What rice is low GI? A lot of the food we eat, including rice, contains carbohydrates which are broken down into sugars that your blood absorbs. While this is usually fine, abnormally high blood sugar levels have a range of negative effects. These include tiredness, fatigue and headaches.
It’s why low GI diets are so popular. A low GI diet revolves around the Glycemic Index - a measurement system that ranks carbohydrates-filled food according to their effect on blood sugar levels.
Low GI diets effectively control your blood sugar levels, which is especially beneficial to those with diabetes. They’ve also been shown to improve cholesterol levels, help in weight loss and reduce the risk of heart disease.
So what does rice have to do with it? Rice is one of the most widely eaten foods in the world, with over 3.5 billion people eating rice every day. Rice is considered healthy but white rice - the most popular type - has a high GI index! In this article, we take a look at what rice is low GI and which types you can use to assist you in your low GI rice.
Brown Rice
Brown rice is the number one option for low GI diets. They have a medium GI index of 68, while white rice has a high one of 73. Brown rice is also digested more slowly than white rice which prevents the frequency of blood sugar spikes.
Red Rice
Hailing from Bhutan, red rice is a whole grain rice famous for its red and pink hues. Like brown rice, red rice has a considerably lower GI index than white rice, making it a perfect for low GI diet. Red rice has the added bonus of being easier and quicker to cook than brown rice.
Black Rice
Don’t let its appearance fool you, black rice is incredibly healthy and great for Low GI diets. Black rice has a very low GI index of 42 and has more antioxidants than brown and white rice. Add the fact that black rice is packed with Vitamin B and you have a 10/10 rice type!
Doongara Rice
If you truly can’t let go of white rice, Doongara rice is a great alternative. Doongara rice is a native rice from Australia which combines the taste of white rice with a naturally low GI index score - perfect for those following a low GI diet.
How to cook low GI rice
The only problem with low GI rice types like brown and black is that cooking them can be a bit fiddly. They usually require longer cooking times and need to be monitored closely.
Luckily, there are many rice cookers which can cook them no problem, like the Acook rice cooker! The Acook’s BOILSTEAM technology ensures that rice is cooked to perfection no matter what type it is. Super easy to use, all it takes is a push of a button for fluffy low GI rice. Visit Uncle Buffalo to pick up your own Acook today!
