top stories | June
Cut the risk of diabetes by up to a third
From a BBC report yesterday White rice 'raises diabetes risk' – more news on the possible negative health effects of one of our favourite foods. White rice has a higher glycaemic index than brown rice, but what does that mean for our health? Harvard researchers under Dr. Qi Sun reporting in the journal Archives of Internal Medicine, say research shows that white rice poses a diabetes threat because it causes a steep rise in blood sugar.
The good news is there are healthy options such as brown rice and wholegrain breads and foods because they release glucose more gradually. The data from the report may not give the whole story, as it’s possible that people who eat less white rice tend to live healthier lifestyles.
In the study of nearly 200,000 people in the USA the consumption of white rice was linked to risk of developing type 2 diabetes. After adjusting for age and other diabetes risk factors, the study shows that those who ate five or more 150g servings of white rice per week had a 17% increased risk of diabetes compared with people who consumed less than one serving - about a cup of rice - per month. Although few people - only 2% - in the study ate this much white rice, the finding was significant.
The BBC story reported a quote from Dr. Victoria King of Diabetes UK as saying that:
“The best way to prevent type 2 diabetes is by keeping active and eating a healthy balanced diet that is low in fat, salt and sugar with plenty of fruit and vegetables.”
On the other side of the story, eating brown rice and wholegrain foods seems to have a protective effect that actually reduces the risk of type 2 diabetes.
The study showed that people who ate two or more servings of brown rice per week had an 11% reduced risk of developing the condition compared with those who ate less than one serving a month. Based on the results, the researchers estimate that replacing 50g or one-third of a typical serving of white rice with the same amount of brown rice would lead to a 16% lower risk of type 2 diabetes.
And that replacing white rice with whole grains, including brown rice and pasta, wholemeal bread and rolled oats, could cut the risk of type 2 diabetes by more than one third.
Feeling full for longer
Many researchers say the explanation is found in the composition of the food. Like many other wholegrain foods, brown rice is high in fibre and therefore releases its energy slowly and evenly over time, maintaining stable and even blood sugar levels, keeping you feeling fuller for longer and even affecting your mood by keeping the blood sugar levels in the brain more stable. In contrast, white rice is missing all of the bran and most of the germ, which is removed during milling.
From a public health point of view, replacing refined grains such as white rice by whole grains, including brown rice, should be recommended to facilitate the prevention of type 2 diabetes,” according to the researchers. Experts generally recommend that at least 50% of your carbohydrate intake should come from whole grains like brown rice and wholemeal breads.
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