Influence of resistant starch resulting from the cooling of rice on postprandial glycemia in type 1 diabetes

INTRODUCTION: Carbohydrates have a substantial influence on glycemic response. Cooling of rice after cooking causes retrogradation of starch, making part of it non-absorbable in the human digestive tract. AIM OF THE STUDY: To assess whether cooling of rice affects postprandial glycemia in subjects with type 1 diabetes. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirty-two adults with type 1 diabetes consumed two standardized test meals of long-grain white rice on separate test days: one served immediately after cooking and one cooled for 24 h at 4 °C and reheated before serving. Postprandial glycemia was monitored for 3 h using the FreeStyle Libre flash glucose monitoring system. RESULTS: Compared with fresh rice, cooled rice led to significantly lower maximum glycemia (9.9 vs. 11 mmol/L, p=0.0056), lower maximum glycemic increase (2.7 vs. 3.9 mmol/L, p<0.0001), lower area under the glycemic curve (135 vs. 336 mmol/L × 180 min, p<0.0001), and a shorter time to peak (35 vs. 45 min, p=0.031). However, hypoglycemic episodes were more frequent after cooled rice during the 180-min observation (12 [38%] vs. 3 [9%], p=0.0039). CONCLUSIONS: Cooling rice before consumption reduces postprandial glycemic excursions in type 1 diabetes but increases the risk of postprandial hypoglycemia when standard insulin dosing is used.

Sylwia Strozyk, Anita Rogowicz-Frontczak, Stanisław Piłaciński, Joanna LeThanh-Blicharz, Anna Koperska, Dorota Zozulinska-Ziolkiewicz