Is Puffed Rice Good For Diabetes?

In this article we are discussing about Puffed Rice and Diabetes. Many questions will be addressed here, for example, Is Puffed Rice Good For Diabetes? When Is Puffed Rice Bad For Diabetes?

Let’s start rolling with a bit of a snapshot of diabetes.

Do you have diabetes? Do you feel restricted in your everyday food choices? Well, this is a common problem for everyone diagnosed with diabetes.

Diabetes is a chronic health condition that occurs when your blood sugar is too high. It is a physically occurring impairment that affects the digestive metabolism system. This condition is hard to deal with in everyday life as there will be an imbalance in the body’s blood sugar levels. However, the most important thing is figuring out the best food choices to make with diabetes.

The majority of people with diabetes think that they have a severe and long-lasting disease. But, to keep things simple, the main goal for diabetic people is to maintain their blood glucose levels.

For that purpose, it is essential to eat the right kind of food.

The diet plays a significant role in managing and preventing diabetes. Some of the best foods for people living with diabetes include fatty fish, leafy green vegetables, avocado, beans, broccoli, extra-virgin olive oil, etc.

There are also some diet restrictions when it comes to consuming certain foods with diabetes. Thus, it is due to some additives, carbohydrates, and glycemic levels in certain foods.

A nutritious, balanced diet is crucial for staying healthy for diabetic people.

Many people wonder whether high-carbohydrate foods like puffed rice are a good option for diabetes. The question that comes to most people’s minds is that can they eat puffed rice if they have diabetes? When people with diabetes consume puffed rice, it is necessary to understand how their body reacts.

Now moving further, it is essential to know some vital information about puffed rice. Similarly, can people eat puffed rice, especially if they have type 2 diabetes?

Now let’s learn about Puffed Rice…

Table of Contents

What is Puffed Rice?

Puffed rice is pre-gelatinized rice grains, and they are white in appearance. It is a staple diet.

As the name suggests, puffed rice is light and puffy. They can retain the shape of the rice grain but are more prominent, just like popcorn, this rice made from corn swollen under the effect of heat.

Mostly, they are suitable for ready-to-eat cereals and commercially prepared rice cakes.

One of the unique factors of puffed rice is that it contains significantly fewer calories.

As compared to regular rice, (e.g. jasmine rice, red rice) puffed rice is much lighter. One can also store it in a crunchy form and eat them uncooked.

To turn rice into puffed, food manufacturers prefer to use the combination of parboiling, drying, milling, and expanding. There will be an expansion of the hard rice kernel, and a light, the crunchy rice kernel is left in its place.

All the processing involved in puffed rice will directly affect its nutritional value.

Nutritional Content of Puffed Rice

The nutritional profile provides a better understanding of how it will influence the body.

Below are the number of nutrients present in a 1 cup or 14 grams of puffed rice.

Nutrients	Amount
Carbohydrate	12.6 gm
Energy	56 Kcal
Protein	1 gm
Magnesium	4 mg
Potassium	16 mg
Fat	0.1 gm
Fiber	0.2 gm
Iron	4.44 mg
Phosphorous	14 mg
Zinc	0.15 mg
Folate	21.6 mcg
Vitamin B1	0.02 mg
Vitamin B3	0.57 mg

Therefore, it is clear that valuable macronutrients and calories are less in puffed rice. But, on the other hand, it has other useful micronutrients as well.

There are different types of puffed rice, based on the rice you use. For example, Sushi puffed rice, Asian wild puffed rice and basmati puffed rice. This video will touch on the healthy and unhealthy ways of making different puffed rice.

Is Puffed Rice Good for Diabetes?

Puffed rice is not a good choice for people with diabetes. But, this does not mean you should never eat it as a diabetic.

A high glycemic index is the main reason in deciding good and bad food for diabetic people. People with diabetes must know the glycemic index of the food they eat. Foods with a low glycemic index are suitable for people who have diabetes. Those will not increase the blood sugar level rapidly.

Foods like puffed rice have a high glycemic index, which may lead to a quick rise in blood sugar levels. Thus, it is the best choice to avoid puffed rice.

However, if you want to eat puffed rice, you can add fruits, healthy veggies, or fiber-rich sprouts to make it diabetic-friendly.

