Simple Asian Cooking Switch Saves Blood Sugar

Whether you're getting takeout or stir-frying at home tonight, having your sauteed veggies over brown rice instead of white may help you skirt blood sugar problems.

Here's why: Research suggests that a diet high in white rice can ratchet up blood sugar -- and, in turn, the risk of type 2 diabetes.

All Things Glycemic
That's exactly what happened in a 5-year Japanese study. The women in the study who ate several bowls of white rice a day were almost 1.5 times more likely to develop type 2 diabetes compared with the women who ate much less of this refined grain. It's not a stretch to imagine that white rice -- which has a high glycemic index and is lacking the blood-sugar-friendly soluble fiber, vitamins, and minerals of brown rice -- might cause blood sugar spikes. But it's pretty scary stuff to see the straight-line connection to diabetes risk in the study. (Did you know? Whole grains like brown rice help control belly fat, too.)

Moving Caveats
Interestingly, the men in the study who ate lots of white rice didn't have the same risk for diabetes as the white-rice-loving women. But the researchers think that exercise may be the key variable, and that the men's activity levels probably accounted for the difference. In fact, exercise is one way both men and women can help counter the impact that refined foods have on blood sugar. In the study, extra helpings of white rice didn't seem to increase diabetes risk nearly as much in women who exercised a bunch -- about 1 hour a day. (Find out why 10 minutes of exercise a week may be all you need to improve your blood sugar.)

How's your blood sugar? Complete this quick questionnaire about your lifestyle habits to find out what changes you should make to keep blood sugar steady.

And try these other blood-sugar-busting edibles as well.

RealAge Benefit

Choosing whole grains rather than processed grains can make your RealAge 1.2 years younger if you are a man and 2.3 years younger if you are a woman. Take the NEW RealAge Test!

References

Actively patrolling your health can make your RealAge as much as 12 years younger. Take the RealAge Test  Copyright 2010 RealAge