Research

Hormonal

High intake of refined carbohydrates, particularly white rice, is strongly associated with an increased risk of metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes in Asian populations, whereas complex carbohydrates (brown rice, legumes) are protective.

Not all carbs are created equal. White rice, white bread, and sugary drinks spike your blood sugar and insulin, driving up your risk for diabetes and metabolic syndrome. Switch to complex carbohydrates like brown rice, whole wheat, legumes, and vegetables. These 'good carbs' provide fiber and nutrients that protect against insulin resistance.

GoodSupportsHIGH confidence
High glycaemic index foods elicit higher glycaemic and insulinaemic responses and promote insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes (T2D) through beta-cell exhaustion... Conversely, highly polished rice or refined wheat... are obviously ‘bad’ carbs. Complex carbohydrates such as brown rice, whole wheat bread, legumes, pulses and green leafy vegetables are good carbs.
Viswanathan Mohan et al. · The Indian Journal of Medical Research · 2018

Why this rating

Supported by multiple cohort studies (Nurses' Health, PURE, CURES) and meta-analyses cited in the review.

Source

Are excess carbohydrates the main link to diabetes & its complications in Asians?

Viswanathan Mohan et al. · The Indian Journal of Medical Research · 2018

DOI 10.4103/ijmr.ijmr_1698_18

narrative_reviewCited 77×
Read the paper
DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10

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