Health Nugget - Taking a dig at 'Blood Sugar '- Rice or Wheat? Ending the eternal dilemma.

Old wine in an old bottle with a new label - Four Clover Life. :)

What I didn’t know?

·       Glucose is a type of sugar and not sugar itself. 

·       Insulin- a hormone which gets secreted when glucose level rises in the body.

·       High levels of blood glucose over an extended period of time have damaging effects on eyes, kidneys, blood vessels and nerves.

·       Sweet food is high in carbohydrates. All carbohydrates are sugar whether it is a fruit, table sugar, bread or vegetables.

The total carbohydrate content includes all three types of carbohydrates: sugars, starches and fiber.

STARCH

A grain contains three parts:

· bran

· germ

· endosperm

The bran is the outer hard shell of the grain that provides the most fiber. This is what makes the grain so beneficial because it is this part which is hard to digest, longer to digest and therefore affect your blood glucose more slowly (i.e. whole wheat bread, whole wheat flour , brown rice, red rice oats ,vegetables etc. It also contains the maximum part of Vitamin B and minerals.

The germ is the next layer and is packed with nutrients including essential fatty acids and vitamin E.

The endosperm is the soft part in the center of the grain. It contains the starch. Any Whole grain will contain all the three parts but a refined grain or a polished grain such as all-purpose flour and white rice has been eroded off the bran and the germ and is only made up of endosperm which is essentially STARCH. Nutritionally it is also very low because all nutrition has been eroded away.

SUGAR

Sugar is another type of carbohydrate. It is both naturally occurring such as fruit sugar called fructose and milk sugar called lactose. While fruits, milk are essential part of our diet, we do get the natural sugar when we eat them. We should be cautious of the 'added sugar' because that does the maximum harm.

Always check the nutritional label which will contain the number of sugar grams both added and natural.

There are many different names for sugar so don't get deceived.  Examples are brown sugar, molasses, honey, beet sugar, cane sugar, confectioner's sugar, powdered sugar, raw sugar, maple syrup, high-fructose corn syrup and sugar cane syrup.

 Try to limit intake of added sugar products such as soft drinks, sugars, candy, cakes, cookies, pies and fruit drinks, dairy desserts and milk products (ice cream, sweetened yogurt and sweetened milk); and other grains (cinnamon toast and honey-nut waffles). These immediately raise the glucose level in the blood and nutritionally don’t really add anything. They are addictive in nature and children specially tend to consume it more.

According to the American Heart Association (AHA), the maximum amount of added sugars you should eat in a day are (7): Men: 150 calories per day (37.5 grams or 9 teaspoons). Women: 100 calories per day (25 grams or 6 teaspoons).

FIBRE

Have you ever felt constipated after a night of greasy butter chicken? That’s because fiber comes from plant foods and there is no fiber in animal products such as milk, eggs, meat, poultry, and fish.

Fiber is the indigestible part of plant foods, including fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts and legumes. When you consume dietary fiber, most of it passes through the intestines and is not digested.

Fiber contributes to digestive health, helps to keep you bowel movement regular, and helps to make you feel full and satisfied after eating.

Additional health benefits of fiber includes reducing cholesterol and reducing the risk of heart diseases.

To be or not to be.... with Rice?

What is there in a name ‘Wheat’? - There is fiber in it. Ahaaa

Rice and wheat flour both have around the same amount of carbohydrates but it’s the fiber content in wheat which makes it a preferred choice.The fiber content in wheat comes by the amount of whole grain it has. All-purpose flour is an extreme refined version which is devoid of the bran and the germ. Refrain from it and prefer whole wheat flour while making any bread.

White Rice or Brown rice or Red rice?

They all have same amount of carbohydrates but the fiber content in them is what makes brown rice or red rice a better choice over refined polished white rice.

Not to forget that to maintain a healthy you and your ‘blood sugar’ it’s important to

• Manage weight -Maintaining Healthy Basal Metabolic Index.
•  Exercise
• Drink lots of water
• Get quality sleep and manage stress

Fenugreek/Cinnamon/Bitter Gourd

Studies have shown that fenugreek and cinnamon are beneficial in keeping the sugar level in control. Give fenugreek seeds a try. They are easy to add to your diet and can help regulate blood glucose levels. Cinnamon has been shown to reduce fasting blood sugar levels and improve insulin sensitivity. Bitter Gourd (Karela in hindi) also considered as the best remedy for Diabetes. Small cup of Karela Juice increases insulin level in the body.