Diabetes 2 and Brown Rice

Choosing whole grains twice a week instead of white carbohydrates can help lower sugar levels for anyone with diabetes 2 They should focus on losing weight (if they are overweight or obese), reducing the calories they eat, and eat whole grain foods instead of white carbohydrates. “Always try to eat less and go for the whole grain instead of the white starch.”

I did not have any connection to diabetes until a few years ago when my son-in-law was diagnosed a diabetic. My daughter began researching diabetes and the foods my son-in-law should be eating. She was surprised to find his diet was not all that was required to keep the diabetes under control. Watching the types of foods he was eating was only part of what she had to look for. She thought she was feeding her family the right foods but she had to make some changes. She began looking into understanding how the body works. There are exercises to burn calories, strengthen muscles and foods that support the body’s immune system. Her husband had to lose a few pounds, eat foods that burned calories and look at the whole grains the family was eating. She learned a lot about how much sugar was in all foods and the difference between organic and natural foods. Just because it says organic or natural does not mean there is no sugar in the product.

When the label says ‘organic’, it is saying the product was grown without pesticides, does not have artificial additives or chemicals added for flavor or color. If the label says ‘natural’, it does not mean the same as organic. The term ‘natural foods’ does not always mean there are no hormones, antibiotics, sweeteners, food coloring or flavors in the product. The assumption is that all foods are processed mechanically, chemically or by temperature. Therefore please read the label for all foods to see what is really in the product.

Researches lead my daughter to several websites about healthy eating and whole grain foods. She read about the differences in rice products and found brown rice was better than white rice because of the amount of carbohydrates. “Eating white rice one to two times per week is fine.” The idea of eating whole grains and less white carbohydrates does not mean you cannot eat white rice at all. It means limit the consumption to once a week. Eating Brown rice, as a whole grain food, twice a week reduces the risk of developing diabetes 2 by 11%.

The Dietary Guidelines for Americans “recommends that at least half of your carbohydrate intake come from whole grains. From a public health point of view, replacing refined grains such as white rice by whole grains, including brown rice, should be recommended to facilitate the prevention of diabetes 2."

There are many recipes available for lowering your sugar levels. Here is a good menu to try out for lunch.

A cup of black bean soup,
3 oz of Salmon with ½ cup of brown rice
Fresh fruit for dessert (strawberries or blueberries are a good start)
1 oz. of Goat cheese (a good source for those additional healthy eating foods)

For dinner, try something in the whole grain family, fruit, veggies and baked chicken.

Use olive oil when cooking and watch the unsaturated fats. Stay away from fried foods and remember not to eat after 7:00 pm.

Stress is a great disruptive also so keep your stress level low and think smart about what you eat.