Does sugar cause diabetes? No. There is absolute consensus that sugar does not cause diabetes. Type 1 diabetes (insulin-dependent diabetes) is an autoimmune health problem triggered by unknown environmental factors such as viruses. Type 2 diabetes (non-insulin dependent diabetes) is strongly inherited but lifestyle factors such as lack of exercise and overweight increase the risk of developing it. Because the dietary treatment of diabetes in the past involved strict avoidance of sugar, many people wrongly believed that sugar was in some way implicated as a cause of the disease. While sugar is off the hook, high G.I. foods are not. Studies from Harvard indicate that high G.I. diets increase the risk of developing both diabetes and heart disease.
Are rice and pasta equal as carbohydrates? In the general sense that they are both high carbohydrate, low-fat foods with valuable amounts of micronutrients, they are equal. Pasta has a higher protein content than rice but most people eat more than enough protein anyway. Pasta and rice are not equal in terms of the G.I. factors. The G.I. factor of all types of pasta is low, usually between 40 and 50. Rice, however, can have a high G.I. (80 to 90) or a low G.I. (50 to 55) depending on the variety and, in particular, its amylose content. In Australia there are all types of rice available and it is not always possible to identify the variety on the label. Calrose rice has a high G.I. and Basmati rice has a low G.I.
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