YOUR GI SHOPPING GUIDE

WHICH RICE?
Preparing this article on the GI of rice turned out to be way more difficult than I anticipated. There are literally hundreds of studies that have looked at the GI of rice and identified virtually as many GI values! I’ve chosen just a few varieties of rice to profile in this month’s shopping guide, and simplified the evidence, but if you would like to read more see the reference below. 

Generally, rice should be considered a medium to high GI food with the potential to contribute a significant glycemic load to our diet. To moderate its glycemic impact you could consider: 

• Species – high amylose rice (think long, firmer grains that expand less during cooking) has lower GI values than high amylopectin varieties (think shorter grain, waxy, sticky or glutinous rice) 
• Preparation technique – shorter cooking times and steaming, rather than boiling, tend to lower GI. Cooling cooked rice by refrigeration increases resistant starch and lowers the GI 
• Accompaniments – eating rice with vinegar (as in sushi) or with pickled foods can lower the GI, as can incorporating soluble fibres such as those from barley and legumes And finally 
• Portion size – a smaller serve will have a lower glycemic load 

Arborio, risotto rice, boiled
GI 69
Serving: 1 cup (170g/6oz)

Basmati rice (medium amylose), white, boiled
GI 43-69.
Serving: 1 cup (165g/6oz)

Broken Rice (Thai- cooked in rice cooker)
GI 86
Serving: 1 cup (170g/6oz)

Brown rice, high amylose
GI 50-66
Serving: 1 cup of cooked rice (210g/7.5oz)

Cambodian Fragrant Rice long grain white
GI 62
Serving: 1 cup of cooked rice (200g/7oz)

Glutinous rice, boiled or cooked in rice cooker (low amylose)
GI 75-98
Serving: 1 cup of cooked rice (174g/6oz)

Jasmine rice, white, cooked in rice cooker or boiled
GI 79-109
Serving: 1 cup of cooked rice (200g/7oz)

Low GI, high amylose, white rice, Doongara, Rice Growers Australia
GI 54
Serving: 1 cup of cooked rice (220g/8oz

Red Rice (Sri Lankan, cooked in rice cooker)
GI 59
Serving: 1 cup of cooked rice (170g/6oz)

Read more: 

• Kaur, and colleagues. The glycemic index of rice and rice products: a review, and table of GI values. Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition, 2016. 

• www.glycemicindex.com

 
Kaye Foster-Powell is an Accredited Practising Dietitian who has worked with people with diabetes for 30 years. She was co-author of the original series of international, best-selling books on the glycemic index. She conducts a specialized private practice for people with diabetes in the Blue Mountains, west of Sydney, Australia.  
Contact: Via her website.