Rice and diabetes-a comprehensive review

Abstract

Rice is a staple food of most Asian diets and a major contributor to high carbohydrate load. Even though a number of factors are associated with the progression and development of Diabetes Mellitus. The consumption of white rice is sought to be one of the common factor for Diabetes mellitus due to its high glycemic index. The prevalence of Diabetes in the Asian countries is higher particularly in India and China. Since diabetes imposes serious threat to individual’s health and causes societal economic burden, research on its management and prevention is now one of the most sought area of interest. The present review is focused on importance of rice in India and includes way in which increased consumption of white rice causes diabetes. Since dietary knowledge and practices is crucial in the management of the disease, the present review focuses on the effect of indigenous rice varieties of South India other than the most commonly consumed white rice in the management of Diabetes