13 Best And Worst Foods For People With Diabetes
How to choose food If you have diabetes, watching what you eat is one of the most important things you can do to stay healthy. "The basic goal of nutrition for people with diabetes is to avoid blood sugar spikes," says Gerald Bernstein, M.D., director of the diabetes management program at Friedman Diabetes Institute, Beth Israel Medical Center in New York. Candy and soda can be dangerous for diabetics because the body absorbs these simple sugars almost instantly. But all types of carbs need to be watched, and foods high in fat—particularly unhealthy fats—are problematic as well because people with diabetes are at very high risk of heart disease, says Sandy Andrews, RD, director of education for the William Sansum Diabetes Center in Santa Barbara, Calif. Worst: White rice The more white rice you eat, the greater your risk of type 2 diabetes, according to a 2012 review. In a study of more than 350,000 people, those who ate the most white rice were at greatest risk for type 2 diabetes, and the risk increased 11% for each additional daily serving of rice. "Basically anything highly processed, fried, and made with white flour should be avoided," says Andrews. White rice and pasta can cause blood sugar spikes similar to that of sugar. Have this instead: Brown rice or wild rice. These whole grains don't cause the same blood sugar spikes thanks to fiber, which helps slow the rush of glucose into the bloodstream, says Andrews. What's more, a Harvard School of Public Health study found that two or more weekly servings of brown rice was linked to a lower diabetes risk. Worst: Blended coffees Blended coffees that are laced with syrup, sugar, whipped cream, and other toppings can have as many calories and fat grams as a milkshake, making them a poor choice for those with diabete Continue reading >>
Problem Foods: Can Diabetics Eat White Rice?
Amy Reeder is a Certified Diabetes Educator with a master’s degree in nutrition from the University of Utah. She has worked in the diabetes field since 2005 and has been a Certified Diabetes Educator since 2007. There are many foods that have question marks hanging over them when you think about healthy meal planning for people with diabetes. White rice is one of those foods. Diabetics can eat white rice, but should limit their intake since white rice has a high amount of carbs that can raise blood sugar. Most people with diabetes know that white rice is a starchy carbohydrate that raises blood sugar when eaten. And if you count carbohydrates, you also know that “one serving” of white rice is pretty small, compared to a typical serving in real life. One-third a cup of white rice is considered a serving and contains 15 grams of carbohydrates. Most people consume, on average, one to two cups of rice per serving, resulting in a carb intake of 45 to 90 grams of carbohydrates. As those carbs add up, the chance for a spike in blood glucose also goes up; especially with this simple carb white rice that has been processed and stripped of nutrients and fiber. If you haven't measured out a 1/3 cup serving of white rice, do so — it's eye-opening to see just how small that portion is. Rice substitutes The good news? There are many grains that can be substituted for white rice. And many of these grains are becoming more widely available in restaurants and grocery stores. One of these substitutions is brown rice. This type of rice has not been stripped of the bran and germ portions of the grain, as white rice has. The rice bran and rice germ in brown rice provide valuable nutrients and most importantly, in relation to blood sugar control, fiber. In addition to brown rice, oth Continue reading >>
What Can Replace Rice And Potatoes In A Diabetic Diet?
Rice and potatoes are both carbohydrate foods. Diabetics can eat them if they limit the serving size. If you are looking for substitutions there are many choices. Whole grains like quinoa, oats, couscous, and orzo. Beans and soy products. Look for intact grains which contain fiber and lead to lower blood sugars. You can eat rice and potatoes if you have diabetes. However, you will need to eat smaller portions. One medium potato (3 potatoes / pound) is a serving. Find 3 potatoes at the store and put in the scale until it equals one pound. Rice can be a challenge because a little goes a long way for your carbohydrate count. You'll need to eat a portion smaller than a computer mouse. If you can't do that, you might consider a different carbohydrate. Remember that all foods can fit into a diet for people with diabetes. The focus is on how much carbohydrate and saturated fat is in foods. One carbohydrate (carb) serving is equal to 15 grams of carbohydrate. One half cup of potatoes or one third cup of rice is equal to 15 grams or one carb choice. Consult your registered dietitian and/or certified diabetes educator to find out how many carb choices you have at each meal. Then you can decide how many carb servings of potatoes or rice you would like to consume. If you do not want to use up your carb choices from potatoes or rice and are looking for low carb choices you can try mashed cauliflower with low fat tub margarine or spray butter. One half cup serving of cooked cauliflower is only 5 grams of carbohydrate. You don't have to give up rice and potatoes just because you have diabetes. But you may have to watch your portion size more closely (keep it to about a 1/2 cup). If you choose to have rice, make sure it is brown rice. Brown rice has more protein and fiber and takes lon Continue reading >>
Can Diabetics Eat Rice?
