Table of contents:
- Can you eat rice and potatoes at the same time?
- What are the consequences if you eat rice and potatoes at the same time?
- You can eat rice with potatoes, but pay attention to this
Rice and potatoes are both classified as food sources of carbohydrates. However, in Indonesia, potatoes are also often processed into side dishes in the form of balado potatoes, chili fried potatoes, or cakes and all its variations. Even though it's delicious and makes you full quickly, is eating rice with potatoes good for your health?
Can you eat rice and potatoes at the same time?
Source: Epicurious
Rice and potatoes provide your body with carbohydrates. The body needs carbohydrates to form energy. The carbohydrates that you consume will first be broken down into glucose, then absorbed by the body and circulated to the body's tissues through the bloodstream.
On average, adults need to consume 100-150 grams of carbohydrates a day. You can get it from staple foods, high-fiber vegetables, fruits, tubers, seeds, sugar, and products made from these ingredients.
One 100 gram scoop of cooked rice contains 39.8 grams of carbohydrates, or the equivalent of 26-40% of daily carbohydrate needs. While potatoes with the same weight contain 13.5 grams of carbohydrates, or the equivalent of 9-14% of daily carbohydrate needs.
Eating rice with potatoes does help meet your carbohydrate needs in a day. However, this is not recommended because there are other effects that occur when you eat large amounts of carbohydrates, namely increased blood sugar.
What are the consequences if you eat rice and potatoes at the same time?
Rice and potatoes have a high glycemic index. The glycemic index is a number that shows how quickly food causes blood sugar to rise. The higher the glycemic index of a food, the faster your blood sugar will rise.
A good source of carbohydrates is those that have a low glycemic index, which is below 55. Launch Harvard Health Publishing, white rice has a glycemic index of 73, while boiled potatoes have a glycemic index of 78.
Eating rice with potatoes will increase blood sugar quickly. To lower blood sugar, the pancreas must produce more insulin. If this happens repeatedly, the body's response to insulin can gradually decrease so that the risk of type 2 diabetes increases.
In addition, the high sugar content in rice and potatoes can also increase the risk of obesity. This is because sugar contains a lot of calories. When you eat a lot of calories, the body will store excess calories in the form of fat.
You can eat rice with potatoes, but pay attention to this
Healthy food is not only determined by the type, but also the portion. When eating, make sure you eat various staple foods, vegetables, side dishes, and fruits in appropriate portions.
The Indonesian Ministry of Health recommends filling your dinner plate with 150 grams of carbohydrates, 150 grams of vegetables, 150 grams of fruit, and 125 grams of protein sources. If you eat rice with potatoes at the same time, the amount of carbohydrates you consume will certainly exceed these requirements.
As an illustration, 150 grams of carbohydrates can be obtained from one and a half scoops of rice, one medium potato, or 4 pieces of white bread. However, it would be better if you eat healthier carbohydrates, for example:
- Whole grain and its products, such as oats, whole wheat bread, quinoa, and buckwheat
- Roots such as sweet potatoes and beets
- Whole vegetables
- Nuts and seeds
Eating rice with potatoes helps meet your carbohydrate needs, but you shouldn't eat them both at the same time. Just use potatoes as a substitute for when you don't feel like eating rice.
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