I Quit Eating Rice in Hawaii for 30 Days. Here’s What Happened.
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- Опубликовано: 29 июн 2024
- Rice is an important staple food in Hawaii. From breakfast to lunch to musubis, local people love to eat rice with their meals. However, I decided to stop eating rice in Hawaii for a month and see how it would affect my overall health. And as someone who has eaten rice my entire life, it was a tough change of diet. So I wanted to share what I experienced as well as some general observations of cutting rice from my diet in Hawaii.
Intro - 0:00
Why I Quit Eating Rice - 1:01
Timeline of Not Eating Rice and What I Ate Instead - 2:54
General Observations of Life Without Rice - 6:12
Effects of My Digestion - 7:49
Effects on My Energy Levels - 8:54
Closing Thoughts - 9:54
Filmed using the Insta360 Ace Pro.
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As a non-nutritionist, just wanted to chime in on my experience as I'm starting to eat rice again. I definitely notice that it's taking my body some time to getting used to the rice intake. Might be the bread that I'm also eating so it's hard to say. Perhaps I'd have to do a 30 day test with just cutting bread and pasta to see if there are any significant changes. Appreciate all the comments on this one 🤙
You never said if your blood pressure improved or not at the end of the 30 days.
Did you know progesterone levels drop in men and women after our 20s? Low progesterone can increase blood pressure. They have bio-identical progesterone cream you can buy online. Pro-gest from Emerita is very clean, and reputable and has been around for a long time.
It has no side effects because it's progesterone and not progestin like what's prescribed.
I hope that you're open minded enough to try it.
It has helped me tremendously.
E mālama pono!
Just want to pipe in--I got diagnosed with hypertension at 19. i am 55 now. It runs in my family. Mine can't be controlled by diet and lifestyle change alone, I have been through the wringer. Don't think it is an "old" person's problem in fact, more young people have it but dont' know. Everyone is different. But since you had hypertension or signs of it, definitely take note if you have a bad headache for a couple of days, or nausau but not like throwing up. Stress, of course is a big one. But if you ever get a prescription, make sure they give you the inexpensive ones--all the big stores offer them for under 5 bucks. and take as prescribed.
I am a local boy, Hawaiian Japanese. I gave up rice, Which was for me like giving up water, after learning that the rice sold in Hawaii today was same from ancient Japan, but something else.
What happened was amazing. I lost 216 pounds during "shutdown."
For the first time in my 60 year life, I'm normal and free from diabetes, high blood pressure, skin disorders, white hair and man boobs after losing 26 inches from my waist. I now wear the same size pants I wore in 4th grade.
For me, the modern day foods that are ultra processed was not good for me at all. I am a child of the Pacific basin and the original foods from 400 years ago is what I needed to become normal.
What types of food are you currently eating, that help you maintain a healthy lifestyle?
That’s awesome! congratulations, man, wish you a long & healthy life.
I was prediabetic. I reduced my carb intake with less rice, bread, pasta and increased my workouts in the gym and notice I loss weight, normal A1C levels, and no longer prediabetic. It is a wakeup call for me to get my health together.
Awesome that you made those changes. 🤙
I had to switch to brown rice. Plain white rice practically makes me sick now.
@@anthonybird546 brown rice is good too. Had today for lunch. How long have you been sticking to brown rice?
@@carlosdavilajr4784 its only been about a month now, maybe two but I find that brown rice really does depend on brand on whether it tastes decent, how much water they'll absorb, etc.
Industrial seed oil is what causes insulin resistance. Dr. Chris Knobbe shows data where the animals become quickly insulin resistant and diabetic in a dose response fashion consuming the same amount of calories but increasing amounts of seed oil. Omega 6 oxides both outside and inside the body and damages the beta cells of the pancreas and insulin receptors on the cell surface. YTvid: "Dr. Chris Knobbe - 'Diseases of Civilization: Are Seed Oil Excesses the Unifying Mechanism?'"
04:02 That one grain of rice.