Good news for diabetics: Rice has been found to have varying glycemic indices. How Does Diabetes Affect Blood Sugar? For persons with type 2 diabetes, managing their blood sugar is an important daily task. Type 2 diabetes is a condition where the body either doesn’t produce enough insulin, or ignores it. When food is digested, insulin is what carries sugar from the blood to be processed as energy. If blood sugar builds up and gets too high, diabetic complications may result. One way to stabilize blood sugar is to eat a low GI (glycemic index) diet [1], meaning foods that are digested slowly and don’t cause blood sugar spikes. Simple sugars, like candy, are high GI, digested quickly and cause blood sugar levels to peak. This can be dangerous for diabetics. Low GI Foods Can Help Many natural foods are known for being low GI, such as cabbage, mushrooms, green beans, and vegetables. Carbohydrates are generally the element most responsible for varying blood-sugar levels and it can be a tricky balance to provide the body with nourishment without upsetting blood sugar levels. A recent study has found, however, that many varieties of a classic dietary staple are low GI [2]. New research from the International Rice Research Institute and CSIRO’s Food Futures Flagship recently published that most varieties of rice have a low to moderate GI; and they also discovered the gene in rice that determines its glycemic index. The study found that the GI of rice ranges from a low of 48 to a high of 92, with an average of 64, and that the GI of rice depends on the type of rice consumed. As a point of reference, low GI foods are typically those measured 55 and less, medium GI are measured between 56 and 69, while high glycemic index measures 70 and above. Diabetes is a problem for many Continue reading >>
Which Rice Is Best For People With Diabetes?
If you have type 2 diabetes, you may be familiar with the glycemic index and that foods with a low glycemic index are best for managing your disease. Knowing which foods have a low value can be confusing at times, but now a new study my help consumers make a choice concerning at least one food: rice. Which rice is best for people with diabetes? People with diabetes can eat rice The glycemic index is a tool to measure a food's effect on blood sugar. Generally, foods with a glycemic index of 55 or less are considered low (good), while values of 56 to 69 are medium and those 70 or higher are high (bad) glycemic index values. Foods with a high glycemic index make a person's blood sugar levels rise and fluctuate, which can increase the chance of getting diabetes and also make managing type 2 diabetes a challenge. Some of the items typically placed in the high glycemic index category include white bread (see "Best and Worst Breads for Diabetes"), baked goods, pasta, and rice. However, not all rice has a high glycemic index value, and indeed some varieties fall into the low category. Investigators from the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) and CSIRO's Food Futures Flagship evaluated 235 varieties of rice and discovered that the glycemic index values ranged from 48 to 92. That means people with diabetes have healthful options when it comes to choosing rice as part of their diet. Investigators also discovered that the main gene associated with glycemic index in all the varieties is the Waxy gene. This information will allow rice breeders to develop more varieties of rice with low glycemic index values and expand the options for people with type 2 diabetes. According to Dr. Melissa Fitzgerald, who headed the IRRI group, "Rice varieties like India's most widely grown ri Continue reading >>
Study: Does Eating White Rice Raise Your Risk Of Diabetes?
When it comes to your risk of diabetes, a new study by Harvard researchers suggests that eating less white rice could make a difference. Each additional daily serving of white rice, a staple of Asian diets, may increase the risk of Type 2 diabetes by 10%, according to the study, which analyzed the results of four previous studies involving 352,384 participants from four countries: China, Japan, U.S. and Australia. Those who ate the highest amounts of white rice had a 27% higher risk of diabetes than those who ate the least, and the risk was most pronounced in Asian people. The studies followed people for anywhere from 4 to 22 years, tracking their food intake. All the participants were diabetes-free at the beginning of the study. MORE: Five Ways to Avoid Diabetes — Without Medications Why white rice may impact diabetes risk isn’t clear, but it may have to do with the food’s high score on the glycemic index (GI) — a measurement of how foods affect blood sugar levels — meaning that it can cause spikes in blood sugar. High GI ranking foods have previously been associated with increased risk of diabetes. “White rice also lacks nutrients like fiber and magnesium,” says study author Qi Sun, a professor of medicine at the Harvard School of Public Health in Boston. “People with high white rice consumption lack these beneficial nutrients and Asian populations consume a lot of white rice. If you consume brown rice instead, you will get these nutrients. There are alternatives.” But before you swear off white rice for good, the study authors and other nutrition experts caution that it’s not the only culprit in diabetes risk. Rather, a general decrease in physical activity and increase in food consumption may be responsible for the rise in obesity and insulin res Continue reading >>
What Kind Of Rice Should A Diabetic Eat And Why?
