Expert Advice: Diabetics Should Not Cook Porridge for Too Long
Diabetics should ideally avoid drinking porridge. Porridge contains a lot of water and is digested and absorbed more easily than rice or steamed buns. Moreover, the longer porridge is cooked, the thicker and tastier it becomes, and the faster it raises post-meal blood sugar. This is because the longer food is processed and the higher the temperature, the higher its glycemic index. When porridge is cooked for a long time, some of the starch in the rice breaks down into short-chain carbohydrates, such as dextrin. Dextrin is more easily digested and absorbed than starch and can be quickly broken down into glucose in the body. Once absorbed, it can directly increase blood sugar levels, thus raising post-meal blood sugar.
Research has found that the glycemic index of rice porridge is 69.4, while that of milk is 27.6, which is much lower than that of porridge. Therefore, it is best to have milk, soy milk, or yogurt for breakfast. Diabetic patients can also drink some porridge, noodle soup, steamed eggs, or soft noodles when they have a fever, gastrointestinal discomfort, or other conditions like infection or surgery. However, it is important not to cook the porridge for too long or make it too thick. If necessary, the dosage of hypoglycemic drugs and insulin can be appropriately increased to be on the safer side.