber and protein in beans can help prevent blood
sugar levels from rising rapidly after a meal.
Other considerations
Spread
their intake of rice and other carbs evenly throughout the day.
Take into
account any sauces and other accompaniments that may contain extra sugar or
carbs.
Discuss
specific individual carbohydrate needs with a doctor or dietitian.
Eating vegetables first, then protein
source (eggs, lean meat, soya chunks, pulses etc) and rice last can contribute in lower
post-meal glucose levels. Keep in mind that everyone with diabetes can respond
differently to the same food.
Cook rice, cool it and reheat it, this
method increases resistant starch and reduces the absorption there by
controlling postprandial blood sugar.
The bottom line
People living with diabetes and those with pre diabetes can include rice as part of a healthy balanced eating pattern by considering above points. Periodical reviews with healthcare professionals will help in portion sizes and other nutritional guidelines as per your blood reports , weights , medications etc. Eat rice judiciously as per your diabetes control.
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