Deciphering The Connection Between White Rice & Diabetes

Does frequent consumption of white rice increase the risk of you having diabetes?

As unrealistic as it may sound, the answer to that is – yes, it does. There have been numerous studies that clearly state that people consuming white rice have a greater risk of contracting diabetes. But the question is, why does it happen, and more importantly, is it time to say goodbye to white rice? Let’s find out.

Pexels | According to research, consuming excessive white risk is a straight ticket to contracting diabetes

Here’s a look at the results of some studies

A little while ago, 21 nations collaborated for international research to thoroughly evaluate the rice consumption of 132,373 individuals over a period of 10 years. The subjects of the study were between the age group of 30-70 years, and the countries included in the research were India, China, South America, North America, Europe, and many more.

The results of the study pointed out a direct connection between high consumption of white rice and an enhanced risk of diabetes in the people consuming it.

Read – How much White Rice can a diabetic patient eat?

Supporting evidence emerged from Harvard school public health’s records. A research done there in 2012 found that a person served with a bowl of white rice every day had an 11% higher risk of being exposed to diabetes. And it doesn’t really matter here if you’re having high quality and costly rice since even such people experience a 27% boost in the risk of diabetes.

Unsplash | Regardless of the quality and cost of white rice, people who eat them regularly are more exposed to diabetes than people who don’t

But why is excess consumption of white rice harmful?

Scientists suggest that excess consumption of white rice causes postprandial glucose spikes, which increase the secretion of the insulin element to maintain a normal sugar level. Over time, the body’s B cells become exhausted and this leads to their failure. Additionally, white rice lacks nutrients like fiber and magnesium, which are crucial to the proper functioning of our bodies.

It’s been observed that the Asian population consumes a lot of white rice, and that’s why the diabetic rate is increasing day by day in Asia. Nutrition specialists also suggest that it’s better to have a bowl full of brown rice instead which has plenty of nutrients.

Read – Which is healthier, Rice or Pasta?

So, is it time to say goodbye to white rice?

Before cutting it off for good, it’s important to understand that white rice isn’t the only issue. Nutritional specialists acknowledge that white rice has been a part of the Asian diet for a long time, but in the earlier days, the risk of contracting diabetes was low. However, the combination of decreased physical activity and high consumption of carbohydrates (which has become the norm in people’s lives today) doubles the risk of getting diabetes.

Pexels | So is it time to say goodbye to white rice? Apparently not! You just need to control how much of it you eat

To sum it up

It’s quite impossible to instantly cut down white rice completely from your diet. So what you can do is just reduce its inclusion from 70-80% to 20-30%. You can replace white rice with proteins, vitamins, healthy fat, vegetables, etc. The inclusion of these nutrients will not only decrease the risk of diabetes but also enhance your body’s function.