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Mercy certified diabetes educator and dietitian Michelle Bravo

Mercy's Michelle Bravo, RD, LD, CDE, Discusses How Eating Brown Rice Might Prevent Diabetes On WBAL-TV11's "Woman's Doctor"

People combating diabetes know that what you eat plays a big part in managing the disease.

But could eating brown rice actually lower your risk of developing diabetes in the first place?

Trula Cook was diagnosed with diabetes 10 years ago at the age of 66. She was shocked, because she had no family history and had always been a healthy eater.

"I was raised in the country," Cook said. "My father grew everything. Fruit, vegetables, even rice."

Rice is still a favorite of Cook's, but as a diabetic she has started eating brown rice.

"I started to look more at the labels and could see the carb content in brown rice as opposed to regular rice," she said. "And I would eat white rice and notice a difference in my blood sugar."

A new study says that eating brown rice instead of white may help reduce someone's risk of developing Type 2 diabetes.

Mercy Medical Center dietician and certified diabetes educator Michelle Bravo said diabetes is all about portion control, whether the rice is brown or white.

"Brown rice does spike the blood sugar a lot more slowly than white rice, which is good, because it gives the body enough time to release insulin," Bravo said. "Or, if the individual is diabetic and taking insulin, it allows those two to work well together."

It's working for Cook, who at 76 still has enough energy to work.

To view WBAL-TV11's interview with Michelle Bravo, click this link: http://www.wbaltv.com/womansdoctor/24567338/detail.html