White rice linked to higher risk of type 2 diabetes

[Ed Barrow]

Source: Boston Globe

White rice, a staple in the Asian diet, has been blamed for raising the risk of type 2 diabetes because it elevates blood sugar levels right after meals. But the picture has not been as clear in other populations where rice isn't consumed nearly as often.

New research from Harvard pooling three large, long-running national studies shows that Americans who ate more white rice also had a moderately increased risk of diabetes, but Americans who ate brown rice had a slightly lower risk. Substituting brown rice or other whole grains for white rice could cut that risk by as much as 36 percent, the researchers conclude in an article published in today's Archives of Internal Medicine.

Dr. Qi Sun, who is now at Brigham and Women's Hospital but did the research with colleagues at the Harvard School of Public Health, analyzed records from the Health Professionals Follow-up Study and the Nurses' Health Study I and II. The data they reviewed included diet, lifestyle, and disease information dating to 1984 for more than 39,000 men and 157,000 women.

People who ate white rice five or more days a week had a 17 percent higher risk of type 2 diabetes than people who ate white rice less than once a month. Eating brown rice twice a week or more was associated with an 11 percent lower risk of diabetes compared to eating less than one serving a month.


Read more: http://www.boston.com/news/health/blog/2010/06/white_rice_link.html?p1=Well_MostPop_Emailed1

[Dappleganger]

1. This is NOT good.

Our family eats a lot of white rice to help meals go farther. We have tried brown rice multiple times and nobody really likes it at all. :(

[supernova]

4. Have you tried quinoa?

It's a good grain: cheap and filling.

White Rice always leaves me hungry.

I wonder if it's the same for sushi rice?

[Dappleganger]

6. Is sushi rice the same as shot-grain sticky rice?

We eat that quite often as it is more filling (and we do enjoy using chopsticks).

No, haven't tried quinoa yet. Can you cook it in a rice pot?

[supernova]

33. Quinoa is more delicate than rice, believe it or not

It's 2 parts water/1 part quinoa. I assume you could cook it in a rice cooker, but it's fairly quick cooking as far as grains go. you bring it to a boil, then set on simmer for about 20-25 mins, until you see it start to "sprout."

Yes, sushi rice is a short grain sticky rice, sweeten with rice wine vinegar.

[Richard Steele]

48. Quinoa can be substituted for rice in any recipe, and has much more flavor, in my opinion.

My ex-sweetie turned me on to quinoa;
one of the many things I will be forever grateful to her for.

[Dappleganger]

51. Is it the same texture?

Sounds like something we'd probably like.

[Richard Steele]

56. Similar texture, just a different size.

Quinoa grains are tiny round things, much smaller
than the average grain of rice. But texture is similar:
A big spoonful of plain quinoa chews and swallows just like
a big spoonful of plain rice.

Quinoa and potatos are both native to South America,
and both were discovered by Europeans around the same time.
Quinoa is better than wheat like potatos are better than parsnips.
Why potatos became popular in Europe while quinoa remained unknown
is a real mystery to me.

Perhaps a huge vegetable-laden armada bound for Europe hit a hurricane,
and all the quinoa-bearing vessls SANK while a few potato-laden ships
eventually limped into port; who knows?.

Anyway, long story short:
If you think you'd probably like it, odds are
that you will REALLY like it, IMHO

It's great stuff and I recommend it HIGHLY.
You owe it to yourself to try it.

[supernova]

62. Quinoa looks like a sea of baby snails to me

:+

[glitch]

63. Quinoa is actually better for you than rice (less starch, more protein)

takes less time to cook and is very tasty, although some people don't like it.

I love it and use it everywhere I used to use rice. If you go to Costco they have organic quinoa.

[BuddhaGirl]

66. Quinoa is a complete protein, and has fiber

so it will fill you up better than white rice. So much healthier, too.

I substitute it for rice in all kinds of dishes, it's especially good in cold salads that normally call for rice. :9

[hedgehog]

9. I think that hunger is a result of the sudden increase in blood sugar.

[supernova]

34. GMTA

:D

[supernova]

36. What's the GI for wild rice?

I wonder.

:dilemma:

[grasswire]

7. that is unfortunate about the brown rice.

How do you cook it? I used to turn up my nose at brown rice, but then I started cooking it differently and it was nutty and more firm. Here's what I do: rinse and rinse a cup of rice kernels. Boil two cups water. Add rice, stir. Return to a boil, stir again and cover and turn heat to medium low. After about twenty minutes, I taste it. If it's al dente, I pour off any remaining water and let it sit, covered, until ready to use.