If you are a diabetic, rice is one of your worst opetion for you. There are many other tasty carbs much lower in GI and GL like quinoa, bulgur, cuscus, rye and oats. I have a Free e-book that can help you understand how to balance your blood sugar, which is absolutely essential for a diabetic. Go to my webpage 32 Mondays Weight Loss Management and get a Free copy of the e-book "Why Glycemic Index & Glycemic Load are Important for Weight Loss" (or to balance blood sugars in your case). You just have to register in my weekly newsletter. Brown rice is the raw form of the rice.Brown rice won't give energy at once after the digestion.The glucose levels won't rise much.But that is not the case with white rice.For diabetic patients increase in glucose levels at once after the digestion is not good.So Brown rice is considered to be the best for diabetic patients. Whatever grain you adapt to eat, check your blood sugar and see which works and which doesnt. What works on me may not work on you. I am not a diabetic but was pre diabetic a year ago. Since then I switched to Low Carb High Fat lifestyle and eat up to 15g of red rice. There are different varieties of brown rice and red rice available. The red rice I recommend and personally use is Kerala Puttarisi Red Rice, which is highest in fibre among other types of brown rice or red rice. If you like Basmati style, you get Basmati Brown rice too at Rs.180200 a Kg while red rice costs only Rs.40 or something. As I eat only 15g or less, my blood sugar stays within 130 (PPBS). You should also try millets (Jowar, Bajra, Ragi, etc.) instead of rice and check your blood sugar. Continue reading >>
Does White Rice Affect Diabetes?
Most people with diabetes keep an eye on their sugar intake, but starches from white rice, potatoes and even whole grains can also raise blood sugar levels. Getting just the right amount of carbohydrates in your diet is key to maintaining good blood sugar control to stay healthy with diabetes and prevent long-term complications. A cup of white rice contains around 53 grams of carbohydrates. By comparison, a slice of bread has around 15 grams of carbohydrates, which means that a cup of white rice is the equivalent of three and a half slices of bread. Brown rice has a similarly high carb content, with 46 grams per serving, or the equivalent of roughly three slices of bread. The amount of rice served with dishes like Asian stir-fries or as a side dish with Greek kebabs, for example, may be as much as 3 cups; this corresponds to a very large amount of carbs at once and can definitely affect your blood sugar. Glycemic Index Comparing the glycemic index of different carbohydrates can help you understand how quickly they can raise your blood sugar levels. Foods with a high glycemic index of 70 and above cause your blood sugar levels to peak within a short period of time, which is damaging for your blood vessels and nerves and can, over time, contribute to heart disease, kidney disease, blindness and stroke. Foods with a medium or low glycemic index, below 69 and below 55, respectively, are better options for diabetics. White rice typically has a glycemic index between 72 and 83, while the glycemic index of brown rice varies between 48 and 62. Best White Rice Choices If you enjoy the taste of white rice, white basmati and Moolgiri rice are better options for you because of their lower glycemic index rating, usually in the 50s. If you can't find these more exotic varieties, you Continue reading >>
Basmati Rice And Diabetes By Dr Sarah Schenker
Basmati rice, particularly wholegrain Basmati rice can and should be a regular addition to the diets of people who suffer from Type 2 diabetes. Basmati rice is a naturally low to medium energy food but as with all carbohydrate foods, it’s the portion size that is important: an average serving of boiled rice is 150-180g providing 207-248 calories; a small serving (100g) provides approximately 138 calories. By contrast a typical takeaway portion of fried rice is 300g providing 558 calories, so it’s important not to assume all rice types are the same. Wholegrain Basmati rice has the lowest GI (glycaemic index) of all rice types, which means once digested it releases its energy slowly keeping blood sugar levels more stable, which is a crucial part of diabetes management. On the other hand, sticky and risotto type rices have much higher GIs, so less suitable in a diabetic diet. The varying GIs of rice depends on the type of carbohydrate present in the grains. Basmati rice has the greatest amount of a type known as amylose which does not gelatinize during cooking and results in fluffy, separate grains. Whereas grains with more amylopectin burst on cooking resulting in sticky rice that can be eaten with chopsticks. The more intact the structure of a grain of rice the lower the GI because once consumed the particle size maintains intact for longer, slowing the digestive process. The higher quality brands of rice like Tilda have the technology to reject broken grains from their products, further guaranteeing the low GI of the rice. Steaming rice helps to better maintain the structure of the grain compared with boiled rice so generally steamed rice has a lower GI than boiled. Wholegrain Basmati rice is also a source of fibre which is important for gut health and improves bowe Continue reading >>
The Diabetic's Guide To Eating Rice
