Rice is suitable for diabetics (especially some varieties)

Experts from the International Rice Research Institute have analyzed 235 varieties from around the world and found that its glycemic index varies between 48 and 92, most of them being around an average of 64.

The glycemic index is used to determine the speed with which the carbohydrates provided by a food are transformed into glucose. Many doctors recommend diabetics not to eat foods with a high glycemic index (above 70), a category in which rice was located in the most used tables.

That there are rices with a medium and even low glycemic index is a great news for many people with diabetes, metabolic syndrome and obesity, because in all these disorders it is convenient to control the peaks of blood glucose.

The one with the lowest glycemic index is an Indian variety

Melissa Fitzgerald, director of the study, explains that the rice varieties with the lowest glycemic index (less than 55) is the so-called “swarna”, the most cultivated in India, followed by the “basmati” and “doongora” varieties, which remain below 70. These rices are also the most recommended for the regular diet of healthy people.

What explains the different glycemic index between varieties is the different proportion in each of the starches amylose and amylopectin. The rule is that the more amylose, the lower the glycemic index. Amylopectin is responsible for making some varieties of rice sticky.

Therefore, one way to discover “by eye” if a rice is going to have a high or low glycemic index is to observe if it is more or less glutinous or sticky. The more whole the grain remains, the lower its glycemic load..

comprehensive presentations

It should also be taken into account that the presentations Whole grains raise less sugar and that the speed of absorption is further reduced if the rice is accompanied by legumes, such as lentils or chickpeas, as well as vegetables.

It should be noted that brown rice retains the bran, endosperm, and germ, making it much higher in fiber, minerals, vitamins, and antioxidant compounds than white rice. Parboiled rice is halfway between brown and white when it comes to nutritional content.

The Diabetes Foundation recommends diabetics to consume 30 g servings of dry rice. On the other hand, it is advisable to choose rice grown in Spain or Europe because it contains much less arsenic than rice imported from Asia.