1. The Meaning of ‘Easy to Digest’
When we say a food is ‘easy to digest,’ it means it doesn’t burden the stomach and is quickly absorbed in the intestines. While this is an advantage for patients with weakened digestive function, it can be a critical disadvantage for blood sugar management in people with diabetes.
2. Porridge and Blood Sugar Spikes
– Extremely High Gelatinization: Porridge is made by boiling rice with a large amount of water for a long time. In this process, the starch structure of the rice grains completely breaks down and expands, making it very easy for digestive enzymes to act upon. In other words, ‘gelatinization’ is maximized.
– Very Fast Absorption Speed: This fully broken-down porridge is in a semi-liquid state. When consumed, it passes through the stomach quickly with almost no chewing and is rapidly absorbed as glucose in the small intestine.
– The Result: Therefore, even if made from the same amount of rice, porridge, being closer to a liquid, raises blood sugar much faster and higher than solid rice. The glycemic index (GI) of white rice porridge is over 90, which can cause a ‘blood sugar spike’ comparable to that of sugar water.
3. Eating When You’re Sick
If you need to eat porridge when you are sick and have no appetite, it is better to eat a ‘nutritious porridge’ made with added minced vegetables, egg, or chicken breast, rather than plain white rice porridge. The added dietary fiber and protein can help to slightly slow down the rate at which blood sugar rises. However, the fact remains that any type of porridge will raise blood sugar faster than solid rice, so portion control is crucial.
Summary: For a person with diabetes, ‘easy to digest’ is synonymous with ‘raises blood sugar quickly.’ White rice porridge is absorbed very rapidly and spikes blood sugar much more sharply than the same amount of white rice, so it should be consumed with caution.
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