Replace white rice with brown If White Rice were to be a contestant on “Let’s Get These Blood Sugars Soaring” it would receive a standing ovation. It has a high score on the Glycemic Index - a list that grades foods according to how much they screw up your blood sugar. It’s naturally good at helping people develop diabetes. Each additional servings of white rice a week increases your chance of developing diabetes by 10%. That’s eating more than 4 servings a week, and it’s no laughing matter, considering how common white rice is. Fried rice at the chinese restaurant? White. Favorite cajun dirty rice at the family reunion? White. Mexican rice at your aunt’s house? White. Rice and veggies steamer bag in the frozen food isle? Yup, white again. Not to mention the plethora of rice pastas and gluten free breads that rely on this cheap, processed and refined grain. Brown rice is actually white rice that has not be stripped of its nutrients and refined. Two of those nutrients are fiber and magnesium - both of which have been shown to regulate blood sugar. Studies have shown that replacing white rice with brown rice even helps reduce the likelihood of developing diabetes. Eat less rice overall for best blood sugar control Replacing all white rice with brown rice is a good idea - reduces diabetes risk by 16%. Eating less rice overall is best - replacing rice with other grains reduces diabetes risk by 36%. Did you know a serving of rice is ½ cup? Here are some ways to make that half cup be enough. Instead of filling your plate with brown rice and sprinkling in some veggies, eat a plateful of veggies sprinkled with ½ cup of brown rice. Want even better control? Adapt a habit from our south of the border friends and serve beans whenever you eat brown rice. And since 5 Continue reading >>
Type 2 Diabetes Diet: The Best Foods To Prevent Or Manage The Disease
Healthy eating is one of the best ways to manage type 2 diabetes. This type of diabetes is strongly linked to excess weight, so calorie reduction and the right kind of diabetes diet can go a long way toward an improvement in overall health. Among the most important components of good nutrition when you have type 2 diabetes are meals with the right mix of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats to keep your blood sugar as normal as possible throughout the day. With these basic building blocks in place, make sure to seek out particular foods and beverages that can give you an extra edge in managing type 2 diabetes, says Beth Reardon, RD, an integrative nutritionist in private practice in Boston and a senior nutrition adviser for Caring.com. Here are some foods to reach for to help you manage your diabetes better. Eat Brown Rice and Other Fiber-Rich Foods White rice has long been known to have a negative effect on blood sugar. Like most "white" foods, it causes blood sugar spikes. A moderate amount of healthy whole grains, such as brown rice, and other fiber-rich foods instead of processed grains may reduce the risk of complications like diabetic neuropathy, which is nerve damage resulting from high blood sugar. Brown rice is packed with fiber, an important component for diabetes management. “Because fiber is not digested by the body, it does not affect blood sugar levels,” Reardon says. “This helps keep blood sugar levels steady and may prevent glucose spikes.” Another way to add fiber to your diet is with beans and other legumes. Research published in April 2012 in Nutrition Journal showed that beans and rice eaten together do not cause as drastic a blood sugar spike as rice alone. Also, a study published in October 2016 in the Journal of the Science of Food and Agricu Continue reading >>
Can Eating Rice Affect My Diabetes?
Having diabetes requires you to be vigilant about your diet and exercise habits. You have to watch what you eat every day to ensure that your blood sugar doesn’t rise to an unhealthy level. Monitoring the carbohydrate count and glycemic index (GI) score of the foods you eat can make controlling your diabetes easier. The GI ranks food based on how they can affect your blood sugar. If you aren’t tracking your diet, diabetes can cause more serious health problems. This includes cardiovascular disease, kidney damage, or foot infections. Rice is rich in carbohydrates and can have a high GI score. If you have diabetes, you may think that you need to skip it at the dinner, but this isn’t always the case. You can still eat rice if you have diabetes. You should avoid eating it in large portions or too frequently, though. Many types of rice exist, and some types are healthier than others. There are risks to having too much rice in your diet. A study in the British Medical Journal found that people who eat high levels of white rice may have an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes. This means that if you have prediabetes, you should be especially conscientious about your rice intake. If you’ve already been diagnosed with diabetes, it’s generally safe for you to enjoy rice in moderation. Make sure you’re aware of the carbohydrate count and GI score for the type of rice you wish to eat. You should aim to eat between 45 and 60 grams of carbohydrates per meal. Some varieties of rice have a lower GI score than others. The Create Your Plate method used by the U.S. Department of Agriculture is a good way to ensure your meals are portioned well. Your dinner plate should have 25 percent protein, 25 percent grains and starchy foods, and 50 percent non-starchy vegetables. Continue reading >>
Can I Eat Rice If I Have Diabetes?