As a type 2 diabetic, I can't eat very much of it, but I love it with teriyaki chicken or stir fry.

[davidinalameda]

8. I could never cool brown rice

I like it but just can't cook it

[trotsky]

24. Try the Minute or Uncle Ben's instant varieties.

Just as easy as regular Minute Rice. I use brown rice for most dishes now - mainly because of the desire to get more whole grains in our diet, but also because I've found I like the taste of brown rice a lot more.

[Jennicut]

31. That is what I use. And I love brown rice with a tiny (!) bit of low sodium soy sauce.

Love it with grilled chicken and veggies on top. I have eaten it for 5 years now (no white rice) because of my diabetes.

[trotsky]

46. Didn't have brown rice at the time, but that sounds very much like a dish...

that got me thru college. Rice, soy sauce, veggies (couldn't afford much meat). Filled me up at least!

[davidinalameda]

44. thanks

I like the taste much better

it has taste unlike white rice

[trotsky]

47. Yeah, it actually has some taste...

unlike white rice. :)

[Mojorabbit]

59. Ah but Jasmine rice

has a heavenly aroma and taste. I just love it but once a week is the most we have it.

[Dappleganger]

50. Ok, we'll give it a try.

I'll just drown it in Bragg's. ;)

[babydollhead]

38. A neighbor said "Brown rice is better"

so I came home and announced, "No more white rice in this house again. Only brown!" Twenty minutes later I see my son face down on the couch bawling his eyes out since my announcement. "I love white rice!", he bleated at me. I was only making a statement, without any real thought behind it. (everybody here ignores me, usually) Now they are grown. Now it's still a funny family joke. "Remember that thing about the white rice?"

[bread_and_roses]

43. try this - it makes brown rice MUCH tastier AND faster cooking (cooking method, not seasoning)

have your water boiling and ready. Toast the brown rice grains - if you are doing it as I do, in a dry cast iron skillet, stirring so they don't burn (there are probably other ways to toast the grains, do a search if you want to do it in an oven, for instance) - until they are lightly toasted and smell nutty (it only takes a few minutes).

Take rice off heat and scoop up no more than 1/2 cup at a time and add SLOWLY to the boiling water (it's important to do this in small batches and pour it in slowly - the first time I tried this I dumped it all in at once; it raised the water temp so much it boiled over ferociosly and made an awful mess).

You will find that the toasted grains not only cook faster, but also taste much better - nutty and savory, at least to me.

Hope it works for you.

[Dappleganger]

52. That sounds so delicious...

and I just may try it on a weekend (we do have a huge iron skillet). However, it also sounds more time-consuming and with our busy family of 6 adult-sized people (plus a Taiwanese exchange student coming in July) I'm not sure if it will work for us. We use our rice cooker regularly and was hoping for something we could just throw in there. Thanks for the idea, though!

[cbdo2007]

49. Brown rice tastes a lot better with both white and brown sugar on it. Then roll it and deep fry it.

*sarcasm*

Of course. Anything that is healthier tastes worse so that's the trade off. Eat healthy or get diabetes? Most people choose what tastes better.

You know what I like? Ice cream sundaes for dinner every night but that doesn't mean it's a good idea.

[Dappleganger]

53. You know you'll win more people over to healthier way of eating

by encouraging delicious (yet still nutritious) dishes than just by the attitude of "suck it up!"

We have been fortunate to have tasted many healthy dishes which are also quite tasty, so there's no need to push that kind of thinking in our home. If we are encouraging a lifetime habit of good eating, keeping it yummy is a must! BTW, all of us are lactose-intolerant so we don't even eat ice cream and very few cheeses. We don't eat much sugar, and when we do it's pure cane or honey (or something similar)...but not even once a week. My husband is actually a type 1 diabetic and no one else in the family is anywhere near type 2, the last time we were checked (and I'm checked about every 2 years since it runs in the family).

[K8-EEE]

57. I read where the white Basmati rice has a lower glycemic index

Not sure why -- there are some Indian groceries by me that sell it pretty cheap so we have been using it.

Another suggestion, you could try half brown/half white mix and sort of get the fam used to it that way. 3 out of 4 of us like brown rice so I make the Basmati and freeze it in cupcake pans, pop them out and keep frozen in zip lock bags, for my picky daughter who insists on white rice!

[Xipe Totec]

2. And this is a surprise why?

White polished rice, nearly pure starch...

