The right rice may help control diabetes, CSIRO study finds

A study of 235 different types of rice has found that the glycemic index (GI) varies from one type of rice to another - by as much as 44 GI points. The most important finding of the study, however, is that most varieties of rice have a low or medium GI, making these varieties suitable for diabetics and those aiming for a low-GI diet.

The lowest GI recorded for rice was 48; the highest was 92. The average GI of rice was 64, falling in the medium-GI category.

“Understanding that different types of rice have different GI values allows rice consumers to make informed choices about the sort of rice they want to eat,” said Dr Melissa Fitzgerald, who led the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) research team.

“Rice varieties like India’s most widely grown rice variety, Swarna, have a low GI and varieties like Doongara and Basmati from Australia have a medium GI.”

The study was conducted by IRRI and the CSIRO’s Food Futures Flagship. Dr Tony Bird, who led the CSIRO team, said that low-GI diets offer a range of health benefits.

“Low-GI diets can reduce the likelihood of developing Type 2 diabetes and are also useful for helping diabetics better manage their condition,” he said.

“This is good news for diabetics and people at risk of diabetes who are trying to control their condition through diet, as it means they can select the right rice to help maintain a healthy, low-GI diet.”

The research was published in Volume 4, Number 2 of the journal Rice.