A cup of white rice has 53.4 grams of carbohydrates. When a diabetic patient consumes drinks and foods with carbohydrates, it breaks down into glucose and the body’s blood sugar rises. According to new Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) research, the risk of Type 2 Diabetes might be increased by eating white rice on a regular basis.
A study published in the British Medical Journal found that people who ate rice three to four servings a day were 1.5 times more likely to have diabetes than people who ate the least amount of rice. In addition, for every additional large bowl of white rice a person ate each day, the risk rose 10 per cent.
White rice has a high glycemic index, which can cause spikes in blood sugar. (The glycemic index (GI) is a measure of the blood glucose-raising potential of the carbohydrate content of a food compared to a reference food (generally pure glucose). High glycemic index foods increase the risk of type 2 diabetes. All white starchy foods increase the risk for diabetes when eaten in excess.
Anyone at risk for diabetes should reduce the number of calories they eat, lose weight (if they are overweight or obese), and replace white carbs with whole-grain foods. People should make a healthier choice by trying to switch from eating refined carbs like white rice and white bread to eating more whole grains such as brown rice.
If possible, opt for brown rice. Various researches have concluded that it is known to reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes due to its high content of Vitamins, Fiber, Minerals, and multiple nutrients.
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