Demand for diabetic rice rising

Yasir Wardad | Published: May 20, 2014 00:00:00 | Updated: November 30, 2026 06:01:00

Demand for low Glycemic Index (GI) rice is rising significantly in the country thanks to growing awareness about among the people.
The rice, which was commercially distributed by Renata Ltd under the brand name 'Purna', attracted thousands of people in the country in the last four years.
The demand for low GI rice, which was only 10,000 kg per month in 2011 has now jumped to nearly 50,000 kg in the groceries, traders said.
The GI is a mathematical calculation of carbohydrate breaking into glucose. It is a number from 1-100, with pure glucose set at 100.
High GI foods have values greater than 70, medium GI is 56-69, and low GI foods have a GI value of 55 or lower.
The first commercial low GI rice in the country---'Purno' contains a lower GI of 46.
Mokhlesur Rahman , outlet in- charge of 'Meena Bazar' at Pallabi under Mirpur in the city said demand for low GI rice is increasing significantly thanks to growing consciousness about diabetes.
"We are selling low GI rice 'Purna' since beginning in 2010. In 2011 the demand was not more than 30 to 40 kg per month at our outlet, which has been nearly 300-350 kg per month now" he said.
He also informed that many other local companies are also coming forward and introducing low GI rice.
Ahmed Hossain, an outlet in-charge of Shwapno in Azimpur area, one of the leading super chains in the city, said apart from Purna, now ACI company has also introduced low GI rice, namely 'Nutrilife' whose GI is below 50.
He said low GI rice is known as 'diabetic rice' among the health conscious people now.
He said the price is also reasonable Tk100 per kg, he said.
He said 'Purna' is providing 90 per cent of the total demand for low GI rice in the country.
Kamrul Alam, head of sales, Punarva Ltd, subsidiary of Renata Ltd and the distributor of Purna Low GI Rice, told the FE that growing demand has forced the company for increasing their production.
"The production was only 3000 tonnes in 2010-2011 (1 tonne=1000 kg) which became nearly 50,000 tonnes in 2013-14," he said
'Purno' has been processed from BR-16, a rice variety developed by Bangladesh Rice Research Institute (BRRI). The variety is also locally known as 'Shahibalam'.
Mr Kamrul also said that his company sought permission in 2012 to export low GI rice from Bangladesh which has a great demand in the EU, the US and the UAE.
"We are yet to get the permission. We have a capacity to export nearly 10000 tonnes" he said.
Prof Dr Golam Maula of the Institute of Nutrition and Food Science, Dhaka University, told the FE that nearly 10.0 million people are under threat of diabetes in the country.
"We had many varieties of rice which contain low GI. For example Balam, Shahibalam, Bhadoi, Shapahar, Betor and so on," he said.
"Low GI rice helps slow the glucose flow in blood. It controls the level of insulin and blood glucose that helps control diabetes," he said.
He also pointed out that it (Low GI Rice) exists in stomach for a long time that helps control the amount of food intake for a diabetic patient.
"Extra calorie and glucose are stored in our liver and muscles in the form of fat called glycogen. Low GI rice prevents the extra storage of fat and lower bad cholesterol by increasing soluble fibre intake," he said.
"In that way it helps reduce high blood pressure and decrease the risk of heart disease," he added.