Glutinous rice dumplings are high in sugar and cannot be eaten by diabetics

The Dragon Boat Festival on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month has not yet arrived, but during lunch time these days, the aroma of rice dumplings has already wafted faintly from many company tea rooms, making everyone salivate. However, nutritionists remind that traditional rice dumplings are made with glutinous rice, which is difficult to digest, as their main ingredient. In addition, they are high in sugar and calories, making them unsuitable for diabetic patients whose blood sugar levels are easily elevated. In addition, patients with chronic kidney disease should choose low-protein crystal rice dumplings to avoid increasing the burden on their bodies.

Nutritionist Ouyang Zhongmei said that traditional glutinous rice dumplings are difficult to digest and have a high sugar content, making them unsuitable for diabetics. (Picture/taken from the Internet)

Ouyang Zhongmei, a nutritionist at the Nutrition Department of the National Taiwan University Hospital Hsinchu Branch, said that traditional rice dumplings are mainly made of glutinous rice, which contains less water. An equal amount of glutinous rice contains more sugar than white rice, so there is a saying that "eating glutinous rice can easily lead to high blood sugar levels." Sweet rice dumplings, such as red bean paste dumplings, in particular, have a higher sugar content, which is not conducive to blood sugar control. It is recommended that diabetic patients choose to replace glutinous rice dumplings with healthy dumplings made mainly of whole grains, which not only maintain ideal blood sugar levels but also have lower calories.

Another characteristic of glutinous rice is that it is difficult to digest and the stomach empties slowly. For those with peptic ulcers or poor digestive function, they must chew slowly and reduce the amount of glutinous rice dumplings consumed depending on their individual gastrointestinal function.

Patients with chronic renal failure have poor metabolic capacity and must reduce their protein intake to avoid the accumulation of urea nitrogen in the body and the production of high proteinuria. Therefore, it is recommended to choose low-protein starch in diet, such as the delicious "crystal rice dumplings" made with low-protein starch such as cornstarch, cassava starch, sweet potato starch, and wheat starch, to replace ordinary glutinous rice dumplings, so as to reduce excessive protein intake and increase the burden on the kidneys.

In addition to avoiding or reducing the consumption of glutinous rice dumplings according to their personal health conditions, people also need to pay special attention to the dietary risks hidden in the filling ingredients. Nutritionist Ouyang Zhongmei said that common filling ingredients include braised meat, mushrooms, peanuts, braised eggs, salted egg yolks, dried shrimps, dried tofu, dried oysters, etc. These foods are mostly high in purine or cholesterol, and patients with gout, hyperuricemia, and hypercholesterolemia should not eat too much; more ideal fillings are chestnuts, bamboo shoots, taro, lean meat, scallops, etc.

In addition, patients with hypertension, kidney disease or cardiovascular disease should also pay attention to the cooking method of the rice dumpling filling. It is recommended to reduce the amount of oil, salt, and sauce, and reduce the use of high-salt condiments such as chili sauce, tomato sauce, sweet and spicy sauce, and soy sauce paste to avoid increasing the burden on the body.

In addition, nutritionist Ouyang Zhongmei also reminded that each Taiwanese rice dumpling has a high calorie content of about 400 to 450 calories, and glutinous rice is not easy to digest. It is recommended to eat more vegetables when eating rice dumplings, or eat a piece of fruit after the meal to increase intestinal motility, aid digestion, increase satiety, and take into account balanced nutrition for healthy eating.