My Mom grew up in Japan during WW2. I still remember back in the 70's when I made a bowl of rice for lunch and put shoyu on top of it. My Mom told me that was all she had to eat. Didn't ask for how long that lasted.
That thought instilled in me how fortunate that we live where we are vs any other nation.
Outstanding presentations!
I used to eat tamago rice a lot when I was a kid. Rice, egg, and shoyu. So good. 🤙
@@HelloFromHawaii I did too, but only the yolk over HOT rice. Luv your vids
Healthline has an interesting article about cooling/freezing rice and other starches before consuming them called Cooling Some Foods After Cooking Increases Their Resistant Starch
If you cool/freeze white rice and reheat it later, it has a much lower impact on blood sugar levels than if you consume it right after cooking it.
Mahalo for sharing. Maybe it's something we can try.
Apparently, the suggestion is to not reheat rice more than 140 degrees F. By not exceeding 140 degrees, you are not converting the starch from resistant back to non-resistant.
I heard about that but I wasn't sure what the technique was for it
If you add two tablespoon of coconut oil for every cup of rice, the healthy fat from the coconut oil helps lower the impact on blood sugar even more.
@@kevinp8108 This is not just for rice, similar results occur when cooling/freezing potatoes, pasta and bread before warming them again for consumption.
The struggle is real. Mad props for the self discipline and the openness to the emotional and energetic self awareness. The sensation of hunger at night for me when I experimented with intermittent fasting and cutting back on rice worsened my insomnia. I now time my kanak attack at nights. Moderation is key obviously, and individual unique factors really do factor into a tailored approach (with the obvious disclaimer of helpful guidance with medical or nutritional professional, da kine yada yada fine print of course). But for reals: rice truly feels is like a warm hug.
I tried the 16-8 fasting for a while. It worked for me, but it was hard in the mornings. When I was doing it, I think I dropped about 10-12 pounds.
As an Asian, not having rice is very tough … rice is not only a filler but also very essential carb source. I know that I can substitute rice with potatoes, it’s not the same. Rice has a very unique flavor that goes with certain oriental food. It’s like eating Dim Sum with potatoes.. it just don’t work for me.. Anyhow, rice is a carb component that I don’t think that I can go without for a month..my hats off to you..Look forward to more of your future everyday life events in Hawaii..Aloha from the Bay Area..!
I don't think I could substitute potatoes for rice for very long. I tried in Colorado, but that didn't last for more than a few weeks.
Why sub rice for potatoes? I dont think it is healthier. I am Asian too. We can just eat less rice and limit it to once a day. I cant go without rice for more than a few days. 😂
Good for you for sticking to it! My doctor used to tell me don’t eat white things. If you were to try it again, try replacing your white rice with half as much brown rice, which is nice and chewy. Or really any other whole grain. It’s very different, of course, but I got to like it. Congratulations. A whole month. Wow.
Brown rice might be a good alternative. My dad used to make half and half when we were younger.
Brown rice is worse. A lot of us diabetics wearing cgm know. It doesn’t matter what color of the rice is . Carbs is carbs.
Starches & Carbs...
- When in Japan, often in restaurants, they provide you a bowl that's about one scoop of rice. So even though they allow you to get more rice, usually everyone makes do with that one bowl full.
- French Fry-Free February: Almost every year, I do without eating french fries during the entire month of February. Mainly is to cut back on eating starches/carbs, although I found that I use that time also to reaffirm my ability to break habits. If I can do without something I like, even if for a short time, then I possibly can resist being addicted to anything. Which in recent years, I found that I'm not as addicted to things as I once were.
- Cutting back: When you can, reduce the amount of rice you eat in your plate lunch to one scoop; instead of the two...that's a reduction of 50%; take that as a victory.
- Zero carbs: If you are home and/or an environment that you can control your meal prep, then eliminate the carbs completely. Like cooking spam at home, eat it like a snack and you won't need to have it like a meal with rice. You still quench your spam appetite, although you can address your hunger by drinking a glass of water first.
