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Diabetes is one of the fastest-growing lifestyle disorders in the world. In a study reported by The Hindu between 2019 and 2021, India logged 3.1 crore new diabetes patients. Furthermore, the study revealed diabetes is the top cause of blindness, heart attacks, kidney ailments, etc. There are two variants of diabetes. The more surging variant is type 2 diabetes. Type 2 diabetes happens due to a sedentary lifestyle and genetic factors. However, it is not completely curable, but with lifestyle alterations, it can be very well-controlled. Lifestyle changes demand diet control and choosing foods that don’t cause an upsurge in your blood sugar. White rice is a high-glycemic food, meaning it causes a rise in your blood sugar upon consumption. But rice is a staple diet in India, and does having diabetes mean a full stop on rice? Tension not rice lovers, we’ll tell you about a diabetes-friendly rice type, i.e. rice without starch. We’ll also explain starch free rice benefits and more. So, let’s begin!
Is Rice Bad for You?
After China, India stands being the second largest producer of rice in the world. Rice is a part of the staple diet in many of the Indian states. However, in diabetes, health experts advise cutting down on rice due to the following reasons:
- Typically, rice is full of starch, which contributes to blood sugar rise.
- White rice lacks dietary fiber. Food with dietary fiber delays glucose absorption rate and the chances of sugar spikes. Therefore, white rice consumption can lead to blood sugar spikes.
- White rice is a high-glycemic food. It has a glycemic index value of 70, which comes in the high glycemic category. High glycemic foods spike your blood sugar and bring fluctuations.
- White rice contains simple carbs. Simple carbs are broken by the body and convert into glucose which leads to blood glucose rise. In non-diabetics, glucose is absorbed by the bloodstream and transferred to the cells. However, in diabetes patients, this glucose cannot be transferred to the cells, which makes your blood sugar shoot up.
However, one thing everyone must know is that rice isn’t consumed all alone. With rice, you also consume dal and vegetables. Although rice lacks fiber you can add fiber through dal and vegetables. Therefore, diabetes patients can consume rice with dal and sabji to bring down its glycemic impact. However, portion control is still necessary. You shouldn’t consume more than 1 katori of rice in a meal. According to the NDTV Food and Health website, consuming rice by adding ghee and dal reduces the chances of rapid blood glucose rise.
Read More: Is Rice Good For Diabetes?
Benefits of Consuming Rice without Starch
Ayurveda never recommends the consumption of brown rice. This is because, according to Ayurveda, white rice is easier to digest. Although brown rice has higher fiber content, sometimes it becomes an irritant in your gut. Therefore, we bring to you, starch free rice. The benefits of starch free rice include all the goodness of rice and less starch and carbs. Starch free rice benefits:
- Lower starch content than conventional white rice
- Lower quantity of carbohydrates
- Lower glycemic index
Read More: Best Vegetable with Low Glycemic Index for Diabetics.
Steps to Make Starch Free Rice for Diabetes Patients
Here are steps to follow for cooking rice without starch:
- Take a large bowl and put a portion of rice in it. Rinse the rice 2-3 times to remove impurities.
- Take a pan or container and add water approximately three times the quantity of rice.
- Add the washed rice.
- Boil the container for about 10 minutes.
- After a few minutes, when the rice starts to boil, lather and thick creamy substance will begin to accumulate on top. This thick substance is starch.
- Keep removing the lather till the top layer is clear.
- Check the rice to see if it’s cooked for 10 minutes. The cooked rice will be soft and tender.
- Now turn off the gas and bring the container near your kitchen sink.
- With the help of a clean cloth or the container’s lid, remove the extra water by tilting the container towards the sink.
- Now, what is left in the container is the starch free rice ready to be eaten.
- Serve with dal, sabji and salad to further reduce the glycemic impact.
FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)
Yes starch free rice is a healthier alternative to traditional white rice. The excessive scratch is removed by draining after boiling. Starch free rice contains a much lower quantity of starch and carbs. Thereby reducing its glycemic impact and helping manage diabetes.
Yes, we can remove starch from cooked rice. The detailed steps to remove starch have been explained above.
Yes, basmati rice, like all rice types, contains starch. Basmati rice contains resistant scratch, which has a prebiotic effect on the stomach. However, you can remove the excessive starch from it by the process suggested above.
Disclaimer
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