[Warpy]

3. If you think you don't like brown rice

try Texmati brown rice. It's amazingly good and makes a good transition food while you're getting used to the idea of eating whole grains, only.

I find my $14.00 rice cooker from Wally's does a great job on both brown and white rice, so cooking it is no problem. It will just take a bit longer, one reason it's not eaten in Asia where fuel is scarce.

[hlthe2b]

5. A second nod for Texmati (brown long grain basmati)

Really good with a bit of a nutty taste, but not mushy like some brown rice tends to get.

[hedgehog]

10. I love brown rice. Is there any brown sticky rice out there,

or any substitutes for arborio rice?

[Warpy]

35. No, you have to use the real thing for sushi and risotto

because even though the bran layer eventually pops open and releases some of the starch, it's just not enough to make the rice sticky enough for those.

You don't have to be pious all the time, just most of the time. Go ahead and use arborio when you're doing a risotto or Calrose when you're doing sushi.

[Dappleganger]

54. I'm quite certain that we've eaten brown rice sushi...

and that is only made with sticky (very starchy) rice. It seemed to be lighter in color than regular brown rice.

[librechik]

13. make it 3 for Texmati

good stuff, and tastes good too! (I'm seriously not fond of regular hippie short grain brown rice.)

Texmati is my savior! Mmm. I like brown jasmine rice too, when i can find it...

[Regret My New Name]

64. I bet this study was funded by Big Brown Rice...

[eShirl]

11. we have a Japanese rice cooker that sprouts brown rice, then cooks it to perfection

and keeps it hot/ready to eat for a couple days. Germinating (sprouting) it first boosts the nutritional value somehow (in a similar way as with other types of sprouts).

I find it much more digestible than regular, ungerminated brown rice. I just use the cheapest store brand of brown rice I can find, too.

[hlthe2b]

41. You mean a GABA setting?

I have a Zojirushi rice maker that has that and I love it... I love to wake up in the morning smelling it. Delicious, even with just a tiny tad of 'buttery spread' (I love Earth Balance) and maybe a drop or two of low sodium soy sauce. MMMM.... Gotta go make some!

[hedgehog]

12. Off-topic, but one of the ironies of history is that prisoners of the Japanese Imperial Army

during WWII suffered terribly from Vitamin B deficiencies because they were fed white rice. Brown rice, which was considered less desirable, would have had the extra vitamins.

[Art_from_Ark]

29. Interesting

That might explain why so many pep drinks sold here in Japan contain all sorts of B vitamins.

http://t0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:v2PIxgF3L8JYEM::auction.thumbnail.image.rakuten.co.jp/%400_auc/image39/c8/cc/00010431839/4d/ba/img00116357114.jpg&t=1&h=194&w=259&usg=__ah0pjT9HeGp9NGMwh6UXx9Dthgg=

[HysteryDiagnosis]

14. Brown Rice Linked to Lower Diabetes Risk

Source: Wall Street Journal

By KATHERINE HOBSON

Replacing as little as a third of a daily serving of white rice with an equal amount of brown rice may lower the risk of type 2 diabetes, a study suggests. And replacing white rice with other types of whole grains can cut the risk even more.

Researchers from the Harvard School of Public Health say their study is the first to look at the relationship between rice intake and diabetes in a U.S. population. The authors based their findings on diet, lifestyle and health information from three studies covering 197,228 health-care workers, 80% of them women.

They found that eating five or more servings of white rice per week was associated with a slightly higher risk of type 2 diabetes than eating less than one serving a month. Eating two or more servings a week of brown rice, however, was associated with slightly lower risk.

The researchers conclude that replacing 50 grams of cooked white rice, equivalent to about a third of a serving, with an equal amount of brown rice seems to cut the risk of type 2 diabetes by 16%. Replacing white rice with other whole grains such as whole wheat and barley appears to lower risk by an estimated 36%, the paper says. The findings were published Monday in the Archives of Internal Medicine.

Read more: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704324304575306954059024776.html?mod=WSJ_latestheadlines

---

They don't know why but I'll bet it has something to do with the mucopolysacharides in the bran of the rice.

[SpiralHawk]

15. "Take that, you sanpuku meatheads." - Vegephiles

[msongs]

16. white rice is the rice equivalent of wonder bread nt

[SpiralHawk]

18. "Kiss my grits." - Uncle Ben

[HysteryDiagnosis]

Here is another item you will be surprised to see....

