According to the Report on the Status of Nutrition and Chronic Diseases in China (2020), the prevalence of diabetes in adults over 18 years old in mainland China was as high as 11.9% in 2018. An epidemiological survey of 170,000 people in 2018~2019 showed that the prediabetes detection rate was as high as 38.1%.
As a result, many friends have to control sugar and eat carefully in order to reduce blood sugar fluctuations. Especially staple foods, either eat whole grains or don't. Eat a little refined carbs, and you will be so anxious.
In fact, sugar control is not that you can't eat this, and many non-whole grains may have a lower GI (glycemic index) than expected.
And some healthy-looking staples may be hidden blood sugar assassins that secretly raise your blood sugar.
So, what staple foods can you eat to control sugar?
Before revealing the answer, let's state that we use the GI value to define the degree to which food causes blood sugar to rise, and the higher the GI value, the stronger the effect of this food on raising blood sugar.
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It is usually measured by comparing the area under the blood glucose curve 2 hours after eating 50 g of a certain food with the area under the blood glucose curve 2 hours after eating 50 g of glucose, with more than 12 subjects, taking the mean. In other words, the GI value is the actual data measured after the human taste, and the same food may have different effects on the blood sugar of different subjects, and the measured GI value may also be different.
Therefore, everyone who controls sugar is trying a new staple food for the first time, you should still pay attention to your blood sugar fluctuations, and control the amount, and don't eat a lot as soon as you hear that it is a low GI staple food.
You think it's bad,
But a blood-friendly staple
After some friends controlled sugar, they never ate refined carbs again, steamed buns and noodles became whole wheat bread with a throat, and eating changed from enjoying food to pure vital signs maintenance meals.
Sugar control does not mean giving up all refined carbs.
For some refined carbs, the GI value is not too high, for example, udon has a GI of 55, and pasta has a GI of 50.
Potato flour (GI: 13.6) and lotus root flour (GI: 33) have a lower GI than boiled carrots (GI: 39).
This is not to say that you can just let go of eating, but I want to tell you: choose the right staple food, even if it is refined, you don't have to be afraid to eat it in moderation; By knowing "why it's low" to draw inferences, make yourself happy and healthy.
So why low? There are two main reasons for this:
One is the high protein content.
For example, durum wheat used in pasta is a durum wheat with a protein content of up to 11.9%, which is a high-gluten flour product. When extruded, the gluten protein in it is easier to form a strong framework structure, which hinders the starch from fully and rapidly contacting the digestive enzymes in the body to a certain extent, prolonging the digestion process and smoothing the blood sugar response.
Udon noodles are chewy and often contain gluten, a grain protein ingredient, to increase the protein content and reduce the rapid response curve of high blood sugar.
In the same way, the same noodles are mixed with eggs or high-gluten flour, which will be a little more friendly to blood sugar control.
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The second is the influence of starch characteristics.
Although the carbohydrates in staple foods are mainly starch, starch can also be simply divided into three categories: amylose, amylopectin, and indigestible resistant starch.
More amylopectin, more waxy taste, higher and faster glycemic rise, and more amylose and resistant starch are more blood sugar friendly.
For example, lotus root flour contains almost no nutrients other than carbohydrates such as protein, but it has a high amylose content (about 25%) and a high gelatinization temperature (about 70~80°C). After the lotus root powder is prepared, it enters the internal environment of the human body at 37°C, which is lower than the gelatinization temperature, and the amylose gradually partially ages and rises, producing some resistant starch, which becomes difficult to digest and absorb, so that the blood sugar change is more stable.
Another typical example is that the same cooked rice has a GI of 88 for varieties with low amylose content and only 50 for varieties with high amylose content. In general, short round varieties such as pearl rice from the north have low amylose content and high GI value. Strip indica rice varieties such as Thai fragrant rice, which is mainly produced in the south, and silk miao rice, which are used for claypot rice, have relatively high amylose content and relatively low GI value.
Here is also a table of blood sugar-friendly staple foods for everyone-
Data source: References[3~5]
If you can't give up some high-GI staple foods, another idea to control sugar is to make a good combination: add vegetables and meat.
The GI value of mixed meals is generally lower than that of pure staple foods because the protein and fat in meat prolong gastric emptying time; Fresh fruits and vegetables are rich in prebiotic substances such as dietary fiber and oligosaccharides, which cannot be digested and absorbed in the small intestine, and these structures are interspersed with them, which makes it more difficult and longer for digestible starch and digestive enzymes to meet, and the production rate of blood sugar is also slowed down and the fluctuation range is reduced.
Compared with white steamed buns with small pickles, the combination of vegetable and meat buns or three fresh dumplings is more reasonable, and the GI value is lower.
Friends from a big noodle province can change from a bowl of oily noodles to half a bowl of oily noodles + a portion of boiled green leafy vegetables + a small portion of sauced beef.
With a good pairing, the GI of a mixed meal can be much lower.
Data source: References[3~5]
However, it is important to note that everyone's blood sugar response to food is different, and the GI value is only an indicator of the dietary reference. Diabetics still need to monitor themselves to find the types of foods they are sensitive to.
You think it's blood sugar friendly,
But quite a burdensome staple
After talking about the staple foods that are unexpectedly friendly to blood sugar, let's talk about the pits we may have stepped on.
Friends who control sugar are often superstitious about coarse grains, and they accidentally step on the pit. Instant oatmeal, corn flakes, sound healthy, but after eating it once, the blood sugar spikes directly to 10+ after a meal.
The problem with these staple foods is that the whole grains are refined.
The same raw materials, different processing methods, can directly change from low GI food to high GI food.
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The finer the degree of cereal processing, the easier it is for the starch granule structure to quickly and fully contact with the digestive enzymes in the body, and then quickly complete the process of starch digestion in the small intestine, which quickly becomes glucose, which is directly absorbed into the blood to raise blood sugar levels.
Even if you eat coarse grains, you should pay attention to avoiding pits and refined coarse grains. The finer-polished and softer the cooked grains, the higher the GI tends to be.
Of course, there are some processed coarse grain products that can also achieve low GI by optimizing the process and formulation, but this requires everyone to ask if there is a corresponding blood glucose reaction test report when purchasing. Don't think that as long as it's "whole grains", it's all blood sugar friendly.
To sum up, if you want staple foods to raise blood sugar so quickly, you can look at three points-
● Choose staple foods with high protein and amylose content;
● Choose a staple food with filling, mix and match, and add vegetables and meat;
● Sugar control coarse grains, give preference to those with low degree of processing.
Finally, I wish everyone to eat with peace of mind, happiness, and not be trapped by sugar control. Here are some alternative options for sugar control staples, so you can try them next time:
Image credit: Lilac Doctor
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Source丨Lilac Doctor