The dispute over rice and noodles is actually going in the wrong direction
If there is one at home diabetes Patient, the atmosphere at the dinner table is really tense sometimes.
People in the north believe that noodles and steamed buns are easy to digest and can ward off hunger. People in the south believe that rice is the orthodox staple food. How can eating less make blood sugar unstable?
Both sides have different opinions, and both sides sound reasonable.
If we really look at it from the specific perspective of blood sugar control, the answer is not rice, the answer is not noodles, and it is not something that can be done perfunctorily by just saying "anything will work."
The key question is definitely not which one to choose, but what kind of thing we eat.
Compared with the glycemic index, rice and noodles are only half a pound.
If you want to know which one of rice and noodles causes blood sugar to rise faster, you must first understand an indicator. This indicator is called the glycemic index, which is commonly known as the glycemic index (GI).
The higher the value, the faster and greater the rise in blood sugar after food is eaten.
The GI value of ordinary white rice is in the range of 72 to 83, and the GI value of white noodles is in the range of 55 to 81. You see, the area where the two overlap is very large.
The reason why there is fluctuation mainly depends on how you do it.
The softer the noodles are cooked, the faster the sugar will rise; if the noodles are cooked for a shorter time and have a harder texture, the sugar will rise relatively slowly.
Looking at this data, refined white rice and white flour are refined carbohydrates. They are essentially the same type of carbohydrates. After entering the body, they are digested and decomposed very quickly, which has a significant impact on post-meal blood sugar.
If I had to tell the difference, the difference is really not that big. It is more about the difference in taste and habits.
Refined and processed pot, both rice and noodles have to be carried
Whether it is white rice or white flour, they are the products of finely processed grains.
During the processing, the outer layer of bran is basically removed, and the outer layer of germ is basically removed. The main component left is starch, and starch is the so-called pure carbohydrate.
This process also takes away a large amount of dietary fiber , B vitamins and minerals.
Dietary fiber has a particularly direct impact on blood sugar. The digestion process of foods with high fiber content is relatively slow, the rhythm of glucose release into the blood is gentle, and the post-meal blood sugar curve is relatively stable.
Refined rice noodles contain very little dietary fiber, and their digestion and absorption speed is astonishingly fast. All glucose is released instantly, directly causing blood sugar to remain high.
Therefore, if people with diabetes only struggle between rice and flour, the significance of this is actually not very big. What is more worthy of attention is whether the one you choose belongs to the refined category and how to eat it together.
Mixing whole grains is the right answer to sugar control staple food
The answer actually lies in Whole grains superior.
For example, there is a simple example. Compared with white rice, brown rice only retains the outer layer of bran and the outer layer of germ. However, just this layer alone directly reduces the glycemic index from about 80 to about 55.
Beans are mixed into white rice to form mixed bean rice. The beans include red beans, mung beans, and chickpeas. The glycemic index can be further reduced to the range of 40 to 50.
Beans are rich in resistant starch. This starch is basically not digested and absorbed in the small intestine and is not used until it reaches the large intestine. It has minimal impact on postprandial blood sugar.
As far as pasta is concerned, the GI value of whole wheat noodles is around 50, while the GI value of soba noodles is even lower, ranging from 45 to 54.
Some studies believe that there is still a type of flavonoid called rutin in buckwheat, which can help improve insulin sensitivity.
Oatmeal is a good choice, as is oatmeal, which has a significantly lower glycemic index than those made with refined flour.
In 2019, a large-scale study was conducted, involving more than 130,000 people. The study found that those who have long consumed refined white rice as their main food have a 27% higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes than those who eat whole grains.
This gap is really not small.
If you can’t control portions, everything you eat will be in vain.
No matter how good the whole grain is, eating too much won’t do it.
No matter how healthy brown rice is, your blood sugar will still spike if you eat three bowls at a time.
According to the recommendations given by the Chinese Nutrition Society, for people with diabetes, the amount of staple food per meal should be controlled within the dry weight range of 50 to 75 grams. After cooking, it is approximately from half a bowl to a bowl of rice, and should not exceed the size of your fist.
When eating pasta, a serving of dry noodles is about 50 grams. After cooking, the volume will expand, making it look like a lot. However, in fact, the dry weight has not changed. You should be aware of this and don't be fooled by the size.
If the portions are not well controlled, any food you choose will be in vain.
Clever combination to slow down the rise in blood sugar throughout the meal
In addition to choosing the right staple food and controlling portion sizes, how you eat is also crucial.
If you eat a bowl of rice or noodles alone, your blood sugar will rise quickly.
But if it is paired with vegetables and protein, the blood sugar rise rate of the entire meal will be significantly slowed down.
The reason behind this is relatively simple. Protein and fat will slow down the speed of gastric emptying, causing food to enter the small intestine for digestion more slowly, so that the release of glucose will become gentler.
The dietary fiber stored in vegetables can build a physical barrier in the stomach and also slow down the process of digestion and absorption.
Therefore, for people with diabetes, the most suitable meal is a staple food with vegetables and protein. For example, a leaf-shaped vegetable and a piece of fish, tofu or an egg. Eating in this way is much better at maintaining blood sugar stability than just eating the staple food.
In the final analysis, rice and noodles have been arguing for such a long time. The dispute is not about the variety, but about the method, the thickness, the combination, and the weight dimension.
Instead of getting red-faced at the dinner table, it is better to replace white rice with multi-grain rice and white noodles with buckwheat noodles, then control the quantity and pair it with enough vegetables and protein.
By following these steps, whether you prefer rice or pasta, you can eat with peace of mind and keep your blood sugar stable.