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/03/060302180051.htm



How Nice, Brown Rice: Study Shows Rice Bran Lowers Blood Pressure In Rats
ScienceDaily (Mar. 3, 2006) — Thousands of years ago, humans began scrubbing off and discarding the outer layer of long-grain rice, preferring the polished white kernel beneath. Now, for the first time, scientists in Japan have shown that this waste product of rice processing, called rice bran, significantly lowers blood pressure in rats whose hypertension resembles that of humans.
See Also:
Health & Medicine
Heart Disease
Cholesterol
Hypertension
Plants & Animals
Agriculture and Food
Biology
Food
Reference
Bran
Brown rice
Gluten
Whole grain
The team reports their findings in the March 8 issue of the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, published by the American Chemical Society, the world’s largest scientific society.
A commonly prescribed class of drugs called ACE inhibitors dilates the arteries of hypertensive patients and thus decreases their risk of stroke, heart attack and kidney disease. But the drugs can also carry side effects: chronic cough, allergic reactions, dizziness, even kidney problems.

[Xipe Totec]

17. Brown is good for you

Are you listening, Arizona?

[Jennicut]

20. They don't want us diabetics eating anything with white flour. It is outlined with red marker

as "NO". I eat the brown rice, the whole grain bread. I found pasta that is whole wheat and tastes good too. On occasion I can eat white flour but it does make my blood sugar jump. I tend to stay away from it. Less fiber makes the blood sugar spike. More fiber and the blood sugar moves up slower. At least that is what my diabetic dietitian told me. I am type 1 so I have to use the insulin to cover meals anyway, but use less when I eat whole grains.

[HysteryDiagnosis]

21. Please do explore the link in my sigline, you might like what you

will read.

[Jennicut]

37. I have never heard of Glucotize before.

The research is really coming a long way recently.
I am going to look into this and see if it can be taken for type 1s. There is some controversy out there about pills not being effective for type 1s but in some cases studies are showing combined with insulin they are good to use.

[HysteryDiagnosis]

39. Glucotize is time released Alpha Lipoic Acid, (Thioctic Acid), a water

soluble and fat soluble super antioxidant.

As far as researching its use in type 1's.

Bosn J Basic Med Sci. 2008 Nov;8(4):341-5.
The role of alpha-lipoic acid in diabetic polyneuropathy treatment.
Bureković A, Terzić M, Alajbegović S, Vukojević Z, Hadzić N.

Clinic of Endocrinology, Diabetes Mellitus and Metabolic Diseases, University of Sarajevo Clinics Centre, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Abstract
Diabetic neuropathy represents late diabetes complications, and diabetes duration and long-term hyperglycemia are the main reasons for polyneuropathy. The goal was to estimate the effects of alpha-lipoic acid on symptoms of diabetic neuropathy after 600 mg i.v. for 3 weeks and 3 months of 300-600 mg of alpha-lipoic acid per os. This study has been designed as a multicentric, in 5-centers in B&H, carried out by 5 physicians with 20 diabetic patients each.

Following parameters were monitored in 100 diabetics suffering from Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes, both men and women: diabetes duration, diabetes therapy, duration of polyneuropathy symptoms, height, weight, BMI (body mass index), subjective assessment of patients, objective examinations of physicians and subjective assessment of physicians. 100 diabetics, average age 61,36; oldest 79, youngest 40, suffered from diabetes in average 11,9 years. There were 35 men and 65 women, 16 with Type 1 and 80 with Type 2 diabetes, while 4 patients were not classified. 69 were having insulin therapy and 31 oral hypoglicemics. Shortest diabetic status was less than a year, and longest was 28 years.

Average duration of polyneuropathic symptoms was 3,02 years, shortest was less than a year, and the longest was 15 years. Average height was 1,70 m, average weight 76,13 kg, and average BMI 26,51 kg/m2. Significant statistic differences in improvement were recorded (P>0,05) according to Fridman's test for repeated measurements compared to initial findings in assessments: sensory symptoms of polyneuropathy, pain sensations as polyneuropathy symptoms, total score of polyneuropathy symptoms, subjective assessment of patients, subjective findings of physicians, and significant differences were not find (P>0,05) in autonomous and motoric neuropathy.

Based on the conducted study, we have concluded that the application of alpha-lipoic acid during 3 months has helped to decrease the symptoms of diabetic neuropathy and in only one case out of 100 included patients there was no subjective improvement after drug application.

PMID: 19125705

[Jennicut]

40. Thanks! Was looking for some info just now.

I need to print this out and take it to my endo. He is a really easygoing doctor and open to discussing new therapies. I just switched a few months ago as my old one, which misdiagnosed me for 4 years as a type 2 and then after tons of testing for antibodies said I guess you are a type 1 after all was not open to anything. Doctors that can work well with you are not always easy to find.

