Is brown rice safe if you have diabetes?

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Seaweed-dried brown rice is a favorite dish of many people, especially women who need to lose weight. For people with diabetes, there is much information shared that the brown rice diet helps lower blood sugar. So what is the safety of brown rice for people with diabetes?

Among the healthy whole grains, brown rice is the food that many people know. Unlike white rice, brown rice has removed the hard outer shell, but still retains the germ layer and the rich bran layer inside.
The reason many people wonder about the safety of brown rice for diabetics even though brown rice is more nutritious, is that brown rice contains more carbs.

1. Overview of the benefits of brown rice for people with diabetes

For people with diabetes, brown rice is not only a healthy food but it is also a balanced diet. The important thing when eating brown rice is to control portion sizes and be aware of the glycemic index of this food.
1.1 General health benefits of brown rice Brown rice is a nutrient-dense food with a high content, which is a rich source of fiber, antioxidants, a number of vitamins and minerals. Brown rice contains a type of plant compound called flavonoids, which have strong antioxidant effects. Consuming foods high in flavonoids helps reduce the risk of several chronic diseases like Alzheimer's, cancer and heart disease.
Currently, dishes from brown rice such as seaweed dried brown rice are used a lot because they help to keep you full for a long time and have the effect of supporting weight loss. In addition, this fiber-rich food is also beneficial for the digestive system, thereby reducing the risk of chronic diseases.
1.2 Nutritional benefits of brown rice In 1 cup (about 200 grams) of cooked long grain brown rice provides about 248 calories with the following nutritional value:

With a diet of 1 cup of brown rice per day, it provides enough magnesium for the body, helps heal wounds, supports nerve function and develops the musculoskeletal system, and also helps regulate blood sugar. In addition to the above nutrients, brown rice also contains folate, potassium, iron and riboflavin.
1.3 Benefits of brown rice for diabetics Brown rice is one of the foods that provide abundant fiber. In people who are obese, overweight or have type 2 diabetes, consuming brown rice helps to lower blood sugar levels. Especially for diabetics, to prevent or delay the progression of the disease, blood sugar control is very important
Compared with white rice, the brown rice diet on diabetics reduces both blood sugar and hemoglobin A1c . In particular, if brown rice is used regularly and for a long time (about 10 brown rice meals/week and used for at least 8 weeks) improves blood sugar as well as endothelial function. These are important indicators of heart health.
In addition, the brown rice diet also supports weight loss very well in people with diabetes, thereby helping to improve blood sugar control. In women who are obese or overweight, consuming about 3/4 cup of brown rice per day (equivalent to 150 grams) significantly reduces the indicators of weight in general and waist circumference in particular. compared with white rice.
Weight loss is very important for people with type 2 diabetes, as it greatly reduces the likelihood of remission.

1.4 Dietary Brown Rice Helps Prevent Type 2 Diabetes Brown rice not only helps control blood sugar in type 2 diabetics but also helps prevent the disease. Consuming brown rice at least twice a week with meals is recommended to reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes. Although the diabetes prevention mechanism of dietary brown rice is not well understood. completely, but studies show that the higher fiber content in brown rice also plays a part. In addition, the magnesium found in brown rice also helps reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes.

2. What is the glycemic index of brown rice?

To understand the benefits of brown rice for people with diabetes how it is necessary to know the glycemic index (GI) of brown rice. To measure how much a food raises the blood sugar of a food, we use the glycemic index.
Accordingly, when consuming foods with a high glycemic index, blood sugar levels will increase and be higher than when using foods with a medium and low glycemic index. Therefore, consuming foods with low and medium GI is considered a method of blood sugar control.
In the medium range, cooked brown rice has a GI of 68. To better understand the benefits of brown rice for diabetics, consider the following foods other than their GI:
High GI foods (>70) include: White bread, corn flakes, instant oatmeal, white rice, crackers, potatoes, watermelon. Medium GI foods (56–69): Steamed wheat flour pellets, cold oatmeal, pineapple, sweet potatoes, popcorn. Low GI foods (<55): Apples, carrots, dates, lentils, non-starchy vegetables, barley, rolled oatmeal. White rice is one of the foods with a high glycemic index (73). Unlike brown rice, the fiber in white rice is less, so they are easier to digest and lead to a faster rise in blood sugar. In diabetic patients, it is advisable and necessary to limit the consumption of foods with a high GI.

A diet brown rice with low GI foods, but still ensuring protein and healthy fats is very important for people with diabetes.

3. Ration and quality of brown rice diet for people with diabetes

To control blood sugar in diabetics, patients need to pay attention to total carb consumption, especially when using brown rice instead of white rice.
Currently, the recommended amount of carbs for diabetics to control blood sugar is not available. Based on the goal to be achieved on the glycemic index is how much and how the patient's body reacts to carbs, from there, we will have a limited amount of brown rice in the meal.
For example, a controlled brown rice diet with a target serving size of 30 grams of carbs per meal would limit brown rice to about 1/2 cup (100 grams) containing 26 carbs. The remaining 4 grams of the meal's carbs can be obtained from low-carb foods like vegetables or chicken breast.
Besides the portion size, the patient needs to pay attention to the quality of the meal to have a balanced diet when using brown rice, it should be combined with other nutritious foods, protein from lean meat, healthy fats. come from plant-based, low-carb foods like vegetables and fruits.
In addition, patients also need to pay attention to brown rice diet in combination with whole foods, limit processed foods, to ensure the supply of vitamins and minerals for the body, and help maintain stable blood sugar.

It has been shown that type 2 diabetics who have a better quality diet have better blood sugar control than patients with a poor quality diet.

4. How to cook brown rice for diabetics

Brown rice is a food that is easy to buy, easy to cook, and also very easy to store. How to cook brown rice for diabetics is very simple, specifically as follows:
Step 1: Put 1 cup (about 180 grams) of dry rice into the pot and wash the rice under cold running water. Step 2: After washing, pour 2 cups of water (about 475ml) into the rice cooker. A small amount of olive oil and salt can be added if desired. Step 3: Bring to a boil, cover, then reduce heat to low. Cook brown rice for about 45–55 minutes over low heat, or watch until all the water is absorbed. Once cooked, remove the pot from the heat and let it sit for about 8-10 minutes, then cover with a lid. Before serving, beat the rice with a fork for a better texture. A diabetic brown rice diet is versatile with other cereals, curries, salads, stir-fries, soups and veggie burgers. It can also be combined with eggs and vegetables for a hearty breakfast or used in low-sugar rice cakes.

Here are some quality and diabetic friendly brown rice recipes:
Brown rice and pinto beans with chicken and pico de gallo (a Mexican dish) Brown rice with fried tofu Rice brown rice with roasted turkey and kale Salad Roll Salmon with brown rice and vegetables Eggs with pinto beans, brown rice and chicken sausage Brown rice cake
A brown rice diet with other foods is completely safe for people with diabetes because brown rice is a food rich in fiber, antioxidants, vitamins and minerals that help improve control blood sugar.
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References: healthline.com, medicaldaily.com, webmd.com