Type 2 diabetes is a chronic condition in which a persons pancreas doesnt produce enough insulin to regulate blood sugar levels. This impaired mechanism may not pose a threat initially, but overtime, unregulated blood sugar levels can hike your risk of developing chronic diseases such as heart disease and stroke. It is therefore important to keep your risk of developing type 2 diabetes at bay and this means cutting back on or completely avoiding unhealthy lifestyle habits.
Accounting for the association, researcher Qi Sun, M, an instructor in medicine at the Harvard School of Public Health in Boston, suggests that, in addition to the high-carb content of white rice, the popular ingredient also has a low-fibre content and fibre intake has been shown to reduce your risk of developing the chronic disease.
According to Sun, other white, starchy carbohydrates, such as white bread, white pasta, and white potatoes, will also heighten your risk if eaten often enough.
While swapping white carbs for whole grain equivalents may reduce the risk, you do not have to shun rice completely, he said.
According to Diabetes.co.uk, the surest way to add more fibre to your diet is to eat plenty of vegetables.
The Department of Health advises us to eat at least five portions of vegetables and fruit each day. Generally speaking, beating rather than meeting the daily target is recommended, advises the health body.
As the health site explains, if youre buying starchy foods such as rice, bread or pasta, look for those with higher amounts of fibre per 100g.
Foods listed as whole grain should usually be good picks but checking the nutritional value per 100g tends to be the most reliable way of ensuring you pick a high fibre option, it added.
The NHS does advise exercising a degree of caution when upping your fibre intake, however, as it could lead to stomach cramps and bloating in the short term, so it is important to keep hydrated at the same time.
According to the NHS, many people have type 2 diabetes without realising because symptoms do not necessarily make you feel unwell.
Symptoms include:
You should speak to your GP if you have any of the symptoms of type 2 diabetes or you're worried you may have a higher risk of getting it, advises the health body.
It added: The earlier diabetes is diagnosed and treatment started, the better. Early treatment reduces your risk of other health problems.
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Type 2 diabetes warning: Adding this ingredient to your meals may increase your risk - Express
