Is Eating Rice Bad For Pre-Diabetics?
There’s a lot of differing opinions on the role of certain foods in a pre-diabetic diet. For example, take rice — one of the world’s most common staples. Rice is very inexpensive and it forms the basis to a number of different meals. Unfortunately, rice can turn into sugar very quickly in the body, which means that eating rice can be bad for pre-diabetic people.
The truth is that a pre-diabetic diet can have rice, but that doesn’t mean that rice is good for all pre-diabetic people. The key is to switch to whole grains if you’re going to enjoy pasta and rice, because these do not break down into sugar as quickly. If you’re developing a strong insulin intolerance, you will need to make sure that the foods that form the basis of your pre-diabetic diet do not raise your blood sugar levels to a level that makes it hard to bring them back down. This can put stress on the body and cause full onset diabetes if the problem continues.
Thankfully, it doesn’t have to be like that at all — rice can be bad for a pre-diabetic diet, but if you start out with small amounts of rice, you may be able to add it to your diet without problems. The key is still moderation — start out with a 1/4 cup or a 1/2 cup of rice instead of a full cup of rice. You may have to get used to eating less rice than you did before you were diagnosed with pre-diabetes, but this will be the best thing for your new pre-diabetic diet. If you find that you can handle higher amounts of rice, there’s nothing wrong with adding those back in slowly.
Now that you have more information on eating rice, it’s time to get started building your pre-diabetic diet today!
October 28th, 2010 at 7:09 am
These types of food have a totally different effect on blood sugar levels. Blood sugar will rise slowly after eating carbs, which include potatoes, rice, pasta, milk.You need to eat carbs, such as rice and potatoes, as part of a healthy diet. You just need to not over-eat otherwise your blood sugar will rise too much.
October 28th, 2010 at 7:49 am
You should try having carbohydrate rich food like ¾ cup dry cereal; ½ cup cooked cereal, yam, peas, corn, or cooked beans, ¼ of a bagel (1 ounce) and1/3 cup of rice or pasta and other similar food.
November 11th, 2010 at 7:10 am
Brown rice is better than white rice. The variety of rice may be identical, but milling removes the husk from the grain and turns the brown rice to white. The white rice that most of us eat is comprised mostly of carbohydrates, with the nutrients stripped off in the milling process.
November 12th, 2010 at 8:18 am
I agree with Dan. Carbohydrates are building blocks of our body but they form sugar at some level too. What should be the diet for a diabetic person then?
February 19th, 2011 at 6:59 am
Are there any substitute for rice ????
February 21st, 2011 at 3:15 am
Rice and cereal products ARE NOT almost pure sugar, as the previous answer stated.
Rice and cereals are actually starchy and predominantly carbohydrates.
These types of food have a totally different effect on blood sugar levels. Blood sugar will rise slowly after eating carbs, which include potatoes, rice, pasta, milk.
High sugar foods will make the blood sugar rise very quickly, you would notice the difference in your sugar level after 5 minutes with sugary foods, whereas high-carb foods would have an effect on sugar levels after 30 minutes, sometimes more.
You need to eat carbs, such as rice and potatoes, as part of a healthy diet. You just need to not over-eat otherwise your blood sugar will rise too much.
February 22nd, 2011 at 5:18 am
The difference between brown rice and white rice is not just color! A whole grain of rice has several layers. Only the outermost layer, the hull, is removed to produce what we call brown rice. This process is the least damaging to the nutritional value of the rice and avoids the unnecessary loss of nutrients that occurs with further processing.
If brown rice is further milled to remove the bran and most of the germ layer, the result is a whiter rice, but also a rice that has lost many more nutrients. At this point, however, the rice is still unpolished, and it takes polishing to produce the white rice we are used to seeing. Polishing removes the aleurone layer of the grain-a layer filled with health-supportive, essential fats.
