Some rice has GI score as high as chips and beer, say researchers
Rice can be a good low-GI (glycaemic index) food – it doesn’t cause a sudden sugar rush, and so is an important part of any diet if you want to lose weight or you’re diabetic. But not all rice is created equal – some is up there with the worst GI foods, as a new study has discovered.
Processed white rice has a GI index score of 92, which puts it in the high-GI foods along with chips, beer and white bread.
A medium-GI rice is basmati and doongara, which have a score of between 56 and 69 – and the lowest includes Swarna rice, the most widely grown variety in India. That comes in with a GI score of around 48.
Researchers from the International Rice Research Institute tested 235 types of rice for their GI rating – and were surprised by the variance in the scores, which ranged from 48 right up to 92. The average score was 64.
(Source: International Rice Research Institute website).