1. The Composition of Injeolmi
Injeolmi is a popular Korean rice cake made from steamed glutinous rice flour, which is then coated in roasted soybean powder. One might expect it to be better for blood sugar than other rice cakes due to the protein and fat from the soybean powder.
2. The Minimal Effect of Soybean Powder
– The Main Ingredient: The main ingredient of injeolmi is not soybean powder, but ‘glutinous rice.’ The amount of powder coating the outside is very small compared to the whole cake.
– The Powerful Effect of Glutinous Rice: The starch in glutinous rice is almost 100% ‘amylopectin,’ which is digested and absorbed extremely quickly. This makes it one of the foods that raises blood sugar fastest and highest among all grains. The glycemic index (GI) of injeolmi is very high, over 80.
– Conclusion: The effect of the small amount of protein and fat in the soybean powder in slowing the rise of blood sugar is almost negligible compared to the powerful effect of the glutinous rice cake itself in raising it.
3. Rice Cakes and Blood Sugar
All types of tteok (rice cakes) are ‘highly concentrated carbohydrate’ foods made from refined rice or glutinous rice flour. Adding a few other ingredients like mugwort or coating it with soybean powder does not change its fundamental nature. For a person with diabetes, all types of rice cakes are a food that requires extreme caution as they cause a sharp spike in post-meal blood sugar.
Summary: Although injeolmi is coated in soybean powder, the amount is too small to have a significant effect on blood sugar. Its main ingredient, glutinous rice, causes a very sharp spike in blood sugar, so like other rice cakes, it should be avoided as much as possible.
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