Because these fats, once exposed to air by the refining process, are highly susceptible to oxidation, this layer is removed to extend the shelf life of the product. The resulting white rice is simply a refined starch that is largely bereft of its original nutrients.
February 22nd, 2011 at 7:26 am
Since the condition has of a pre-diabetes indicate there is already enough level of blood sugar in the body which needs to be controlled, foods which are carbohydrate based, should be avoided. For eg: wheat bread, rice or sweets.
February 23rd, 2011 at 5:12 am
Reduced amount of carbohydrates, sugar, fat and calories greatly help in reducing the chances of pre diabetes, to progress to type 2 diabetes. Include as much as vegetables and fruits in your meals.
Have high fiber and non-starchy vegetables such as spinach, broccoli, carrots, green beans or cauliflower. Green leafy vegetables are ideal food items for pre diabetes diet. However, to have a variation in your diet, go for other vegetables also.
February 24th, 2011 at 6:04 am
I am a seventy year old man who for years has been told (by medical
doctors and nutritionists) that he is prediabetic.
Authorities urge controling the condition by diet and exercise. But no
one has been able to explain what the proper diet is–what I should
eat and what I should avoid.
Assuming a set of dietary rules exists, I would like to know what they
are. If there is no clear regimen, I guess I would like to know that
too.
May 17th, 2011 at 8:50 am
As discussed, Rice is the best staple, but I shall better go for cereals along with Jaggery. It certainly is a rich protein food.
June 8th, 2011 at 5:05 am
The quantity, frequency and type of rice that one eats in a pre-diabetic stage should be asked from the doctor and not decided on one’s own. It is very important to follow the diet chart and know what one is supposed to have and what not. If not heeded then diabetes is not much far from the existing stage. Even if at the initial stage, don’t give yourself the freedom to choose your favorite foods.
June 10th, 2011 at 7:38 am
I agree with what Joey has written. Following your doctor is a must. Do not choose your food on your own and do things like having one thing more and one thing less to create a balance. If not a food expert then never assume such things. It is not just about fat and cholesterol, food has a lot of affect on the internal processes. Be cautious and don’t experiment with your body.
June 20th, 2011 at 5:22 am
In my opinion, there cannot be a same diet plan for every patient because everybody has a unique family and health history. Somebody may be suffering for pre-diabetics combined with another disease any other parameters may differ as well, such as weight, lifestyle etc. On a general note yes consumption of rice should be limited, but when to eat how much, only your doctor can suggest right.
June 21st, 2011 at 6:46 am
I agree with Sean. A friend of mine decided her diet and exercise routine and that didn’t do her nay good. She didn’t know of having a gynecological problem which got triggered because of her exercises. The best way is to follow the instructions of your doctor and don’t make any assumptions. Eating one chocolate and compensating by not eating for two days might not do well to your health. Don’t make assumptions and follow your doctor. Rice is famous for not good during pre-diabetics, only your doctor should decide your consumption of the same.
June 22nd, 2011 at 12:27 am
I would like to mention that rice itself comes in many varieties and has varying composition; hence what rice you are consuming is a defining factor about its consumption. Whether you are having white rice, golden rice, genetically modified ones or that cultivated in specific areas would have a different affect on your body. Hence, keep all this in mind before making any decision regarding its consumption during pre-diabetics.
July 5th, 2011 at 6:24 am
I feel only a doctor and dietitian can decide that for a patient. One can’t decide without knowing the medical history. Yes it’s not considered good for health during pre-diabetics, but it has its own contribution to the body’s nutrition bank. And a diet chart may or may not comprise of it depending on the demands of the patient’s body.
July 8th, 2011 at 2:58 am
I agree with Moe. One of my family members suffered from Arthritis. The doctor asked to lose weight and she gave up rice, butter, sugar and similar foods. That only made her weak and the calcium supplements were not enough to help her. One should always seek a dietitian’s advice and be patient instead of rushing into things in panic.