Diet plays an important role in staying healthy, especially for people with diabetes. Many people wonder whether high-carbohydrate foods such as rice are healthy to eat. This article will explain how to count carbohydrates, how to incorporate rice into the diet, and what the healthy alternatives to rice are. Diabetes basics Diabetes mellitus is a group of diseases where the body does not adequately produce insulin, use insulin properly, or both. Insulin plays a crucial role in allowing blood sugar to enter the cells and be used for energy. There are two main types: type 1 and type 2 diabetes. People with diabetes have abnormally high levels of blood sugar. This can damage many organs in the body if left untreated. The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases recommend the following steps to manage diabetes: making healthy choices in eating engaging in regular physical activity or exercise taking medications, if required A nutritious diet is important in keeping blood sugar levels at a healthy level. The healthy range is 80 to 130 milligrams per deciliter mg/dL before meals or below 180 mg/dL after meals, according to the American Diabetes Association. People with type 1 diabetes require insulin. Various insulin delivery systems and protocols are used to manage blood sugar levels both between and at meal times. People with type 2 diabetes often manage their condition with diet and exercise, and with medications as needed to keep their blood sugar levels within the target range. These medications vary in how they work. People with diabetes will have different treatment plans, and they will respond to food, exercise, and medication differently. It is important that people consult with a doctor to get personalized recommendations on target blood suga Continue reading >>
Eating Brown Rice To Cut Diabetes Risk
Francesco Tonelli for The New York Times Next time you order takeout wonton soup and a spicy Number 82, you might want to make sure it comes with brown rice. Brown rice is a whole grain — white rice before it has been refined and polished and stripped of the bran covering, which is high in fiber and nutrients. Brown rice also has a lower glycemic index than white rice, which means it doesn’t cause blood glucose levels to rise as rapidly. Now a new study from researchers at Harvard reports that Americans who eat two or more servings of brown rice a week reduce their risk of developing Type 2 diabetes by about 10 percent compared to people who eat it less than once a month. And those who eat white rice on a regular basis — five or more times a week — are almost 20 percent more likely to develop Type 2 diabetes than those who eat it less than once a month. Just replacing a third of a serving of white rice with brown each day could reduce one’s risk of Type 2 diabetes by 16 percent, a statistical analysis showed. A serving is half a cup of cooked rice. The study, which was published in The Archives of Internal Medicine and used data from two Harvard nurses’ health studies and a separate study of health professionals, isn’t the first to point a finger at foods like white rice as a culprit in Type 2 diabetes. A 2007 study of Chinese women in Shanghai found that middle-aged women who ate large amounts of white rice and other refined carbohydrates were also at increased risk for diabetes compared to their peers who ate less. But the Harvard study is one of the first to distinguish between brown rice and white rice consumption in the United States, where rice is not a staple food and relatively little is eaten overall, said Dr. Qi Sun, an instructor in medicine at Continue reading >>
Brown Rice Instead Of White May Lower Diabetes Risk
(Health.com) -- The next time you order Chinese food or need a side dish to serve with dinner, you're better off choosing brown rice instead of white. Eating more brown rice and cutting back on white rice may reduce your risk of diabetes, a new study reports. "People at risk of diabetes should pay attention to carbohydrates in their diet and replace refined carbohydrates with whole grains," says the lead author of the study, Dr. Qi Sun, M.D., a nutrition researcher at the Harvard School of Public Health, in Boston, Massachusetts. If you eat a little more than two servings of white rice (about 12 ounces) per week, switching to brown rice will lower your risk of developing type 2 diabetes by 16 percent, Sun and his colleagues estimate. And if you replace those servings of white rice with whole grains in general, they estimate, your diabetes risk will decline even further, by 36 percent. White rice is produced by removing the husk-like outer layers of brown rice. Those discarded layers contain nutrients (such as magnesium and insoluble fiber) that have been shown to guard against diabetes, which may in part explain the study's findings, Sun says. White rice may also contribute to diabetes risk because it causes blood-sugar levels to rise more rapidly than brown rice does. (This is known as having a higher glycemic index.) Type 2 diabetes occurs when your body loses its sensitivity to insulin, a hormone that helps convert blood sugar (glucose) into energy. The result is that blood sugar, which is toxic at high levels, can creep into the danger zone. Eating lots of foods with a high glycemic index-- such as refined carbohydrates-- has been linked to diabetes risk in the past. "White rice is digested much faster and converted into sugar in your blood much quicker, so your bod Continue reading >>
