Biriyani rice is quite suitable for Diabetics-by Dr harold Gunatillake

Any variety of white processed boiled rice when consumed gets digested and absorbed fast into the body. You tend to get hungry sooner than you expect. Unprocessed brown, red or wild rice

when digested will be absorbed slower, most suitable for those having diabetes.

Eating white boiled rice may cause sugar spikes in your blood, and may cause more insulin resistance among diabetes.

Long grain white rice (basmati), having a lower glycaemic index (GI) of 59, having higher quantities of maltose would be more suitable, whilst round rice being higher in GI of 80 would be less suitable for diabetics. Maltose or malt sugar is a disaccharide formed from two units of glucose when amylase breaks down starch.

Resistant starch

The outer coating of rice could be manipulated to produce more resistant starch. This change resists digestion and absorption with lesser chance of producing sugar spikes in the blood.

“Steven Smith, professor in the University of Tasmania, pointed out that rice is normally digested quickly. Because starch makes up most of the rice’s components and sugars make up starch, people eating rice get a sugar hit. As for the new form of rice, it contains a kind of starch that is digested more slowly. Therefore, this slow- digesting rice would not provide the same sugar hit. Professor Smith said it could help reduce cases of health problems linked to diet like diabetes and obesity”

A study on white rice researched by Sudhair James an undergraduate student from the College of Chemical research who discovered a way to make white rice healthier and for slower absorption by adding coconut oil into the boiling water before cooking

the well washed rice, was found to make the starch in the rice more resistant for absorption in the gut.

The coconut oil forms a coating on the boiled rice and prevents quick digestion and absorption, thus fewer chances of blood sugar spikes.

It is advised to keep the cooked rice with coconut oil, keep overnight in the fridge to make it denser. Such manipulated rice is beneficial to people suffering from diabetes and partly solves obesity problem.

Boiling rice with added oil

A few teaspoons of any oil including ghee will produce resistant starch, due to the formation of a dense outer layer. In India, most homes use ghee in their daily cooking rice and curries, and would be suitable for diabetics though thought otherwise before.

What is special about Biriyani?

The saying goes that if there is such a thing as foods of the Gods, it is undoubtedly the biriyani and the magic lies in the way rice is transformed into something ambrosial (Pratibha Karan)

In the process of cooking biriyani the meat is coupled with half-cooked rice and further cooked- and Katchi which involve raw mutton pieces, marinated in yogurt and spices, cooked together with uncooked rice gives a thick coating of mutton oil and yogurt on the surface of the rice to make it dense and resistant.

Furthermore long grain Basmati is the traditional rice used in biriyani. It is important to wash and soak the rice thoroughly and adding the oil will keep the grains from sticking together.

So, after all Biriyani is good for those having diabetes and they could enjoy the heavenly aromatic delicacies the Indian Mughals enjoyed.

One serving of chicken biriyani contains protein, carbs as well as fats. Protein comes from the chicken meat and cashew nuts, carbs come from the rice and the fat from the cooking oils. The spices used in biriyani are healthy and have antioxidant properties’- they are turmeric, cumin, pepper, ginger, garlic, and saffron. Turmeric has many health benefits and tend to relax the digestive system and prevent bloating. Ginger aids digestion, reduce nausea, prevent stress and damage to your body’s DNA. They may help your body to fight chronic diseases like high blood pressure, heart disease and others. Cumin has antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties. Black pepper helps in digestion.

So, the ingredients that are used in the cooking process of biriyani are healthy, but on the downside eating such as tasteful treat frequently will not benefit your waistline.

Trust biriyani- the treat will keep your blood sugar in the lower range as those non- diabetic individuals. Furthermore, you don’t have to worry about the saturated oils used causing the risk of alleged heart disease, which is dismissed by most health personal today.

However, this treat should be enjoyed sparingly by those having diabetes, because it is a highly dense food with calories that will fatten you.

Vegetable biriyani may be healthier than chicken biriyani, because there is less fat, a source of dietary fibre and cooked with a variety of fresh veggies like carrot, beans, cauliflower, green peas, corn, mushrooms and potatoes.

One cup of vegetable biriyani has 198 calories, while chicken biriyani has 292 cals, and mutton biriyani has 321 cals.

So, this is the story about biriyani, and sure on your next visit to Sri Lanka you will be dashing to those Muslim hotels suppose to serve the best flavoured spicy biriyani.

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