Last Updated on March 18, 2021 by Dr Sharon Baisil MD
Are you a diabetic? Do you often question your everyday food choices? Do you feel restricted when it comes to including different food items in your diets?
Well, this is often a very regularly occurring problem for anyone diagnosed with diabetes. Diabetes is a physically occurring impairment of the digestive metabolism system. It is caused by improper insulin levels leading to an imbalance in the blood sugar levels of the body.
This can be a hard condition to deal with in everyday life, but we are right here to help you through this. , We will today talk about one such food item that you may be confused and curious about.
We are discussing – Murmura (puffed rice). Are you wondering if …
- Can a Diabetic eat Murmura?
- Is it recommended to have Murmura daily?
- What are its nutritional components?
- Are there any benefits?
We will answer these questions and solve your doubts. So let us look at these basic questions first before we decide to delve into the rest for better understanding.
Here, let us begin!
What is Murmura?
Murmura, commonly called puffed rice or popped rice in English, are common cereal options in Southeast Asia, particularly India.
It is very common as a light and easy snack and breakfast option. It is also a staple item for a snack in many regions in India. It is a famous and much-relished dish.
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It is most loved because of its versatility in cooking and preparing dishes. It can be eaten separately and combined to make savory snacks and light and sweet dishes.
The Murmura is often used as a remedy for indigestion and heavy stomach. It is good as a plain dish as it is easy on the stomach.
As the name suggests, puffed rice is rice that is light and puffy. It is crunchy in texture and white in appearance, similar to regular white rice.
It is easily available in all grocery stores and supermarkets. They are common ingredients in all kitchens as well.
There are various puffed rice types found as there are many different types of rice available and preferred. It is made from puffing up rice kernels.
It is usually mixed with crunchy, salty, savory nuts, spices, bhujiyas, etc., to make healthy and tasty Churmuri. It is also mixed with different types of chutneys, onions, tomatoes, coriander leaves, etc., to make the all-over favorite snack – Bhel.
Be it prepared in any way, Murmura is loved in all types and appreciated for its versatility and ease in preparation. It is very common street food and a base for many spicy and satisfying snacks.
Let us have a look at how it is made. This will assist in a better understanding of its safety on one’s health.
How is Murmura (puffed rice) made?
The puffing of rice to make Murmura is a process carried out in industries and can also be done at homes.
It is made to go through a process of drying under high pressure. One very basic method of making puffed rice is to heat the kernels of rice under high pressure with steam.
These are usually done in manufacturing industries. They are often done in small-scale industries as well as at homes. A proper temperature and pressure are needed to carry out this process, and thus machines and other equipment are useful.
They are also prepared by heating the conditioned and steamed rice kernels in an oven with oil. This also helps in the popping and fluffing of the rice kernels into the Murmura form.
The process, you can say, resembles that of making popcorns from dried corn kernels. The results led to a familiar popping of the seeds into a crispy form.
Rice is already a cereal lacking moisture. When heated under high-pressure environments while making puffed rice, the starch and moisture can help to dry the kernels even further.
This heating and drying under pressure lead the rice to swell and turn light and crunchy. Hence, it is also often named – crispy rice.
It can be paired with lots of different things and enjoyed in your way.
Now, let us move on to the more essential questions of the day.
Can a diabetic eat Murmura?
Cereals are an essential part of anyone’s diet, even for diabetic patients. But is puffed rice or Murmura the best choice as a cereal for diabetics? Well, unfortunately, NO, it is not so recommended.
But there is not any reason not to include it in your meals. You can easily pair the Murmura with other healthy veggies to make it fit into your diabetic meal plans.
One clear thing is that puffed rice is lower in calories than regular rice. But when we are talking about safe and healthy food for diabetic patients, we have to consider much more than just calories found in the food.
The fewer calories on puffed rice do not affect the body or health of a diabetic person. But it does not add a lot of other good things in return either.
