Ideal for regulating blood sugar levels and avoiding blood sugar peaks, this starchy food is most useful in the context of dietary rebalancing or weight loss. Discover a doctor’s explanation.
Essential to a balanced diet, starchy foods are the main carbohydrate source and allow the proper functioning of the body. Even as part of a dietary rebalancing or diet, they should absolutely not be banned. However, if you are aiming to lose weight, certain types of starchy foods present more nutritional interests that others. This is what nutritionist doctor Jean-Michel Cohen explains in a video published on his social networks.
In this video, the doctor explains that athletes often tend to to eat rice when they are on a diet. A dietary habit that he explains by the very composition of this starchy food, very little processed and easy to consume without seasoning : “The real advantage of rice for athletes is that you can eat it as is, you don’t need any seasoning”, unlike pasta, potatoes or quinoa which may require more preparation or accompaniment to be enjoyed.
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Rice: a starchy food that helps regulate blood sugar
Although rice has a fairly high glycemic index (70 for white rice), the way it is consumed tends to lower the overall glycemic index of the meal. Indeed, rice is often consumed in combination with proteins, such as meat or fish, which is a factor reducing the GI.
Also note that some types of rice have a lower glycemic index than others, ideal for those who want to avoid blood sugar spikes: 50 for basmati rice, 45 for whole grain rice and 35 for wild rice.
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Which rice should be cooked when you want to lose weight?
The cooking time of rice can also have consequences on how it impacts blood sugar levels. If the rice slow cooking better preserve their husk and fiber, quick-cooking rice tends to have a much higher glycemic index. This is what doctor Jimmy Mohamed explains in one of his videos: “The more quickly cooked rice you take, the higher this index will be.”.
Better yet, to preserve all the nutritional benefits of rice and lower its glycemic index, it is recommended to favor gentle cooking (steam, pressure cooker) rather than cooking in boiling water.
Head of beauty/fitness/nutrition sections
After working for the Marie Claire and Prisma Media groups, Inès arrived at aufeminin in April 2022. Responsible for the beauty, fitness and nutrition sections, she likes to decipher the latest…