The glucose in your body comes from foods that contain carbohydrates and the type, amount of carbs you consume can make a difference when it comes to your blood glucose levels and diabetes management.
So, you often question yourselves -whether you should eat GLUTEN FREE BASMATI RICE if you have diabetes? People with diabetes are constantly reminded that their rice consumption is to be blamed. Is this true? Can rice be a part of your diabetic diet plan?
Including a suitable variety of BASMATI RICE in your diet for diabetes can help you stay on a diet of rice and control your sugar levels at the same time. This is important as more than taking medicines.
It must be a surprise to you that there are more than 200,000 varieties of rice with different tastes and sizes cultivated by people only in India! Here are a few popular rice varieties-
- Basmati Rice
- Black Rice
- Jasmine Rice-
- Brown Rice
- Matta Rice
- Parboiled Rice
- Sticky or glutinous Rice
- Red Rice
- Wild Rice
- Broken Rice
- White Rice
So, can people with diabetes consume BASMATI RICE? Let’s first bust some myths. Due to the starch and carbohydrate content, it is thought that eating rice increases your blood sugar levels and so it should not be included in a diabetes diet plan.
This is not true. You can eat GLUTEN FREE BASMATI RICE. If you consider the nutritional profile of rice, you will understand why rice should be a part of your diet for diabetes.
Nutritional profile of BASMATI RICE-
We eat rice not just because it’s soft, tasty, and easy to digest, it’s a high-energy food that is packed with nutrients.
- It is loaded with calories containing around 345 cals/100 gm
- It is cholesterol free
- It is rich in vitamins and minerals
- It is good for promoting good gut bacteria
- Rice contains less sodium and is better for people with hypertension
- It is full of calcium, potassium, iron, and phosphorus
- Rice contains riboflavin, niacin, thiamine, and other vitamins that prevent certain forms of cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, and heart disease
Best varieties of rice for people with diabetes
Here are some varieties of rice that have lesser GI. This means they take more time to digest and release sugars into the bloodstream slowly.
Varieties Glycemic Index (boiled)
BROWN RICE 50 to 55
BASMATI RICE 50 to 52
RED RICE approx 55
BLACK RICE 42-45
WILD RICE 45
While lower glycemic index varieties like BASMATI RICE, Black Rice, and Wild Rice are good options to be included in your diabetic food list, the method of cooking becomes the second most important factor to choose Rice in your diet-
- Cook rice slowly
- Instead of a pressure cooker, use a pan and add more water
Researchers around the globe claim that most people need about 3 to 8 ounces of grains daily, depending on their body weight and activity levels. Grains are rich in fiber and minimally processed, offering steady energy.
Weight management is paramount for people with diabetes. There is strong and consistent evidence that weight loss can delay the progression of prediabetes to Type 2 diabetes.
If you practice portion control, BASMATI RICE will not add too many calories to your diet. Per quarter-cup, both GLUTEN FREE BASMATI RICE and Brown Rice provide 170 calories.
Foods that contain fiber act as a bulking agent in your digestive tract, giving you a feeling of fullness that helps prevent overeating and weight gain. Losing even a small amount of weight may improve insulin sensitivity.
As mentioned earlier, dietary fiber slows the absorption of glucose into your system and helps keep your blood sugar levels stable. When undigested fiber passes through to the large intestines, it is fermented by bacteria, which creates short-chain fatty acids.
These compounds have beneficial effects on your blood glucose levels by signalling your body to become more responsive to insulin and suppress glucose production in the liver. Carbohydrates with a low to medium GI food like BASMATI RICE are digested slower and produce smaller fluctuations in your blood glucose and insulin levels.
Basmati rice carbs have a medium glycemic index of approximately 50. Therefore, GLUTEN FREE BASMATI RICE is suitable for those living with diabetes as long as you watch your portions.