Filipinos remain partial to high-gi polished rice—philrice study
DESPITE their awareness of the benefits of consuming low-glycemic index (GI) food, Filipino consumers still prefer polished or white rice which has high GI, according to a study conducted by government researchers.
The Philippine Rice Research Institute (Philrice), an attached agency of the Department of Agriculture (DA), said a study conducted by its researchers showed that Filipinos have a high level of awareness on the benefits of consuming low-gi rice.
“Results of our study showed that majority of our respondents from all 17 regions in the country had high level of awareness on GI,” said Riza G. Abilgos-ramos, supervising science research specialist of Da-philrice’s Rice Chemistry and Food Science Division and one of the researchers.
Philrice said GI is a value assigned to foods based on how slowly or how quickly those foods cause increases in blood glucose levels.
Abilgos-ramos said foods with low GI, such as brown rice, are recommended for controlling blood sugar levels because these release glucose in the body slowly after intake.
“White or polished rice has high GI. Consumption of this is associated with increased risk of diabetes,” she said.
“Despite the high level of awareness, more than 75 percent of the respondents still consume polished or white rice at least twice a day.”
However, Abilgos-ramos noted that all respondents “signified interest in rice with naturally low-gi” but “only half of them were willing to consume brown rice.”
“Identifying factors that influence food behavior among consumers is also key in improving diet to lower the risk of diabetes mellitus, which is one of the top five non-communicable diseases [NCDS] causing deaths among Filipinos,” Abilgosramos said.
The Philrice study showed that the primary considerations of consumers when buying food are “taste, satiety, and nutritional value.”
“[We] will further study the reasons why despite their awareness and willingness to buy low-gi rice, the majority of the respondents are still consuming white rice,” Abilgosramos said.
The researchers recommended that a campaign on the consumption of whole grains, particularly brown rice, should be intensified.
The agency said the researchers will also conduct an in-depth market study that will focus on millennials.
“Millennials represent a group where interventions for prevention of NCDS, particularly diabetes mellitus, would be most useful,” Rosaly V. Manaois, one of the researchers, said.