Diabetes and Rice : Can I Include Rice in My Daily Diet ?

Diabetes and Rice : Can I Include Rice in My Daily Diet ?

Diabetes is a chronic health problem which can wreak havoc in your body if not controlled and overlooked. For a diabetic patient, it’s crucial to make wise food choices , especially avoiding sugar in order to contain the effect of diabetes on the body. Diabetes and rice is the hot topic among Diabetic patients striving for a healthy lifestyle often wondering whether daily rice consumption for diabetics patients is possible or not?

The short answer is : Yes! Diabetes and rice is possible under the supervision of a certified healthcare professional. While everyone has a different lifestyle, culture and eating habits, rice can certainly be a part of a diet. But here are a few facts about white rice that you should know before you start Managing Diabetes with Rice.

  • Always have smaller servings of rice to control the level of sugar in your bloodstream. Portion control is important for diabetic patients.
  • Pair a small bowl of rice with protein and fibre, such as- lean meats, fish for non-vegetarians, and tofu, or legumes for vegan and vegetarians. Adding protein and fibre in your diet will slow down the digestion process and minimize the glucose levels.
  • Add fibre rich vegetables to control blood sugar levels.
  • It’s important to timely monitor your blood sugar levels if you’re consuming rice on a weekly basis.
  • It’s crucial to perform physical activity to control blood sugar level spikes.

Diabetes And Rice

Diabetes is a chronic health problem that mainly occurs when the body fails to create insulin to control the level of glucose in the body. Our body needs glucose for energy. You can get glucose from primary food sources, such as- wheat, grains, and white rice also. But people having diabetes should consume less white rice as their body doesn’t have the ability to digest glucose coming from rice and other food sources.

Keep on reading till the end if you want to live a healthy lifestyle. In the next section we’ll talk about the type of white rice that you should eat, and the easy cooking method.

White Rice Type

There’s no one size fits all scenario for white rice. Meaning white comes in different textures and sizes, such as- long- grain rice, medium- grain rice, and short- grain rice. It is recommended that diabetic patients should have less servings of short- grain basmati rice to have low glycemic index in the bloodstream.

In addition, always consume boiled rice. Boiled rice has a lower glycemic index aka glucose level than regular steamed rice. So what are the best rice choices for diabetics?- Brown Rice, yes if you want to consume rice, always prefer to eat brown rice. white rice has a GL of 43 (low); brown rice, 16 (low); and parboiled white rice, 14 (low).

Cooking Method- A Connection Between Rice And Blood Sugar Level

Studies have shown that your cooking method also determines the amount of carbohydrates your body will absorb. In the broadest sense, rice naturally contains starch that is hard to digest by our small intestine. Always cook fresh, studies have shown that leftover rice has higher levels of restraint starches than freshly steamed and cooked rice.

Portion Size & Diet Quality

Portion control shares mighty importance in  controlling the blood sugar level.  Make sure you consume a limited amount of food containing carbohydrates. It’s recommended that you follow the diabetes plate method which says that 9 inches of your plate should be filled with vegetables, a quarter with good protein such as vegetables, and quarter should be with carbohydrates, such as rice.

Maintaining a healthy lifestyle is important where quality eating habits are crucial. Indeed, white rice can spike blood sugar levels, but with physical activity and exercise you can control it.

How To Add White Rice In Diabetic  Meal Plan?

To get complete nourishment, you should add other nutritious foods. One of the most effective ways to control blood sugar level is to add green leafy vegetables, lean meats, and healthy fats( diabetic diet). For example- you can have rice and beans both the food sources are high in fibre and protein. High-fibre and protein food sources can lower blood sugar levels.

Always consult healthcare professional

It’s always recommended to consult your healthcare professional before you add Rice in Diabetic Meal Plan. Also be sure to

  • Follow healthy portion meal
  • Consume low carb rice for having less glucose and starch in your body.
  • Experiment rice with other food sources, such as- paneer, wheat bread, vegetables, and beans

There are some serious health effects of rice for diabetics patients. It’s advised you contact a health specialist.

Conclusion

If you want to live a healthy lifestyle without any complications then we advise you to follow the tips that we have mentioned above. Diabetes is a chronic health problem that often gets unnoticed at the initial stages. Hence, it’s important that you take a timely health check with your healthcare professional and dietitian so you can contain the symptoms in time. We hope you have a good read today. Keep your eyes peeled for more amazing blogs on health and fitness so you live longer and healthier! Have a great day everyone, will see you next time!

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