July 11th, 2011 at 7:54 am
A friend of mine is at the pre-diabetic stage and I really want to help her. She feels that life has as if ended and she cannot do interesting things all her life. She doesn’t attend parties and go to restaurants anymore. I want to reassure her but wondering if she is right. Looking forward to few suggestions here. Thanks a lot.
July 19th, 2011 at 7:29 am
Yes of course eating rice is not good for diabetic patients. One should always avoid rice. But I think that it’s better to ask your doctor about your diet instead of trying your own ways out because it totally depends how severe the diabetes is? People are generally very scared when they hear that they suffer from a disease called “diabetes”. And so I say that pre-diabetic diet will decide whether to make you permanently suffer from it or not. Don’t worry everything will be fine once you start your diet. Your sugar level will be in control and back to normal if you strictly follow the diet plan.
July 20th, 2011 at 3:31 am
My mom is also suffering from diabetes. It’s just recently that she is into it. We have consulted a couple of doctors but none of the doctors have restricted her from eating rice. I don’t really know what impact rice has on a diabetic patient. The only thing that I know is rice is not good for people who have an intention to lose weight and are on a diet as rice makes a person to gain more weight.
July 22nd, 2011 at 1:56 am
No Raymond, don’t take chances. See I am saying this because it’s just the start and there are maximum possibilities that her diabetes can be controlled and she can again be back to her normal life i.e. without any disease. And please do talk to your doctor whether she should have rice or no because as far as I know rice will not be good for her. Its better that you avoid it so as to protect your mother from further problems.
July 27th, 2011 at 7:03 am
I always used to think that Rice only is bad for those who want to lose weight. But here after reading this article I am completely shocked as to what was mentioned about Rice. I did not know that rice actually forms sugar after it is consumed. Oh God! Then it is surely a slow poison for rice lovers and also for diabetic patients. I am surely going to make everybody in my family aware of Rice and ask them to have it in limited quantities as everybody in my house is a rice lover.
July 29th, 2011 at 7:35 am
Bianca is right Raymond. You need to be cautious after all she is your mom. When we know that if we start taking care of her from the initial stage and make her control her sugar level she can get back to her routine life. Why not do this for her. Apart from restrictions from sugar and sweets, doctors also give medicines which will help them to control their sugar level. Be careful and make her have her medicines on time. Bitter gourd if consumed raw is proved to be the best medicine yet to control diabetes quickly.
August 1st, 2011 at 2:03 am
I know some of them who are rice lovers. They are not suffering from diabetes. Also they say that they just cannot stay without having rice and also there are a few of them who only eat rice. So how is it that they are able to control their sugar levels? Just had a doubt in my mind that at what age does a person generally suffers from diabetes. I have heard that youngsters and children can never suffer from diabetes.
August 2nd, 2011 at 7:57 am
Well Raymond, incomplete information is very dangerous! Diabetes is not a minor disease and even a drop of food can make an impact on the level of cholesterol. Diabetes is a kind of slow killer and invites many other health issues with it. Precaution is better than cure. Please consult your doctor and dietitian both before planning the diet and follow them strictly before it gets too late.
August 2nd, 2011 at 8:46 am
Rice contains a lot of fiber and starch in them. So when consumed it directly goes into your body and then later on gets converted into sugar. Sugar is a form of calories and is not good for people who suffer from diabetes. If you still cannot resist rice then it’s better to have Brown rice as it contains very little calories in it.
August 3rd, 2011 at 12:26 am
Hi Dawn. Well, gone are the days when only people above 60 years of age suffered from diabetes. Nowadays even new born children suffer from it. I had classmates at school who had them and could see them putting insulin injections during the lunch break. Age is a factor but to many it occurs naturally. Sometimes it is genetic and other times the logical cause may not be known.
