Rice

What kind of rice should a diabetic eat and why?

Posted by

0


Firstly, it’s important to understand that all types of rice have a similar carbohydrate content, which can raise blood sugar levels. However, some varieties are healthier and more beneficial for people with diabetes.

Brown rice, also known as whole-grain rice, is a great option for diabetics. This type of rice has a lower glycemic index (GI) compared to white rice, which means it won’t spike your blood sugar levels as much. Brown rice also contains more fiber and essential nutrients like magnesium, which can help with blood sugar control and reduce the risk of heart disease, a common complication of diabetes.

Alternatively, Jasmine and basmati rice, known for their fragrant and aromatic flavors, are also good options for diabetics. These types of rice have a lower GI than white rice and are less processed, meaning they retain more of their natural fiber and nutrients. Plus, their distinct flavor can add a delicious twist to your meals.

On the other hand, white rice is highly processed and stripped of its fiber and nutrients, resulting in a higher GI. This can cause a quick spike in blood sugar levels and put strain on the body’s insulin response. Therefore, it’s best to limit or avoid white rice if you have diabetes.

But what about other types of rice, like wild rice or black rice? These varieties may be less commonly consumed, but they are packed with health benefits for diabetics. Wild rice contains more protein and fiber than other types of rice, making it a great option for stabilizing blood sugar levels. Meanwhile, black rice, also known as forbidden rice, is rich in antioxidants and has a low GI, making it a great addition to a diabetic-friendly diet.

The key to incorporating rice into a diabetic diet is portion control. While brown, Jasmine, and basmati rice are healthier options, they still contain carbohydrates that can raise blood sugar levels. It’s essential to measure out the recommended serving size, which is approximately ⅓ to ½ cup cooked rice per meal, to avoid any blood sugar spikes.

Adding vegetables, protein, and healthy fats to your rice dish can also help balance out the carbohydrates and slow down the absorption of glucose into the bloodstream. This can help keep your blood sugar levels in check and provide a more balanced and nutritious meal.

8 Foods High in Magnesium: A Mineral for Diabetes, Insomnia and More .

Posted by

0


Magnesium allows the body to absorb calcium, but it also carries out over 300 other functions in the body. This essential mineral makes sure that our nerves can communicate properly, our body maintains a regulated temperature (homeostasis) and can carry out important tasks like detoxification, supplying us with energy, and yes, making healthy teeth and bones. Everyone should know of foods high in magnesium as well as magnesium deficiency symptoms given the importance of this mineral, 

Magnesium is not only helpful in maintaining bone strength as we age, it can also improve the symptoms of PMS (premenstrual syndrome) as well as menopause for women. Magnesium even helps the body utilize vitamin B6 and reduces migraines, lowers high blood pressure, gets rid of constipation and can even help to remove gallstones.

Wondering – how do I get enough magnesium? There are many foods that will supply magnesium to your body in its most natural form. After checking to see if you have these magnesium deficiency symptoms, come back here to view this list of 8 foods high in magnesium.

magnesium foods 263x164 8 Foods High in Magnesium: A Mineral for Diabetes, Insomnia and More

8 Foods High in Magnesium

  • 1. Rice Bran – This food is hard to find since it often isn’t stocked at regular grocery stores, but rice bran is worth hunting down. In just 100 grams of this healthy food you can find 781 mg of magnesium – almost twice the recommended RDA.
  • 2. Dried Herbs Coriander, Sage, or Basil – In terms of density, these great herbs not only supply the body with lots of micronutrients and other trace minerals, they are loaded with magnesium. You can find around 690 mg per tablespoon. Add these spices and herbs to your favorite dishes to make them magnesium-magic.
  • 3. Dark Chocolate – Want a reason to indulge in one of your favorite foods? Real, dark chocolate, or cacao is full of antioxidants and loads of magnesium. Just 100 grams of dark chocolate offers about 230 mg of magnesium. Check out 7 other dark chocolate health benefits here.
  • 4. Dark Leafy Greens – Kale, spinach, collard greens, Swiss chard, and any dark leafy vegetables, including beet greens and dandelion greens will supply high levels of magnesium. 1 cup of cooked spinach, for example will contain 157 mg.
  • 5. Whole Grains – Brown rice, quinoa, bulgar, barley, whole oats, and non-GMO wheat will contain high levels of magnesium. I cup of cooked brown rice, for example, contains around 86 mg.
  • 6. Beans and Lentils – Although there is a lot of concern about xeno-estrogens in GMO soy, non-GMO soy, chickpeas, lentils, kidney beans and other types of beans are a great source of magnesium. Some beans provide up to 150 mg per one cup serving.
  • 7. Avocados – Not only is this food full of healthy fats, it is also a great source of magnesium. Just one avocado of a decent size will provide more than 60 mg of magnesium.
  • 8. Dairy – You have to be careful with some yogurts and cheeses because food manufacturers like to load them with hormones and sugars, but plain, unsweetened yogurts, and unpasteurized cheeses will provide loads of magnesium without polluting your body with traditional dairy.

Of course there are other foods high in magnesium, but this list should be enough to get you started.

Rice gene digs deep to triple yields in drought.

