LITERATURE REVIEW: IS CONSUMPTION OF AKING RICE RECOMMENDED FOR PATIENTS WITH DIABETES MELLITUS?

Abstract

Intake of carbohydrates with a low glycemic index is recommended for individuals with diabetes mellitus or healthy people to improve blood sugar control, insulin sensitivity, and cholesterol levels. Aking rice is made from leftover rice that has been dried and recooked. This technique is commonly used in Indonesia as a method for retrograding rice. By retrograding carbohydrate sources, resistant starch that cannot be digested is produced, lowering the glycemic index and making it suitable for diabetes mellitus patients. This review is intended to provide insight into the potential of aking rice for reducing the glycemic index of diabetic patients. In order to write the review, information was gathered from Google Scholar and PubMed. Based on the results of a literature search, no studies have been identified to demonstrate that consuming aking rice offers direct benefits to individuals with diabetes mellitus. Aking rice has a higher content of resistant starch and a lower glycemic index than white rice. In experiments with animals, retrograded rice was found to cause a greater reduction in blood sugar levels than white rice. The consumption of retrograded rice results in a lower blood sugar level curve than that of white rice in healthy individuals, and improves the glycemic response in diabetic patients. Nevertheless, only a few studies examine the health benefits of aking rice or retrograded rice in patients with diabetes mellitus. Therefore, although aking rice potentially serves as a good source of carbohydrates, no definitive conclusions can be drawn regarding its direct benefits to patients with diabetes mellitus.