OBJECTIVE

To assess the effect of a novel naturally cultured rice with high resistant starch (RS) on postprandial glycemia in patients with type 2 diabetes compared to ordinary rice.

DESIGN

This study is a randomized, double-blinded controlled trial.

METHODS

Patients with type 2 diabetes were recruited, and postprandial glucose levels were measured at 5-time points after the ingestion of one of two types of cooked rice in random order. Paired -tests were used to compare postprandial blood glucose changes and increment areas under the blood glucose curve between high-RS rice and ordinary rice.

RESULTS

The increments of the postprandial blood glucose levels for high-RS rice were significantly lower than that for ordinary rice, i.e., 2.80 ± 1.38 mmol/L vs. 3.04 ± 1.50 mmol/L ( = 0.043) and 3.94 ± 2.25 mmol/L vs. 4.25 ± 2.29 mmol/L ( = 0.036) at 30 min and 60 min, respectively. The incremental areas under the blood glucose curve for high-RS rice were also significantly lower than that for ordinary rice, i.e., 42.04 ± 20.65 [mmol/(L·min)] vs. 45.53 ± 22.45 [mmol/(L·min)] ( = 0.043), 143.54 ±69.63 [mmol/(L·min)] vs. 155.15 ± 73.53 [mmol/(L·min)] ( = 0.026), and 354.61 ± 191.96 [mmol/(L·min)] vs. 379.78 ± 195.30 [mmol/(L·min)] ( = 0.042) at 30, 60, and 120 min, respectively. Repeated-measures ANOVA showed that postprandial glucose levels were not affected by the test order.

CONCLUSION

The novel high-RS rice as a staple food when substituting for widely consumed ordinary rice may provide potential health benefits by lowering blood glucose in patients with type 2 diabetes.