You don’t have to cut rice out completely. If you understand what you eat, how much you eat, and how blood glucose testing works, you can make good choices about what to eat.
How can rice/refined carbs affect blood glucose?
Carbohydrates are turned into glucose in our bodies to give us energy. After a meal high in carbohydrates our blood glucose levels will increase. The pancreas will then release insulin to help transport glucose into our cells.
White rice, refined flour products, white bread and many sugary foods have fast-digesting carbohydrates. If we eat large amounts of these foods our blood glucose levels can increase significantly after each meal. Eating too many calories consistently in our diets can increase the risk of becoming insulin resistant and developing type 2 diabetes.
One analysis from the 2025 Indian Council of Medical Research-India Diabetes survey showed that Indian adults had an increased likelihood of developing type 2 diabetes and pre-diabetes with increased amounts of carbohydrates in their diets. However, this is just an observational study and cannot show that eating rice will cause diabetes.
Will eating rice everyday cause diabetes?
Whilst eating rice everyday will not automatically cause diabetes, there are factors to consider. These factors include, how much rice you’re eating, the overall quality of your diet, activity levels, weight and your risk factors.
If you’re eating a large amount of white rice with little protein, vegetables or fibre this can differ to eating a balanced meal with a moderate amount of rice, dal, vegetables and curd.
To create a balanced meal from your usual meals try:
- Keeping the amount of rice you eat to the correct amount for your energy requirements.
- Adding in some protein. This can be done by including pulses, beans, curd, eggs or fish depending on your dietary preferences.
- Adding more vegetables and high fibre foods.
- Limiting sugary drinks, sweet foods and frequently eaten refined foods.
- Try to eat more wholegrains/less refined cereals.
We’re advised by the World Health Organisation to get most of our carbohydrates from wholegrains, vegetables, fruit and pulses.
Who is more at risk of developing diabetes?
Alongside your diet, there are many factors that can increase your risk of developing diabetes. These include:
- Family history- having close family members with type 2 diabetes can increase your susceptibility.
- Being overweight- especially if you have excess fat around your stomach.
- Lack of activity- lack of movement can cause insulin resistance.
- Getting older- your risk will generally increase as you get older. But type 2 diabetes can also be developed in younger adults.
- History of gestational diabetes- if you’ve had diabetes whilst pregnant this will increase your risk in the future.
- Pre-diabetes- raised blood glucose levels above the normal range but below the diabetes range, suggesting an increased likelihood to develop diabetes.
What are the symptoms of diabetes?
Type 2 diabetes can develop gradually so some people may not have many or any symptoms.
Common diabetes signs and symptoms of sugar diabetes include:
- Increased thirst
- Increased frequency of urinating
- Feeling unusually tired
- Increased appetite
- Blurred vision
- Unexplained weight loss
- Urinary tract/fungal infections
- Slow healing wounds
These symptoms are not specific to diabetes and can be caused by other conditions. They also don’t mean you definitely have high blood glucose.
Does having sugar in your urine mean you have diabetes?
Having sugar in your urine means glucose was found in your urine sample. This can happen if your blood glucose levels become high enough for it to spill over into your urine. It can also happen with some kidney related conditions.
However, blood sugar in urine would not be used to diagnose or rule out diabetes. Blood tests would be used.
How can you reduce your risk of diabetes?
You don’t have to completely change your usual foods to reduce your risk of diabetes. Making small consistent changes to your diet and lifestyle can be more manageable.
Some top tips include:
- Balancing your carbohydrate intake.
- Increase fibre intake. Eat plenty of vegetables, pulses, fruit and wholegrains.
- Be active. Try to walk regularly and do other activities to increase your insulin sensitivity.
- Keep a healthy weight.
- Reduce added sugars. Try to limit eating sugary drinks, sweet foods and highly processed foods.
If you have risk factors, talk to a healthcare professional about the best blood glucose tests for you. There is not a ‘perfect’ amount of carbohydrates everyone should be eating. Your dietary requirements will depend on your health, activity levels, nutritional needs and any medical conditions.
What should I do if I’m experiencing symptoms?
If you’re experiencing symptoms such as constant thirst, increased urination, weight changes and feeling unusually tired it’s important to seek medical advice.
A healthcare professional will be able to assess your symptoms, family history, medication and lifestyle to advise you on the best tests for you.
Making changes to your diet can help improve your metabolism but shouldn’t be used to manage symptoms without knowing the cause.
When should I see a doctor?
If you’re experiencing symptoms that indicate you might have diabetes or you have risk factors it’s best to seek medical advice. Routine screening can show you have raised glucose levels.
If you’re experiencing severe symptoms such as feeling very weak, vomiting, stomach pains, breathing deeply or rapidly, confusion and extreme sleepiness along with suspected high blood glucose it’s important to seek urgent medical advice.
How is it diagnosed?
There are many blood tests that can be used to help diagnose pre-diabetes or diabetes. The tests used will depend on your symptoms, medical history and clinical situation.
| Test | Description |
| HbA1c test | Gives an average of your blood glucose levels over the last 2-3 months. Usually you won’t need to fast. |
| Fasting blood sugar (FBS) test | Measures your blood glucose levels after you’ve not had anything to eat or drink with calories in for at least 8 hours. |
| PPBS test | Measures your blood glucose levels after eating. This is often 2 hours after a meal. |
HbA1c test and fasting blood glucose tests are well known methods for diagnosing diabetes. An oral glucose tolerance test can also be used. This is different to just measuring blood glucose after a meal.
Common values used for adults who aren’t pregnant:
- HbA1c 6.5% +
- Fasting Plasma Glucose 126mg/dl+
- Oral Glucose Tolerance Test (2 hour) 200mg/dl+
If you don’t have clear hyperglycaemia an abnormal result will generally need to be confirmed. Certain medical conditions can also affect how the results are interpreted, so it’s best to have them looked at by a qualified healthcare professional.
Apollo Diagnostics can be used to ensure you get the correct tests. The best test for you should be discussed with a healthcare professional. The results should also be interpreted alongside your overall clinical situation.
Conclusion
Eating large amounts of rice and refined carbohydrates regularly can increase your risk of diabetes however eating rice doesn’t determine whether you’ll develop diabetes. Controlling portion sizes, eating a variety of foods, being active and considering your risk factors will all play a role.
If you’re concerned about your risk talk to a healthcare professional about appropriate testing. This can include HbA1c test or fasting blood sugar (FBS) test.
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