Does white rice raise your blood sugar

There are a few dietary restrictions when it comes to consuming certain foods for individuals who have diabetes. This is due to the carbohydrates, additives, and glycemic levels in certain foods.

Table of Contents Show

Rice in a Diabetes Diet
How Carbohydrates Affect People With Diabetes
Healthy Rice Options
Alternatives to Rice
A Word From Verywell
What rice does not raise blood sugar?
Can I eat rice if I have diabetes?
Does all rice raise blood sugar?
How much does white rice spike blood sugar?

While white rice is known to have a high glycemic index and is low in fiber, micronutrients, and polyphenols, there are diabetic-friendly rice options you can consider. When choosing a healthy diet plan, it is important to speak with a healthcare professional regarding the best options for your lifestyle.

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Rice in a Diabetes Diet

When people with diabetes consume rice, it is important to understand how the body reacts.

A cup of white rice has 53.4 grams of carbohydrates. When an individual with diabetes consumes drinks and foods with carbohydrates, it breaks down into glucose and the body’s blood sugar rises.

How Carbohydrates Affect People With Diabetes

When rice is consumed, this can lead to elevated glucose levels after a meal:

In an individual without diabetes, their insulin will help the blood sugar levels from increasing too much.
If an individual has diabetes, depending on the type, the body either doesn’t make insulin or the body is resistant to it.

Therefore, if you have diabetes, it is important to watch the carbohydrates intake:

For people with type 1 diabetes, the pancreas doesn’t produce insulin, so it is important to count the carbs in your meal.
For people with type 2 diabetes, the body is resistant to insulin and may not produce enough to properly offset the blood sugar increase, so it is advised they eat carbohydrates throughout the day instead of a lot at one time.

Rice is known to have a considerable amount of carbohydrates, a high glycemic index, and high glycemic load. Studies have shown that consuming high amounts of white rice increases the risk of diabetes by 11%.

Another study concluded that individuals who opted for brown rice and whole grains instead of white rice may have a lower risk of type 2 diabetes.

Healthy Rice Options

When consuming rice, it is important to be mindful. If possible, opt for brown rice, which is known to reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes due to its high content of:

Fiber
Vitamins
Minerals
Multiple nutrients

Other options for rice include:

Wild rice: 35 grams of carbs
Jasmine rice: 39 grams of carbs
Basmati rice: 37 grams of carbs

Alternatives to Rice

There are other foods that you can try as an alternative option. These include:

Cauliflower rice
Millet
Quinoa
Buckwheat
Barley

It is important to speak with a healthcare professional before you add any foods to your diet. They can give you the right information as it relates to your specific condition.

A Word From Verywell

When an individual has diabetes, diet is a big factor when it comes to staying healthy and controlling sugar levels. It‘s all about balance. Speak with a healthcare professional so you can properly plan a menu that will keep you healthy.

It is also important to educate yourself about proper options for diet, lifestyle, and exercise habits so you can have a wonderful quality of life. If you have any questions or concerns, check with your healthcare provider and they can lead you in the right direction.

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

U.S. Department of Agriculture. Rice, white, short-grain, enriched, cooked.
American Diabetes Association. Carb counting and diabetes.
Van Dam R. A Global perspective on white rice consumption and risk of type 2 diabetes. Diabetes Care. 2020;43(11):2625-2627. doi:10.2337/dci20-0042
Sun Q. White rice, brown rice, and risk of type 2 diabetes in us men and women. Arch Intern Med. 2010;170(11):961. doi:10.1001/archinternmed.2010.109

By Yvelette Stines
Yvelette Stines, MS, MEd, is an author, writer, and communications specialist specializing in health and wellness.

Thanks for your feedback!

What rice does not raise blood sugar?

Refined carbohydrates like white rice have a high glycemic index, which causes rapid spikes in blood sugar that increase diabetes risk. Foods with a lower glycemic index, like brown rice, are digested more slowly, causing a lower and gentler change in blood sugar.

Can I eat rice if I have diabetes?

Rice is rich in carbohydrates and can have a high GI score. If you have diabetes, you may think that you need to skip it at dinner, but this isn't always the case. You can still eat rice if you have diabetes. You should avoid eating it in large portions or too frequently, though.

Does all rice raise blood sugar?

It means that white rice is less nutritious than brown rice and is more likely to cause spikes in blood sugar levels. If you're looking for a healthier option, opt for brown rice or one of the many varieties of wild rice. These types of rice are more nutritious and have a lower risk of causing blood sugar spikes.

How much does white rice spike blood sugar?

Carbohydrate Content All of these carbohydrates are broken down into sugar and end up in your blood after eating rice. A serving of rice providing 90 grams of carbohydrates will break down to about the same amount of sugar found in 22 teaspoons of sugar. This will significantly increase your blood sugar levels.