Posted by

0


A gene that gives rice plants deeper roots can triple yields during droughts, according to Japanese researchers writing in Nature Geneticsthis week (4 August).

Rice is a staple food for nearly half of the world’s population, but is also particularly susceptible to drought owing to its shallow roots, researchers say.

“If rice adapts to or avoids drought conditions using deeper roots, it can get water and nutrients from the deep soil layers.”

Yusaku Uga

The new study shows that by pointing roots down instead of sideways, the Deeper Rooting 1(DRO1) gene results in roots that are nearly twice as deep as those of standard rice varieties.

“If rice adapts to or avoids drought conditions using deeper roots, it can get water and nutrients from the deep soil layers,” says the study’s lead author Yusaku Uga, a researcher with Japan’s National Institute of Agrobiological Sciences.

Uga and his team found that in moderate drought conditions, the yield of rice with DRO1 was double that of the shallow-rooted rice variety. Under severe drought conditions, this increased to 3.6 times greater.

“The most important point is that we had rice grains produced under drought conditions,” says Uga. “When rice crops just tolerate drought, they cannot get water and nutrients, resulting in a kind of survival mode.”

The DRO1 gene occurs naturally in more than 60 rice varieties. For the study, the research team crossbred a rice variety carrying DRO1 with a shallow-rooted variety and then bred the offspring together to produce a rice crop in which DRO1 was uniformly present.

The International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) estimates that an additional 8-10 million tonnes of rice will be needed each year to keep rice prices affordable at around US$300 per tonne. Finding a drought-resistant variety of rice may be key to attaining this goal, according to researchers.

“Drought is the most widespread and damaging of all environmentalstresses,” says Sophie Clayton, head of communications at IRRI. “In some states in India, severe drought can cause as much as 40 per cent yield loss [in rice crops]. Moreover, with the onset of climate change, droughts may become more frequent and more severe.”

Source: Scivx

Nanoparticles from rice husks set for use in batteries.

Posted by

0


Rice farmers may soon have a more lucrative use for a common low-value byproduct: rice husks, the hard, protective coverings around the edible grains.

nano rice
The husks contain natural silicon nanoparticles that can easily be extracted and used in battery manufacture, a study shows.

The simple and low-cost process for recovering the nanoparticles and using them in the lithium-ion batteries, which are commonly found in portableelectronics, was published in Scientific Reports last month (29 May).

Silicon nanomaterials have various industrial applications but they are complicated, costly and energy-intensive to produce.

“China plays an important role in battery manufacturing, so the rice nano-silicon could be locally integrated into battery manufacturing.”

Speed read

  • Inedible rice husks contain silicon nanoparticles that can be extracted for use in batteries
  • Rice husks are usually low-value, but farmers could sell them to battery manufacturers
  • Researchers hope to link up with battery firms to push for rice husk use

 

Meanwhile, 120 million tonnes of rice husks are produced as byproducts of rice agriculture worldwide each year.

“The novelty of this paper is the high-yield and low-cost recovery of nano-structured silicon from an agriculturalbyproduct. And the morphology of the recovered silicon is ideal for direct application in high-energy, lithium-ion batteries,” Yi Cui, study coauthor and associate professor at Stanford University, United States, tellsSciDev.Net.

“A lot of developing countries, such as China and India, produce a huge amount of rice husks each year. Currently, the rice husks only have some low added-value applications,” he says.

The new procedure, Cui says, could allow these countries to use the husks to build batteries, and his team is trying to establish links with battery companies to achieve this.

“China plays an important role in battery manufacturing, so the rice nano-silicon could be locally integrated into battery manufacturing,” he adds.

Jie Xiao, a senior scientist at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, United States, says the “approach is interesting and promising” but warns that “more research needs to take place before this method would be useful on a broad scale”.

Farmers will probably be unable to directly sell rice husks to battery companies since most of these firms do not make their own raw materials, she says. “However, companies that supply [battery] electrode materials, or chemical factories, could build [production] lines to process husks and harvest [their] silicon for battery use,” she adds.

Cary Hayner, chief technology officer of SiNode Systems — a materialsventure based out of Northwestern University that is commercialising novel silicon-based battery anode technology — says the study demonstrates what could be a tremendous opportunity to make use of an abundant agricultural byproduct.

“Farmers would be best served by selling their rice husks to a company that will transform the husks into the useful silicon,” he says.

Source: http://www.scidev.net

 

 

 

Are some sushi dishes lower in calories than others?

Posted by

0


Sushi is traditionally made with rice, seaweed and seafood. Because most types of seafood are relatively low in calories, most kinds of sushi are as well. However, calories in sushi vary depending on the dish, the portion and how it’s prepared. In fact, the same sushi dish may have a different nutritional profile when it’s prepared by a different chef, depending on the specific mix of ingredients.

If you’re watching your calories, sashimi (raw fish) and nigiri (raw fish on a small bed of rice) are good options. So are sushi rolls made with fresh or pickled vegetables. You can also ask for sushi made with a smaller portion of rice. Anything with mayonnaise or added sauce and anything that’s fried will have higher calorie counts.

Source: http://www.mayoclinic.com