To be good for diabetic health, a particular food should have more fiber and proteins. They will help in regulating the amount of carbs intake and also the levels of blood sugar.
Moreover, the protein is needed for proper developing, functioning, and running of the body.
Hence, adding veggies and other ingredients that enrich the puffed rice with proteins and fiber can increase its overall nutritional value. In this way, it is safer and better for diabetic consumption as well.
You must, however, take care of the following points:
- Puffed rice, as it is made out of rice, is a carbohydrate and starch-rich food. It is thus not very great for the body’s blood sugar levels.
- Regulating proper portion sizes and safe amounts of puffed rice can help the body to adjust to this better without causing any excess risks or harm.
- Keeping the serving sizes within 2 to 3 cups is an ideal amount. It is not too much for the blood sugar levels, nor is it too low to keep you hungry.
- It is to be kept in mind that too much sodium is not good for the body, especially for diabetics. It is thus, advised to mix in a safe and controlled amount of spices in your Murmura preparation to keep it healthy, besides just tasty.
- Refrain from pairing it with sweet or sugary dishes or preparations.
But is it safe for everyday consumption? Let us find out.
Can a Diabetic eat Murmura (puffed rice) daily?
As we discussed before, the puffed rice alone is not such as good food choice for anyone with diabetes. It is richer on the carbohydrate scale and can hence heighten the blood sugar levels.
Therefore, it is not recommended to have Murmura (puffed rice) daily. It is unhealthy and can lead to no gain in the nutritional aspects.
It is also not rich in fiber, and therefore, it is not very satisfying to the craving. This may lead to over-eating. This can be another issue.
Even with pairing puffed rice with good, fiber-rich veggies, it is not advisable to have puffed rice every day.
Instead, make healthy cereal choices. You can include oats and other more nutritious options.
What is the nutritional profile of Murmura (puffed rice)?
It is very helpful to know the nutritional profile of food to understand what exactly is in it. This provides a better understanding of how that food will influence the body.
Here we have a tabular list of nutrients and their amounts in one cup of puffed rice.
| Sl. No. | Nutrients available in 14 g (one cup) Murmura (puffed rice) | Amount of nutrient available |
| 1. | Calories | 33 |
| 2. | Carbohydrates | 10.3 g |
| 3. | Proteins | 1 g |
| 4. | Fat | 0.01 g |
| 5. | Fiber | 0.04 g |
| 6. | Calcium | 3.2 mg |
| 7. | Iron | 0.92 mg |
| 8. | Magnesium | 4.2 mg |
| 9. | Phosphorus | 21 mg |
| 10. | Zinc | 0.15 mg |
| 11. | Potassium | 16.2 mg |
| 12. | Vitamin B1 (thiamine) | 0.02 mg |
| 13. | Vitamin B3 (niacin) | 0.57 mg |
| 14. | Folate (Vitamin B9) | 21.6 mcg |
Therefore, it is clear that the number of calories and useful macronutrients found in puffed rice is less. But, it is filled with other micronutrients as well.
Let us have a look at how they can benefit the body ad health.
What are the benefits of eating Murmura (puffed rice) in Diabetes?
Here is a list of reasons telling you why it is good to include puffed rice in the diets.
- First of all, as it is low in calories, it makes a good food option to promote losing weight. It is good for maintaining a healthy and normal body weight. It is a requirement for diabetic patients.
- It is healthy over other fast food or junk food. You can thus, swap your unhealthy snack and breakfast options with servings of tasty Murmura.
- It is a light and easy snack idea, and it is so on your stomach as well. It does not harm the digestive system but rather maintains good health.
- It is also good for the maintenance of healthy blood pressure. It is good for the body and cardiovascular health as well. For diabetics, it is an extra safe way to keep the heart out of risks.
Even with these benefits, keep in mind the limitations and stay within your diabetic norms.
References
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- https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/09637480701252229
- https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/1750-3841.14907
- https://academic.oup.com/ajcn/article/87/1/114/4633211?login=true
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