One clear thing is that we all know that puffed rice has lower calories than regular rice. The question might come to your mind that if puffed rice is lower in calories, are they a good food option?

But here, we are talking about food options that are safe and healthier for diabetic people. In short, for diabetic people, we have to consider much more than just calories.

The fewer calories will not affect the health of a diabetic person. But instead, it will also not add a lot of other good things for people with diabetes in return.

If you have type 2 diabetes, then you must try to maintain good diabetic health.

First of all, you should choose foods that have more fiber and protein. They will adjust the blood sugar levels and regulate the amount of carbs intake.

Moreover, the protein is best for developing, running, and functioning the entire body. Hence, adding fruits, veggies, and other ingredients with puffed rice will increase its overall nutritional value.

In this way, it is much better and safer for diabetic consumption because now puffed rice has more proteins and fiber.

As a diabetic patient, one must take care of the following key points related to puffed rice.

Puffed rice is a starch-rich food with a lot of carbohydrates.

Thus, it is not suitable for the blood sugar levels of the body if you have diabetes.

One must try to refrain from pairing it with dishes with some sweetness or any sugar element.
If you want to eat puffed rice, so try to regulate the portion sizes.

As a result, taking a safe amount of puffed rice will not cause harm to your body.

The ideal amount is to keep the serving size within 2 to 3 cups.

Therefore, it is not too much that it will affect your sugar levels. Likewise, it is not too low so that you will feel hungry again soon. In short, it will not keep you hungry.

If you are preparing puffed rice, always keep in mind that too much sodium is not suitable for people with diabetes.

Thus, always mix spices or other ingredients in a safe and controlled amount.

Can a Diabetic Eat Puffed Rice Regularly?

Most people have type 2 diabetes in the western world in countries like the USA, Canada, UK, Australia, New Zealand, etc.

For instance, research shows that 3.8 million people living in the UK have diabetes and 90% of them have type 2. Above all, it is a prediction that by 2030, the number will rise to 5.5 million.

Insulin resistance is the primary factor in people with type 2 diabetes. Type 2 diabetes is a lifelong disease that will create problems for people in the long run. In conclusion, this disease will keep the body malfunctioning from using insulin the way it should.

Now the question arises – is it safe to consider puffed rice in your everyday consumption? This question has its importance, especially if you have type 2 diabetes.

First of all, eating puffed rice alone is not a good food choice for anyone with diabetes. As it has richer carbohydrates, so it is not advisable at all to eat puffed rice daily.

Secondly, puffed rice will produce imbalanced blood sugar levels. Finally, it is an unhealthy choice, and from a nutritional aspect, there will be no gain.

Moreover, it does not satisfy your craving also as it is not rich in fiber. In addition, this can also lead to overeating, so that it will become another health issue with diabetes.

Even if you think to pair puffed rice with fruits and veggies, it is still not recommended to eat puffed rice regularly. Instead, you have to make healthy food choices like cereals, oats, and other nutritious options.

Whether you have diabetes or are just a carer taking care of a diabetic patient, you have to make intelligent food choices.

With that all said, I am not saying that puffed rice is all bad. There are some benefits of puffed rice too.

Benefits of Eating Puffed Rice

Below is the list of benefits or the reasons to include puffed rice in your diet.

First of all, puffed rice is low in calories (compared to rice), so it helps in losing weight. One can also maintain with this diet a healthy body weight.
It is better than fast or junk food. Thus, you can swap your unhealthy snack and choose puffed rice.
Puffed rice is light and easy and does not harm the digestive system in the long run.
Including puffed rice in your diet helps in maintaining healthy blood pressure.
Taking puffed rice in limited quantity is good for the body and cardiovascular health.

Even with the above-described benefits, one should also keep in mind the limitations. Hence, it is better to stay within the diabetic norms and choose a better healthy food option.

This video explains popcorn vs puffed rice cake – which is healthy?

Conclusion

Puffed rice is not a good option for people with diabetes because of its low nutritional value and some other problems.

At the same time, puffed rice may seem suitable because it has lower calories for those trying to lose weight, but it is still high in refined carbohydrates. Due to this factor, it can easily disrupt the blood glucose and insulin levels of a person.

According to the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, puffed rice can also increase the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Therefore, people can take puffed rice but in limited quantities.