Brown Rice for Diabetes

Do you absolutely love rice but are looking for some healthy alternatives to white rice? Are you thinking of including brown rice for diabetes?

Before you add anything new to your diabetes meal plan, take a look at this detailed article here that talks about brown rice for diabetes, whether or not it is really good for those who have diabetes, what are the best ways to prepare it, and more about its nutritional value. 

Is Brown Rice Good for Diabetes?

Brown rice falls under the lower glycaemic index chart or GI score. As a result, even though it contains carbohydrates, it will still affect your blood sugar levels slower and will cause a lesser spike in your blood sugar levels as compared to how fast the spike can occur when you consume white rice. 

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As per a study that was conducted with 202 middle-aged adults, consuming brown rice for diabetes can definitely be a better alternative as compared to using white rice. 

• The group of adults that consumed brown rice over a period of 16 weeks, instead of white rice, showed some amount of benefits in improving their overall HDL or good cholesterol levels. 
• There was also some improvement in the blood pressure levels of those adults who consumed brown rice instead of white rice. 

Nutritional Value of Brown Rice

As per half a cup serving of long-grain brown rice, you get about: 

• About 1 gram of fat
• About 2 grams of fiber
• No sugar
• About 22 grams of carbohydrate
• About 108 calories
• About 3 grams of protein 

Glycemic Index of Brown rice

Brown rice has a glycaemic score or GI score of about 50.

Benefits of Brown Rice for Diabetes

Brown rice for diabetes can show some health benefits, especially as compared to consuming white rice. Here are some of the benefits of brown rice for diabetes that you can look forward to when you include it in moderation in your diet: 

1. Will not immediately cause a spike in blood sugar levels 

• Brown rice comes with a low glycaemic index or GI score. 
• As a result, when you eat brown rice with diabetes, it will not cause an immediate spike in your blood sugar levels.

2. Improves your overall heart health

• Brown rice does contain a host of nutrients, especially dietary fiber, that, when consumed in moderation, can help to improve your overall heart health.
• Those who have diabetes are often at a higher risk of developing heart concerns or cardiovascular diseases, and having brown rice for diabetes could be a better swap than having white rice. 

3. Better for overall weight management

• Those who have diabetes need to watch out for proper weight control and management, as being obese or overweight can make them prone to various other health issues and diabetes complications.
• Having brown rice (in small portions, speak to your nutritionist for an individualized portion recommendation) for diabetes can be a good option in this case, as it contains more dietary fiber as compared to white rice. This will make you feel full faster and will prevent overeating, which is often a cause of obesity or poor weight management. 
• Having brown rice in diabetes instead of white rice may also help to bring down the total body mass index, or BMI count.

Other Health Benefits of Brown Rice

Brown rice has various other health benefits such as:

• Eating brown rice with portion control on a regular basis and substituting it as a replacement for white rice can lower the chances of a person developing diabetes, especially if it runs in the family medical history and the person has a higher risk of developing the same.
• Brown rice can also help in better digestion because of its high content of dietary fiber which will help to regulate bowels and reduce the occurrence of constipation. This makes it easier for the waste from your body to flush out. 
• Having brown rice instead of white rice can help to better manage weight and in some cases, it may also help to reduce weight. This is because eating brown rice makes you feel full faster and will prevent hunger pangs and sudden food cravings.
• As brown rice is not processed and does not go through the milling process, it retains more of its nutrients including antioxidants. The phytochemicals that are retained in brown rice, along with the flavonoids can help to get rid of toxins, reduce stress and act as a protective shield against some health concerns. 
• Eating brown rice in the right portions can help in better weight control. As a result, it can naturally help to reduce risks of obesity and excessive weight gain and may also help to lower the body mass index or BMI. 
• Regular consumption of brown rice instead of white rice may also have a good impact on your overall cholesterol levels, where it can help to improve the good cholesterol, that is HDL, and reduce the bad cholesterol, that is LDL. This can also act as a protective shield against various heart-related health concerns as well as help to protect you against various cardiovascular diseases. 

Please remember that consuming brown rice in diabetes is safe, as long as you have it in moderation. Speak to your diabetes health care team and your dietician or nutritionist to understand how much brown rice you can have in a day to safely enjoy its health benefits.