Changing how white rice is prepared and eaten can reduce post-meal blood sugar spikes, according to recent research. The approaches involve raising resistant starch content, pairing rice with unsaturated fats and walking immediately after eating. The studies, however, were limited to diabetes patients or overweight adults, making it difficult to apply the findings directly to the general public.
Medical sources said on the 1st that a research team at Sichuan University in China published a paper in the international journal Nutrition & Diabetes analyzing the blood sugar benefits of resistant starch. Pooling results from 13 clinical trials involving 428 adults with a body mass index of 25 or higher, the researchers found that those who took resistant starch supplements showed lower fasting blood glucose, fasting insulin, glycated hemoglobin and LDL cholesterol levels.
Insulin sensitivity indicators improved, but there was no statistically significant difference in the insulin resistance index (HOMA-IR). The researchers cited individual variation and the influence of gut microbiota in calling for further verification. The analysis covered trials using daily supplements of 10 to 45 grams and did not directly evaluate bean-based diets. Lee Jin-bok, a family medicine specialist and clinic director, explained that beans are rich in resistant starch and can be eaten regardless of cooking temperature.
The evidence for chilled rice comes from a study published in the Asia Pacific Journal of Clinical Nutrition in 2015. When white rice was refrigerated at 4 degrees Celsius for 24 hours and then reheated, resistant starch rose to 1.65 grams per 100 grams from 0.64 grams. Blood sugar responses among 15 healthy adults were about 18% lower (estimated) than with freshly cooked rice. The condition is prolonged refrigeration, not simply letting rice cool briefly, and leaving rice at room temperature carries a risk of food poisoning. A Polish study of type 1 diabetes patients found an increase in cases of low blood sugar after eating chilled rice.
A research team at the University of Naples Federico II in Italy published a randomized crossover trial of 13 type 1 diabetes patients in Diabetes Care in February 2016. Adding extra virgin olive oil to a high-glycemic-index meal produced a smaller early post-meal rise in blood sugar than low-fat or butter-based meals, while no difference was seen with low-glycemic-index meals. Lee recommended one to two tablespoons of oil or half an avocado per half cup of rice.
A research team at the University of Otago in New Zealand published results from a trial of 41 type 2 diabetes patients in Diabetologia. Walking for 10 minutes immediately after each meal lowered post-meal blood sugar by an average of 12% compared with a single 30-minute walk per day, with reductions reaching 22% after dinner. The researchers added that caution is needed for people with heart disease, citing the cardiac burden after meals.
The three methods are supplementary measures to ease the post-meal blood sugar load without reducing portion sizes. Because sample sizes were small and participants limited, people taking blood sugar medication should consult their doctor before changing their diet or exercise routine.