August 4th, 2011 at 12:36 am
Pre-diabetes has been termed as America’s largest healthcare epidemic. This itself defines how common pre-diabetics is. The main reason is lifestyle. Having high fat and unhealthy food, esp. Fast food, going to bed with a heavy stomach, not exercising, late to bed and later to rise, over eating, tension, obesity and similar more. A good lifestyle can curb this disease to a good extent.
August 4th, 2011 at 1:21 am
People living in South India generally consume a lot of rice. Rice is a basic food for them. They eat rice in their lunch as well as dinner. They prepare all their food items only with the use of rice. So why is it that they do not suffer from diabetes even after consuming 3 times in a day? This thing just clicked my mind so I thought of sharing it every one.
August 9th, 2011 at 3:47 am
Hi Jordan. Well, rice itself is not the cause of diabetes. Diabetes has innumerable reasons like inappropriate lifestyle that includes inappropriate consumption of food, over eating, eating at the wrong time, not exercising, sleeping a lot, hereditary and many other. Inappropriate consumption of rice can only trigger your condition because it is rich is starch and this affects your cholesterol.
August 10th, 2011 at 6:29 am
People who suffer from diabetes are generally asked to control on their diet and the other food stuff they intake. You actually need to have a good idea of what you need to eat and what you are suppose to avoid. Also a dietician in this matter will really help. Apart from Rice there are many other things that you need to avoid like sugar, sweets, chocolates, cream and much more. And yes I agree to that you need to consume your food in an appropriate quantity so that you are able to maintain the sugar level in your blood.
August 13th, 2011 at 4:47 am
Over consumption of foods rich in starch, fat, sugar may definitely have a negative impact on patients suffering from pre-diabetes. One should avoid of limit the consumption of such foods. Following a diet chart would surely help because one would not wonder what to eat and directly grab what is directed by the doctor.
August 22nd, 2011 at 1:42 am
Eating meals in small portions will really help as you digest the food in small quantities and at the same time keep losing calories by the work you do. This will help you to maintain your sugar level and will not let you feel dizzy or tired for the whole day as there are some symptoms which make you feel like that. Eat lots and lots of fruit and vegetables and also tomatoes and dried apricots. This will surely help you on long term basis if you continue this in your diet.
August 22nd, 2011 at 8:14 am
Doctors would suggest you to go for Brown Rice if in case you are unable to quit rice and are suffering from diabetes. White rice when consumed gets digested quickly and it turns into glucose and moreover it has low nutritional value. Brown rice has no husking cover over it and so it more nutritious and contains all the edible parts of rice. It is always good to have brown rice as it is good for diabetes patients and also to those who want to maintain their physique.
August 26th, 2011 at 7:00 am
Some people only like to eat Basmati Rice and nothing else while the poor people cannot afford to have it. They only can rely on the inexpensive Brown Rice. But in reality Brown Rice is the best because it does not gets converted into glucose and so is more beneficial for a pre-diabetic person. Expensive Rice is surely nutritious but at the same time is not good for a person suffering from diabetes.
September 6th, 2011 at 7:40 am
Brown Rice is the substitute for White rice. Also it does not have calories so it is good for those who are on a diet and striving hard to loose weight. Yes I understand that the taste of both type of rice differs and so for those who only like the white one can have it in limited quantity. Keep updating your doctor about the count in every 2 days. He might ask you to switch on to some other medicines if required.
September 14th, 2011 at 3:24 am
Discipline in terms of eating habits is required by all of us. Nobody can explain things to you better than yourself. Think of what would be your future if you do not control yourself now. It’s important to be disciplined as it does not harm you in any way in fact it makes you feel organized in all walks of life.
September 14th, 2011 at 5:21 am
“Is rice made food good for diabetic patient? Rice made food means stuff like idlis, dosas and other stuff made with rice. Idlis and dosas are grinded and steamed? I have heard some of low calories rice made food available in the market. Can a pre diabetic person have this food? Rice lovers cannot just stay without having rice. So I think it would be a good substitute for them. Please suggest?
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