Consumption of white rice increases the risk of type 2 diabetes, say researchers from the Harvard School of Public Health in Boston.
It is not harmful to consume 1-2 servings of rice a week, experts add. But the more often it is consumed, the greater the risk of developing cancer, according to the results of four studies.
According to experts, the connection can be explained by the effect of white rice on blood sugar levels, which is due to its relatively high glycemic index.
Foods that are low in fiber and high in fiber but high in carbohydrates are high. When consumed, they cause a sharp rise in blood sugar.
Low-glycemic foods, such as brown rice, lead to a more gradual increase in glucose without sharp peaks and troughs. Such products are high in fiber.
In addition to being lower in calories and lower in carbohydrates than white, brown rice contains more magnesium (85.8 mg), phosphorus (150 mg), potassium (154 mg) and calcium (19.5 mg) by about 200 g. For comparison - the same amount of white rice contains 24.1 mg of magnesium, 68.8 mg of phosphorus, 3.94 mg of potassium and 5.6 mg of calcium.
Nutrients such as fiber and magnesium are thought to help prevent the development of type 2 diabetes.
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The researchers tracked the diets of 350,000 people in China, Japan, the United States and Australia, taking into account factors such as body weight and exercise levels. Within 22 years, about 13,200 people develop diabetes.
It has been found that a lifestyle and diet that includes high rice consumption contributes to an increased risk of the disease.
One study found that eating white rice, more than 5 servings a week, increased the risk of type 2 diabetes by as much as 17%.
Consumers of brown rice, at least twice a week, have an 11% lower risk.
According to the results, if the average white rice and rice products consumed - 50 g per day, are replaced by an equivalent amount of brown, the risk of type 2 diabetes is reduced by 16%. When replacing white rice with other whole grain products, the danger is even smaller - by about 36%.
The review of the studies was published in the British Medical Journal .