Biotech Updates

PhilRice Study Pinpoints Low-GI Rice Varieties for Diabetics

January 15, 2025

A team of scientists at the Philippine Rice Research Institute led by Dr. Marissa Romero identified rice varieties with low glycemic indexes, which can be beneficial to people with diabetes. Diabetes is the fourth leading cause of death in the Philippines.

The glycemic index is a value used for food based on how quickly it can cause blood sugar spikes. This means that food with higher GI is broken down into glucose more quickly, while foods with lower GI have a lesser impact on blood sugar levels. Excessive consumption of white rice, especially those with a GI of 70 or above, can contribute to the development of diabetes.

PhilRice's collaborator, the International Rice Research Institute, has previously reported a low-GI rice variety (NSIC Rc 182) using in vitro laboratory tests. Dr. Romero and her team used this variety as a reference to characterize the grain quality and pasting property indicators for low-GI rice. This led them to other low-GI rice varieties, namely NSIC Rc 472, PSB Rc 10, and Rc 514. Aside from their low-GI characteristic, these varieties are also high-yielding and resilient, thus favoring Filipino farmers, according to Dr. Romero.

The study won 3rd place Best Poster Award at the International Conference for Crop Science and Breeding.

Read more from PhilRice.


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