When it comes to improving and controlling blood sugar, most people often think of avoiding carbohydrates, especially grains. However, this is a common misconception because not all grains are equal. What matters are the types of grains and portion control.
Whole Grains
- Rich in fibre and have a lower glycemic index, do not have an impact on blood sugar, e.g. brown rice, oats, barley, millet.
Refined grains
- Low in fibre and have a higher GI, great impact on post-meal blood sugar, e.g. white rice, white bread, instant noodles, and biscuits.
Other than that, the fibre in whole grains may help you feel full longer helps with portion control and prevents overconsumption. Therefore, choosing whole grains instead of refined grains helps to keep your sugar level at a normal range.
In addition, whole grains are rich in other nutrients that are important for health, e.g. B vitamins, zinc, magnesium and phytochemicals. These are important nutrients that play a role in the prevention of non-communicable diseases (NCD), such as high blood cholesterol, high blood pressure and certain types of cancer. People with diabetes are often at higher risk for developing heart disease, thus should consume whole grains regularly. The recommendation is to make half the grains whole, i.e. include whole grains in at least one of the meals.
Here are 3 whole grain recipes for you to try at home
1. Flake porridge with fruits
Method
1. Rinse the beaten rice flakes 2-3 times and drain the water completely. Soak it for 20 mins or until soft.
2. Remove the skin of the cardamon. Blend cashew nuts, grated coconut and cardamom seeds to get a creamy, coarse texture.
3. Boil the milk over a small fire and add cashew coconut mixture. Boil till aromatic.
4. Add the beaten rice flakes and cook until well-mixed and soft followed by brown sugar and almonds.
5. Bring the rice flake meal to a boil, then remove from heat. Let it cool for 15 minutes.
6. Meanwhile, cut the mango into small cubes and the grapes into quarters. Remove the seeds from the pomegranate fruit.
7. Meanwhile, cut the mango into small cubes and the grapes into quarters. Remove the seeds from the pomegranate fruit.
Ingredients
- Red or brown beaten rice flakes | ½ cup
- Low-fat milk | ½ packet of one-litre milk
- Cashew nuts | ¼ cup
- Grated coconut | 1 tablespoon
- Cardamoms | 2 pods
- Whole almond | 2 tablespoons
- Brown sugar/jaggery | 1 tablespoon
- Seedless grapes, quarters | 6 grapes
- Pomegranate seeds | 1 tablespoon
- Mango, diced | ¼ medium
- Chia seeds | 1 tablespoon
Nutrition Information
- Brown/red rice flakes have a low glycemic index and are rich in fibre.
- It is also a rich source of iron.
- They make a great breakfast option for cereals
Tips
- You can substitute low-fat milk with soymilk
- You can use any other nuts to flavour the dish, pecan, pine, or peanuts
- You can add your favourite fruits or even vegetables to make it savoury
- You can prepare this porridge the night before. Warm up the porridge if you want it hot and then add the fruits.
- If you don’t fancy cardamon, you can skip the spice
2. Millet porridge with red dates
Method
1. Rinse all the dried ingredients.
2. Add red dates, goji berries & dried longan into a pot of water and bring to a boil.
3. Add millet and bring to a boil, turn to low heat and cook for 10 minutes.
4. Sprinkle dried osmanthus flower into the porridge and enjoy.
Ingredients
- Millet | ½ cup
- Red dates | 10 pieces
- Goji berries | 2 tablespoons
- Dried longan | 6 pieces
- Dried osmanthus flower | 1 teaspoon
- Water | 2 big bowls
3. Pan-roasted corn with tomatoes & mangoes
Method
1. Heat oil in a non-stick pan over medium-high heat.
2. Add corn and onion into the pan, cook for 10 to 12 minutes or until corn starts to brown, stirring frequently.
3. Stir in tomatoes, chilli powder and salt for 3 to 4 minutes or until well-mixed, stirring frequently.
4. Remove the non-stick pan from heat. Mix in diced mango and diced avocado. Ready to serve.
Ingredients
- Frozen corn kernel | 2 cups
- Tomatoes, diced | ½ cup
- Yellow onion, diced | ½ cup
- Avocado, diced | ½ cup
- Cooking oil | 1 tablespoon
- Chilli powder | ½ teaspoon
- Salt | ½ teaspoon
In conjunction with, World Diabetes Day.
Information Shared by
Ms Lin Eng Yan
Senior Dietician
