Postprandial Glycemic Responses to Rice Porridge Versus Cooked Rice in Healthy Young Adults: A Randomized Controlled...

Area of Science:

• Nutrition Science
• Metabolic Health
• Food Science

Background:

• Rice porridge (RP) is a common food for individuals with dysphagia.
• The impact of RP on postprandial glycemia compared to cooked rice (CR) is not well understood.
• This study investigates the effect of food form on interstitial fluid glucose (IFG) levels.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the postprandial glycemic response to rice porridge (RP) versus cooked rice (CR) in healthy adults.
• To evaluate the impact of food form on interstitial fluid glucose (IFG) levels using flash glucose monitoring (FGM).
• To determine if texture modification affects glucose metabolism.

Main Methods:

• A randomized crossover study involving 31 healthy university students.
• Subjects consumed standardized portions of CR and RP (40.7g carbohydrates).
• Interstitial fluid glucose (IFG) was monitored for 120 minutes post-ingestion using flash glucose monitoring (FGM), with limited mastication.

Main Results:

• RP consumption led to significantly higher IFG levels at 30, 45, and 60 minutes post-ingestion compared to CR (p < 0.01).
• The incremental area under the curve (iAUC) for IFG was significantly greater for RP across all measured intervals (p < 0.05).
• No significant difference in subjective fullness (VAS) was observed between the two food forms at 120 minutes.

Conclusions:

• Rice porridge (RP) elicits a more rapid and pronounced postprandial glucose surge than cooked rice (CR) in healthy young adults.
• The increased surface area and gelatinization of RP likely enhance starch hydrolysis, leading to quicker glucose absorption.
• Nutritional strategies for patients on texture-modified diets must consider these distinct glycemic impacts of different rice forms.