[Sebastian Doyle]

22. Any sort of white carbs are bad for you.

White rice, white flour, white sugar, white potatoes, etc. If there's a darker alternative, go with it.

[tabatha]

23. I have avoided white rice, white bread, white flour etc

forever.

Brown Rice also has a nutrient in it that assists in preventing heart attack conditions.

[HysteryDiagnosis]

19. Brown Rice Linked to Lower Diabetes Risk

This thread has been combined with another thread.

Click here to read this message in its new location.

[SoapBox]

25. I've mixed white and brown...

I must admit, I love sticky white rice...we probably have white
rice at meals only, on average, twice per week.

I do like brown rice but prefer it if it is mixed 50-50 with white.

And while I've cooked brown in the steamer (brown from a bulk bag), I've
also used the "instant" brown rice. It's easy and it cooks quickly.

But, I wonder if the instant brown is as nutritionally good as cooking
it from the bulk bag?

[Posteritatis]

26. Something linked to something else, news at 11. (nt)

[theorbiter]

27. Whuda thunk it!

Thanks modern science for finally catching up with the rest of the class! Macrobiotics has only been promoting brown rice and demonizing white rice for...shit lets just say generations.

[marias23]

28. For more than 40 years we have taught how to eat intact foods

If you want good reasons to eat unprocessed foods and reduce meat intake check out “21 Reasons to Eat Like A Vegetarian” on HealthyHighways.com

[Dappleganger]

55. That sounds interesting, will have to check it out.

Personally, I have followed the McDougall diet off and on for about 15 years and found that he has quite a few helpful suggestion with regards to eating whole foods. It's not cheap to eat like this so we've had to come off of it for now, although I think that we should try to work it in more than we have over the past two years. Personally, I just feel better when eating whole foods but still need to have meat thrown in there (lean, organic). I'm one of those folks who really can't function w/out consuming protein early in the day.

[NoodleyAppendage]

30. Sake, a problem then? Lordy, I hope not! I can do without a bowl of rice, but not an empty kutani!

Brown rice doesn't do so well for the sake.

J

[Throd]

32. White rice linked to yummy.

[pitohui]

42. eat to the meter (brown rice is just as bad)

yah it's polically correct to pretend that your blood sugar can tell what color your rice is, but i strongly suggest that you eat to the meter instead of accepting received opinions

we found that brown rice and white rice have the same result on blood sugar, they're both bad

believe you me, i'm sorrier than you to find this out, since i live in louisiana and every day there are fewer and fewer things we have left to eat...

i don't believe this study will be proved correct in further tests, since you can do your own meter readings at home and find out that "it just ain't so..." rather, i believe, that people who eat brown rice simply DO NOT EAT as much rice as people who eat white rice, you eat white rice, you eat it every day, be it china, madagascar, or new orleans, brown rice is a hassle and takes too long to cook, so you eat it once a week -- no wonder it doesn't elevate your diabetes risk, something you don't eat won't affect your risk

[quakerboy]

45. Although

presumably you replace it with something else. I know for most of my life time, it was potatoes and wheat products. I came into rice later in life, after leaving the great plains. If ya grew up with an obligatory starch in every meal, and then you cut back on rice of this sort or that, either your going to be hungry or you are going to sub in something else starchy. So you should come out more or less even if that is the case.

Not saying you are incorrect in your basic assessment. Just raising what I perceive as a weak point in your argument.

[K8-EEE]

58. My dad eats brown rice almost every day, became vegan, ditched his type 2

He pretty much only eats brown rice, beans, and vegetables with a little fruit here and there.....and tofu. He started the vegan diet at age 68, ten years later he is MUCH healther than in his younger days. At age 78 he takes no meds and works out every day!

[K8-EEE]

60. Recipe for yummy brown rice salad!

http://www.recipezaar.com/recipe/Spicy-Brown-Rice-Salad-176586

I make a slightly different version with chopped peanuts, spicy tofu, fresh tomato, hot chilis, and cilantro from my garden. A great thing to have in the fridge for lunch when it's too damn hot to cook.

[Mimosa]

61. Is converted (parboiled) rice better?

I love rice of all types but not brown rice. Is converted rice less likely to raise blood sugar?

[WeekendWarrior]

65. Well, since I eat white rice probably four days out of seven

I guess I'm 17% more in trouble.

And guess what? I don't care.