The health trend currently attracting attention is undoubtedly "blood sugar management." Excessive consumption of foods high in carbohydrates or sugar content causes a rapid increase in blood sugar levels and stimulates the release of insulin. This raises the risk of diabetes and makes it difficult to burn fat, leading to a body type that doesn't lose weight easily. Therefore, a meal method that reduces rice and incorporates whole grains to control post-meal blood sugar levels has been popular for a long time.

Today's Diabetes Letter: a two-line summary

1. Blood sugar levels were compared after consuming rice and green onions.

2. Was there really an effect of lowering blood sugar levels?

Experiment in Paro, Tuscany, Italy

The experiment was conducted over a total of two days. In the morning, immediately after arriving at work on an empty stomach, one day participants ate 210g of rice mixed with parboiled rice and white rice in a 4:6 ratio, and the next day they ate 210g of plain white rice, monitoring blood sugar changes. To ensure a more accurate comparison, only rice was consumed without any side dishes. Two reporters personally participated in the consumption. Blood sugar levels were checked just before eating, one hour after eating, and two hours after eating using a self-monitoring blood glucose device.

Paro is used as a crop cultivated in the Tuscany region of Italy. Paro grown in this area complies with European Union (EU) regulations, so chemical fertilizers and pesticides are not used. It is so-called organic grain. It grows in high-altitude, harsh environments and undergoes crop rotation, allowing it to rest for 2 to 3 years, which makes it a high-quality and valuable crop.

Mixed rice with barley raises blood sugar less

Certainly, the blood sugar levels rose less when eating rice mixed with paro. On the day Kim Seo-hee, a reporter, ate plain white rice, her blood sugar levels changed as follows: fasting blood sugar 100 → 141 one hour after eating → 120 two hours after eating. On the day she ate rice mixed with paro, her fasting blood sugar was 105 → 130 one hour after eating → 110 two hours after eating. Considering only the blood sugar levels two hours after eating, it increased by 20 when eating white rice, and by only 5 when eating rice mixed with paro.

Journalist Choi Ji-woo's blood sugar levels after eating white rice were 105 fasting, 155 one hour after eating, and 135 two hours after eating. On days when she ate porridge, her fasting blood sugar was 100, 125 one hour after eating, and 107 two hours after eating. White rice raised her blood sugar by 30, while porridge raised it by 7.

Reporters who have tried eating 파로 rice said, "I usually crave snacks often, but on the day I ate 파로 rice, I felt full for a long time and didn't need to snack," and "Thanks to its chewy texture, I was able to consume carbohydrates in a healthy and delicious way."

The two reporters do not have diabetes. What happens if a person who usually experiences blood sugar issues consumes paro? To find out, Kim Mo (66, Namyangju, Gyeonggi), who has been diagnosed with prediabetes and is thoroughly managing his lifestyle habits, tried eating paro rice. On days when he ate regular rice, his fasting blood sugar changed from 105 to 140 one hour after eating, and to 137 two hours after eating. When he ate paro rice, his fasting blood sugar was 103, one hour after eating it was 133, and two hours after eating it was 113. Regular rice raised blood sugar by 32, while paro rice raised it by 10.

Functions of dietary fiber and resistant starch

Why did Paro raise post-meal blood sugar levels less? Because Paro is rich in dietary fiber and resistant starch. Dietary fiber slows down the digestion and absorption of carbohydrates, resulting in a gradual increase in blood sugar. Eating a small amount also helps maintain a feeling of fullness for a longer time, reducing the desire for snacks and preventing overeating at the next meal. In the case of resistant starch, 100g of Paro contains 21.2g. This is more than white rice (0.64g) and brown rice (2.63g). Resistant starch is a type of starch that is not digested in the stomach and small intestine but ferments in the colon by bacteria. In short, it has a slow digestion rate.

The low sugar content also benefits those managing blood sugar levels. Eating foods high in sugar can cause a rapid spike and subsequent drop in blood sugar levels, known as a "blood sugar spike." However, parboiled rice contains only 0.87g of sugar per 100g, which is very low. This is lower than the levels found in well-known low-sugar grains such as spelt (7.84g per 100g), brown rice (73g), and white rice (78g).

However, excessive intake is not recommended. No matter how good the grains are, eating too much increases the total carbohydrate intake. This can lead to weight gain or increased blood sugar levels, so it is appropriate to consume them as a substitute for the rice or flour you normally eat!

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Have you heard of Paro grains?

These days, they look similar at a glance, but...

Paro has a chewier texture.

Lately, I mix it with rice when I eat.

Gradually, the variety of grains is increasing.

Since it's about blood sugar control, eating a lot is definitely not allowed.