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Reporting from the website of Republika, Indonesia is recorded as the highest rice consumer in the world, which is around 114 kilograms per capita per year. This means that the majority of Indonesians use rice as a staple food that cannot be separated from their daily lives. So, don't be surprised if many Indonesians have the mindset of "not being full without eating rice". So, what causes someone to feel not full if they haven't eaten rice? Find out the answer in this article.
Eating white rice is addictive
White rice is one of the foods that is high in the glycemic index. The glycemic index itself is a value that describes how quickly the carbohydrates contained in food are converted into sugar by the human body.
So, what makes you feel that something is missing if you haven't eaten rice actually comes from within your brain. The reason is, high-glycemic foods can trigger an addictive response in the brain that makes you want to eat rice continuously. Because it is a habit, your brain will continue to "ask" you to eat rice, even though you are full from other food sources.
In this study, it was also stated that besides rice, there were several other types of food that were included in the criteria for foods with a high glycemic index, such as bread, potatoes, and concentrated sugar.
Source of carbohydrates other than rice
Most of the Indonesian people are accustomed to eating white rice three times a day, in very large quantities as well. Unfortunately, eating the same kind of food every day is not good for your health, you know.
As mentioned above, white rice is a food that contains a high glycemic index. This makes rice play a major role in increasing blood sugar levels in the body which in turn can increase your risk of developing type 2 diabetes. It doesn't mean you shouldn't eat rice to avoid diabetes. You can eat rice, as long as you pay attention to the portion.
Rice is indeed one of the main sources of carbohydrates, but rice is not the only source of carbohydrates. There are many other carbohydrate sources that can meet your daily carbohydrate intake. For example potatoes, oats, wheat, pasta, noodles, sweet potatoes, corn, and so on. Not only that, sugar, flour, fruit, and vegetables can also add to your carbohydrate intake. Don't forget, balance your food intake with balanced nutrition such as protein, fat, vitamins and minerals.
Although it is not easy for Indonesians to consume carbohydrates other than rice, it is important for you to pay attention to the food intake you consume daily in order to maintain overall body health. The reason is, if every day you only eat rice without interrupting other staple foods, you could be deficient or excess of certain nutrients. Well, this is what can increase your risk of developing certain diseases in the long term.
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