Uncle Zhang is a health expert, and he usually pays special attention to healthy eating. No, he has to boil a pot of millet porridge every morning, saying that it can maintain health.
One day, Aunt Wang in the village asked him, "Uncle Zhang, you drink millet porridge every day, does this blood sugar rise or drop?" Uncle Zhang was stunned for a moment and thought: "I've always thought this millet porridge is very good, but I haven't studied the specific effect in detail." ”
So, Zhang Bo decided to study this issue carefully. He looked up information on the Internet and asked a doctor friend. In the end, it was found that the effect of millet porridge on blood sugar was really not something that could be explained in one sentence.
Want to know whether this millet porridge raises blood sugar or lowers blood sugar? Don't worry, let's continue to talk!
01
Effect of millet porridge on blood sugar
Although millet is one of the whole grains and has a lower glycemic index (GI), the GI value of millets changes during cooking.
The GI value of raw millet is 71, and after cooking into porridge, the GI value rises to 93.6, which is close to the glycemic index of sugar water. In particular, millet porridge that is cooked softly has a higher GI value, which can easily lead to a rapid rise in blood sugar.
Diabetics are not completely unable to drink millet porridge, but they need to choose the right way to cook it. Cooking millet into rice instead of porridge can lower its GI value.
At the same time, avoid boiling millet too softly and do not eat too much at one time, so that you can enjoy the nutrition of millet while reducing blood sugar fluctuations.
Tips for diabetics to consume millet
To better control blood sugar, diabetics can master the following tips when consuming millet:
Eat with protein-rich foods
Millet contains less lysine, so it is recommended to eat millet with protein-rich foods such as fish, eggs, milk, and soy products. This not only improves the nutritional value of the meal, but also reduces the rate of blood sugar rise after a meal through the action of protein.
Use millet to make multigrain porridge
When cooking millet, other coarse grains such as oats, black rice, brown rice, etc., can be added to make multigrain porridge. This reduces the proportion of millet in the porridge, which reduces the post-meal glycemic response.
Replace some of the rice steamed rice with millet
Mixing millet and rice to steam rice can not only increase the nutrition of the meal, but also reduce the glycemic index to a certain extent. This practice not only maintains the variety of foods, but also effectively controls blood sugar.
Misconceptions about diabetics eating whole grains
After being diagnosed, many diabetic patients blindly consume a large amount of whole grains in an attempt to control blood sugar. In fact, there are several common misunderstandings about the use of coarse grains:
Ignoring whole grain product ingredients
Many people buy finished products containing coarse grains directly, but in order to ensure the taste, starch, fine rice noodles, and a lot of sugar may be added to these finished products.
Not only can it not effectively control blood sugar after consumption, but it may cause blood sugar to rise. Therefore, it is best for diabetics to cook their own whole grains to ensure that the food composition is healthy and pure.
The variety is too single
There are many types of coarse grains, such as sweet potatoes, potatoes, purple potatoes, beans and brown rice. When eating whole grains on a daily basis, you can change them with multiple varieties, so that you will not get tired of eating, and you can also let your body get a variety of nutrients. The intake of coarse grains of a single variety is not conducive to nutritional balance and can easily lead to a decrease in appetite.
Improper cooking
Whole grains have a coarse taste, so they can be soaked before cooking to allow them to fully absorb the water and taste better. At the same time, avoid cooking whole grains too softly and maintain a certain amount of chewiness, which can not only prolong the eating time, but also reduce the sharp rise in blood sugar after meals.
I didn't eat as much as I could
Although whole grains are healthy, they also need to be controlled. Blindly eating large amounts of whole grains can also lead to a rise in blood sugar. It is recommended that the daily intake of coarse grains should account for 1/3~1/2 of the total staple food. Controlling your intake of whole grains is the best way to manage your blood sugar levels.
How to consume millet porridge scientifically
Diabetic patients should pay attention to the above points when enjoying millet porridge, and they can also combine the following suggestions to consume millet porridge scientifically:
Control the frequency of consumption
Although millet porridge is highly nutritious, it should not be consumed daily by diabetics. It is recommended to drink 1~2 times a week, and do not exceed one bowl each time. In this way, you can enjoy the delicious taste of millet porridge without affecting your blood sugar too much.
Combined with dietary fiber foods
When consuming millet porridge, it can be paired with foods rich in dietary fiber, such as green leafy vegetables, beans, etc. Dietary fiber can delay the absorption of sugar and reduce blood sugar fluctuations after meals.
Avoid added sugars and high-fat ingredients
When cooking millet porridge, do not add sugar and high-fat ingredients such as white sugar, condensed milk, etc. This avoids additional sugar intake while reducing the adverse effects of fat on blood sugar.
Choose the right time to eat
It is recommended to consume millet porridge at breakfast or lunch, rather than at dinner or before bedtime. This gives the body enough time to digest and metabolize and avoid sharp fluctuations in blood sugar during the night.