A man has taken to the internet to demonstrate a hack aimed at minimising the impact of rice on blood sugar levels, sharing his findings online.
Justin Richard, who actively seeks ways to manage blood sugar due to a family history of type 2 diabetes and his own efforts to prevent it, turns to social media to share tips. Type 2 diabetes, a persistent health issue, emerges when the body struggles to produce sufficient insulin or when the produced insulin fails to function adequately, says the NHS.
Insulin is crucial for using glucose (sugar) as energy in the body, and its scarcity leads to elevated blood glucose concentrations. To convey transparent and tangible results, Justin uses a continuous glucose monitor.
He uploaded footage to YouTube to experiment with whether chilled rice would assist in mitigating the surge in blood sugar. Initially, he consumed five ounces (approximately 141 grams) of freshly long-grain white rice and noted an upsurge in his blood sugar readings.
Then Justin refrigerated the remaining rice overnight, aiming to boost its resistant starch content, which can “apparently help to reduce a blood sugar spike.” In his video, Justin remarks, “And I wanted to clarify that it will maintain its increased resistant starch even if you reheat it, so let’s give it a try and see if it has a positive effect on my blood sugar.”
Hours after consuming the cooled rice, he reviewed his blood sugar readings, comparing them to the spike seen the day before following the consumption of freshly made rice. Justin said: “This blood sugar spike went up by 40 milligrams. Now let’s look at today’s results with the refrigerated rice and you can see here that my blood sugar spike went up by only 37 milligrams.
“That’s a little bit better but what is interesting is look at the duration of the one down here with the freshly cooked rice. It’s a little bit longer in duration than the refrigerated rice so it looks like that resistant starch trick works to a degree however, it’s not a significant amount.
“This does not give me a license to eat as much rice as I want. It still provided a significant glycaemic load.” He noted that individual outcomes may differ.
Net Meds explains that diabetic individuals are often recommended to monitor their rice intake due to its high glycemic index (GI), which can elevate blood sugar levels quickly. Nonetheless, cooled and reheated rice presents a lower GI compared to when it’s just been cooked, and foods with a lower GI tend to digest more gradually, offering a consistent release of glucose into the bloodstream and reducing incidence of blood sugar spikes.
Also, cooling and reheating rice bolsters the creation of resistant starch – a form of carbohydrate that doesn’t get digested in the small intestine but rather ferments in the large intestine. Net Meds underscores that resistant starch has a “minimal impact” on blood sugar levels, deeming it favourable for managing blood sugar in diabetes sufferers.
The NHS cautions that elevated blood glucose levels can lead to complications such as heart disease, kidney disease, stroke, and nerve issues. The most prevalent symptoms of type 2 diabetes include extreme fatigue, increased urination, constant thirst, and unexplained weight loss.
According to the NHS, lifestyle modifications can help reduce your blood sugar levels if you have type 2 diabetes or are at risk of developing it in the future (prediabetes). The health organisation provides advice for those living with this chronic condition.
Recommendations include maintaining a healthy diet rich in fruits, vegetables, wholegrain foods like wholemeal bread and oats, and pulses such as chickpeas and lentils. They also suggest aiming for at least two-and-a-half hours of physical activity per week, such as walking or any other exercise that increases your heart rate. Quitting smoking and limiting alcohol consumption is also advised.