Randomised controlled trialindependent cross-checkabstract only checked I-INTA-14 standard review
How fast does basmati rice raise blood sugar?
Effect of different cooking methods on glycaemic index of Indian and Pakistani basmati rice varieties.
Overview
Gunathilaka MD et al.. The Ceylon medical journal 2015 · PMID 26132185 · DOI 10.4038/cmj.v60i2.7545
Two basmati rices had low (Indian) and medium (Pakistani) glycaemic index in 10 volunteers.
Does the study support the specific claim? No · Methodological quality: low
Plain-language summary
Study explained simply
- What did the researchers want to find out?
GI of basmati rice
- How was the study done?
Crossover GI test
- How many people, animals or samples were studied?
10 healthy adults
- What was actually found?
GI 43-64 depending on product and cooking
- How large was the observed effect?
GI values
- What do the results mean in everyday life?
Basmati is not worse than other rice by GI
- What are the study's limitations?
Very small
- What does it say about Elawady's specific claim?
Does not support rejecting basmati
- Do the results apply to Germany and Europe?
Moderate
- What can explicitly not be concluded from this study?
Health outcomes
Scientific in-depth review
1. Full reference
- Authors
- Gunathilaka MD et al.
- Journal
- The Ceylon medical journal
- Year
- 2015
- Identifier
- PMID 26132185 DOI 10.4038/cmj.v60i2.7545
- Verification
- verified – PubMed efetch 2026-10-25
- Retracted
- no
- Corrections
- none
- Extent checked
- abstract only
- Conflicts of interest and funding
not stated in abstract
2. Research question
GI of Indian and Pakistani basmati rice and the effect of cooking method
3. Study design and population
- Study design
- Randomised controlled trial – Randomised crossover glycaemic index study
- Population
Healthy adults aged 20-30, BMI 18.5-23.5
- Country
Sri Lanka
- Period
not stated
- Sample size
10
- Inclusion and exclusion criteria
Healthy, normal BMI
4. Methods and endpoints
- Exposure / intervention
Basmati rice cooked in rice cooker or microwave
- Comparator
Glucose standard
- Endpoints
Glycaemic index
- Statistical methods
Mean GI (SD)
5. Actual results
- Results
Indian basmati GI 54 (SD 8) rice cooker, 43 (SD 28) microwave (low GI); Pakistani basmati GI 64 (SD 12) rice cooker, 56 (SD 12) microwave (medium GI).
- Absolute risks
Not applicable
- Authors' conclusion
Pakistani basmati had medium GI and Indian basmati low GI regardless of cooking method.
6. Strengths
- Standard GI method
7. Weaknesses
- n = 10
- Large SD
- Only two products
8. Risk of bias
- Orienting tool
- none applicable
- Type of assessment
- simplified assessment (abstract only)
- Full formal assessment
- no
- Overall risk of bias
- some concerns
- Rationale
Small GI study.
9. Assessment of the statistical interpretation
GI varies between basmati products; imprecise.
10. Relevance to the specific claim
Basmati rice is not a high-GI rice in general.
11. Independent contrary findings
Another basmati variety had high GI (I-INTA-15).
12. Transferability to Germany and Europe
Moderate.
13. Overall methodological judgement
Shows variety-dependent GI; does not support basmati being worse.
| Multidimensional assessment | |
|---|---|
| Authenticity of the source | verified |
| Methodological quality | low |
| Risk of bias | some concerns |
| Precision of results | low |
| Directness | indirect |
| Reproducibility | partly replicated |
| Consistency with the overall evidence | mixed |
| Regional transferability | moderate |
| Adequacy of the interpretation (by the archive) | not applicable |
14. Open questions
GI of Egyptian rice varieties.
15. Linked fact checks
- Basmati rice is 'wrong' (in another video: 'not good ... rubbish'); ordinary Egyptian white rice is the rice to eat. – Studies contradicting or limiting the claim