"Recently, I have been eating millet porridge to lower my blood sugar, and I feel much more relaxed when I drink a bowl every morning." On this day, Uncle Li proudly shared his "secret" of lowering blood sugar.
The good times didn't last long, and after a while, Uncle Li began to feel dizzy and uncomfortable, so he was so frightened that he hurried to the hospital for an examination.
As soon as the results came out, the doctor frowned and said, "Uncle Li, why is your blood sugar higher than last time?" ”
"How is this possible? I've been eating millet porridge to lower blood sugar! Uncle Li said in surprise.
The doctor smiled and shook his head: "How can you just eat millet porridge?" Lowering blood sugar is not something that happens overnight, and it is still necessary to believe in the scientific method. ”
1. Why do Japanese people also eat rice, but their blood sugar is controlled smoothly?
According to the International Diabetes Federation, there are more than 140 million diabetic patients in China, of which type 2 diabetes accounts for more than 90% of the diabetic population. From 1980 to 2019, the prevalence of type 2 diabetes in China continued to grow, and the prevalence of the elderly over 60 years old increased rapidly.
Across the sea from Japan, diabetic patients have a blood sugar attainment rate of nearly 90%, a complication rate of less than 15%, and an average life expectancy of about 8 to 10 years longer than Chinese patients.
Seeing this, many friends are curious: why do Japanese people also eat rice, but their blood sugar is controlled smoothly?
There is a secret hidden in the Japanese diet. Studies have found that the brown rice commonly eaten by Japanese people is rich in γ-gamma oryzanol, which can regulate pancreatic β cells, help the pancreatic function return to normal, and play a role in preventing diabetes.
In addition, the Japanese diet is based on vegetables and fish, and is often accompanied by ingredients with low GI (glycemic index) values, such as soba noodles, which is a light diet that helps stabilize blood sugar.
In addition, we love to eat freshly cooked hot rice, while the Japanese prefer cold rice such as sushi and rice balls. This has a benefit: the starch of the cooled rice is not easily digested, which helps to stabilize blood sugar.
In addition to that, their eating habits are also worth exploring. They tend to chew slowly, which makes them feel fuller faster, reduces starch intake, and slows blood sugar release. In addition, they eat relatively small amounts of food, and less sugar enters the body.
2. Millet porridge is a "big glycemic producer", should you eat less?
Often drinking millet porridge, does it raise blood sugar or lower blood sugar?
There are many studies that show that eating millet porridge regularly is beneficial to control blood sugar levels.
According to a study published in Frontiersin Nutrition, millets have better sugar control levels in managing and preventing type 2 diabetes than other grains.
The results of 21 studies using millet as experimental food showed that diabetic patients who consumed millet for a long time reduced their postprandial blood sugar by an average of 30mg/dL from 134mg/dL to 117.9mg/dL, which is close to the normal level of diabetic patients, and millet plays an active role in reducing fasting blood sugar levels and improving blood sugar control.
In addition, other studies have pointed out that millet is rich in dietary fiber, protein and other components that effectively reduce the activity of digestive enzymes, resulting in the slowdown of the absorption rate of starch polysaccharides and the decrease of the absorption rate of monosaccharides and disaccharides, and then achieve the effect of sugar control.
However, although millet porridge has the effect of controlling sugar, it can also raise blood sugar if it is eaten in the wrong way!
The glycemic index is used to reflect the effect of different foods on blood sugar. In general, the higher the glycemic index, the greater the effect on blood sugar.
The glycemic index (GI) of millet porridge is 61.5, which is a medium GI food. Although foods with a medium glycemic index have little effect on blood sugar, if millet porridge is the only staple food, or if millet is cooked too soft to accelerate digestion and absorption, it is easy to cause blood sugar to rise.
So how to eat millet porridge to effectively achieve the effect of sugar control? One is to eat millet porridge with milk, mixed beans and other foods rich in protein and dietary fiber, and the other is to pay attention to the cooking method, and it is not advisable to cook millet for too long.
3. The blood sugar standard for elderly sugar friends is freshly baked! Do 3 steps to stabilize your blood sugar
The newly released "Guidelines for the Diagnosis and Treatment of Diabetes in the Elderly in China (2024 Edition)" announced the latest blood sugar control goals for elderly diabetic friends (≥ 65 years old).
Different people, the standards are different, and it is necessary to judge whether the standard is met according to the "physical health state". Generally speaking:
健康状态下的老年糖友：空腹血糖要小于7.2mmol/L，睡前血糖控制要低于8.3mmol/L。
Elderly sugar friends with moderate health status (early dementia or difficulty in taking care of themselves): fasting blood sugar should not exceed 8.3mmol/L, and blood glucose before bed should be less than 10.0mmol/L.
Elderly sugar friends with poor health status (with other diseases or moderate or severe dementia): fasting blood sugar control is 5.6~10.0mmol/L, and bedtime blood sugar is below 11.1mmol/L.
To stabilize your blood sugar, do these three steps:
First of all, eat less of 3 food groups. One is pumpkin, which has a GI value of up to 75, which is a high GI food, and eating a large amount of it will raise blood sugar, and the optimal daily intake is less than 200 grams. The second is wolfberry, which contains about 19g of sugar per 100g, which is not suitable for eating too much. The third is glutinous rice, although it has a soft and glutinous taste and seems to be easy to chew and digest, its glycemic index is as high as 94! For the sake of blood sugar, it is better to eat less.
Secondly, doing more exercise can lower blood sugar. A study in the British Journal of Sports Medicine found that just 6 minutes of moderate- to vigorous-intensity exercise a day was effective in reducing the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. You can choose from cycling, swimming, and walking.
Also, check your blood sugar regularly with a blood glucose monitor to make sure your blood sugar levels aren't too high or too low.
Controlling blood sugar is not an overnight battle, but a protracted battle that requires patience and wisdom.
Resources:
[1] "Over 65 years old, how much is fasting blood sugar controlled? The new standard in 2024 will be announced, not 7mmol/L! 》. Journal of Friends of Diabetes.2024-02-22
[2] "8 Misunderstandings of Inaccurate Blood Sugar Measurement and 3 Details of Correct Measurement!" Comprehensive Analysis. China Medical Tribune Endocrinology Today.2024-04-17
[3] "4 Diet Tips for Blood Sugar Control, Simple and Easy to Remember, Suitable for Most People!" 》. Guangdong CDC.2024-02-12
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