IRRI develops healthier rice varieties for diabetes patients

Rice is life, but what if you have diabetes or need to monitor your blood sugar?

Good news for those who can't say no to unli rice—the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) has successfully developed varieties of rice with low and ultra-low glycemic indices.

According to Dano Tingcungco's report on "24 Oras," Tuesday, glycemic index (GI) is a vital tool used to gauge the impact of different foods on blood sugar levels.

White rice has high glycemic index of 70 and above, which makes it crucial for diabetes patients to monitor their rice intake to prevent abrupt spikes in their blood sugar levels.

IRRI began researching low glycemic rice in 2019. After a few years of development, samples have been finally presented during the opening ceremony of the 6th International Rice Congress this year.

Despite their health benefits, these rice varieties resemble ordinary white rice that can be purchased from markets, albeit with smaller grains.

"This new discovery will enable us to convert any rice variety anywhere in the world into a low GI or ultra-low GI variety starting in the Philippines," said IRRI Interim Director General Dr. Ajay Kohli.

IRRI said that the implementation of these rice options will commence in collaboration with PhilRice within the Philippines. Anticipated within the next few years, consumers can expect the availability of low and ultra-low glycemic index rice derived from Philippine grains.

According to data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) OpenSTAT for 2022, Filipinos consume approximately 136 kilos of rice per person annually.

—Cielo Meneses/MGP, GMA Integrated News