White rice is a familiar food in Vietnamese meals and is often discarded by many people when they want to lose weight.
However, nutrition experts believe that it is not necessary to completely skip meals. The important thing is to know how to eat rice reasonably to both control weight and maintain stable blood sugar.
A common mistake of many people is to completely cut down on carbohydrates. In fact, carbohydrates are the main source of energy for the body. When fasting too much, the body is easily tired, increases cravings and tends to eat more in later meals. This not only makes it difficult to lose weight but also causes blood sugar fluctuations erratically. Nutrition experts recommend reducing the amount of carbohydrates reasonably instead of completely eliminating them from the diet.
To eat white rice while still supporting weight loss, you should prioritize whole grain rice such as brown rice, germinated rice or combine white rice with beans. These foods contain more fiber than ordinary white rice, which helps slow down the digestion and absorption of sugar, thereby limiting rapid blood sugar spikes after meals.
Besides choosing the right type of rice, the diet is also very important. A balanced meal should consist of about a quarter of a plate of rice or starch, a quarter of protein-rich foods such as fish, lean meat, eggs or tofu, and half of the rest are green vegetables. This dividing method helps reduce total calorie intake but still ensures a feeling of fullness and enough nutrition.
The order of eating also affects the ability to control blood sugar. Eating vegetables first, then protein-rich foods and finally eating rice can slow down the rate of glucose absorption into the blood. As a result, post-eating blood sugar is more stable and the feeling of fullness is maintained longer.
You should eat slowly, chew thoroughly and avoid both eating rice and using a lot of soft drinks, milk tea or sugary desserts. Supplementing enough fiber from green vegetables, beans, oats and low-sweetened fruits also contributes to prolonging satiety, supporting weight loss and regulating blood sugar levels.
To lose weight and stabilize blood sugar, you don't need to skip eating rice completely.
Choosing quality carbohydrates, controlling portion sizes, eating more green vegetables and maintaining scientific eating habits are the keys to helping the body stay healthy and control weight sustainably.