- Guilt: If you are in an environment where eating starches/carbs is virtually unavoidable, don't put your self into a corner. I know you were on your self-challenge to do so. Although in the future, give yourself a break, just don't indulge...there is a difference. Guilt is so tied into New Year's Resolutions, they become so unrealistic that no one can stick to them. Make your goals realistic & attainable, then you can achieve them without the pressure of guilt.
- Weight loss: judge your achievements by how your clothes feels on you, and your medical lab reports, not the weight scale. Wince mucsle is heavier than fat, if you start to workout and begin losing fat weight, it may not be reflected on the scale, so that might discourage you. Although if your pants and shirts feel looser, and your medical lab report show that negative aspects are bieng reduced, then you are on the right track...stick with it, and change it up once in a while, this is to trick you body.
I've always wondered why the Japanese restaurants in Japan have those small bowls of rice. For me, being from Hawaii, I want to pile the rice on, but they limit the rice, even by bringing out the small rice pot to be shared on the table. Interesting how different we view rice here.
@@HelloFromHawaii I'm Sansei (third generation), so when you look at all those Ojisan and Obasan (grandfather and grandmother) eating rice with every meal, they had a limitation on how much rice they would consume per meal, it was pretty much just that one bowl. And they used to work outdoors in long hours, so they pretty much burned off whatever they would eat.
As a paradigm, in Hawaii, we're so used to having (and consuming) two scoops of rice with every plate lunch. If the eateries aren't going to change, then we have to cut back to at least 50%...just a thought.
Mahalo for sharing! I tried that in Japan, where we have the best rice in the world. Was tough.. Eating rice again, but like you, my portions are way smaller. Dropped 20 pounds. Aloha from Yokohama, Japan🤙🏽
Yes, the rice is good in Japan and that would be tough to cut out. However, with all the walking we've done in Japan in the past, I've usually lost weight.
I live in Hawaii too and was eating a lot of rice. I was getting pre-diabetic so I went low carb last October. One thing I can recommend if you try again is to make sure you get electrolytes to have on hand. It will help when you hit the no energy wall.
That musubi looks great though. The thing I miss most is sushi. I am going to have to take a cheat day for my birthday.
Mahalo for sharing. Great idea on the electrolytes. The nuts weren't kicking in fast enough.
Wow Chris! My wife just sent me this since I'm struggling and started my journey not eating sugar. And you're right.. Def eating healthier is something we can control. Awesome for not eating rice, bread, and pasta. That's tough. Much props to you!
Not eating sugar would be tough for me, especially with birthdays and holidays. Props to you for sticking it out. 🤙
I'm literally watching this while eating a shoyu pork plate lunch with two scoops rice and mac salad.😂
lol. Sounds ono 🤙
If I recall, when I moved back to Oahu, I went keto and rice/sticky rice had the highest glycemic index. Just by giving it up, I lost 50 pounds. 🍚
50 pounds is a lot. Good for you 🤙
Like you, growing up in Hawaii meant white rice was a daily given for me. I always consumed a larger than average amount when available. In fact, my University of Hawaii nickname eluded to that fact. As a bachelor on the mainland, my Panasonic rice cooker proved to be my most utilized appliance by a wide margin. It was plugged in and clicked on every night without fail, as I preferred freshly steamed rice to leftovers. Face it, a little meat or main dish with a ton of rice goes a long way, both in the stomach and financially.
Then about fifteen years ago, my GP noted that I needed to change my eating habits due to blood sugar levels approaching the pre-diabetic threshold. Well, that was it. I basically stopped consuming white rice then and there. Honestly, I could not believe how easy it was for me. Yes, like you, finding a lower-carb calorie replacement was initially a challenge, but other healthier carbs and vegetables eventually filled the gap. No longer do I buy the heavy bags of rice from Costco, and my rice cooker can go many, many months between uses nowadays. Poor guy must be really feeling neglected.
Yes, as mentioned, I still have carbs, and on a daily basis. However, they are slower in converting to sugar in the blood stream. Besides, there is a place for carbohydrates in our diets. Being smarter about them is the key. Today, my A1-C is at a great level, and I take it as a personal challenge to see how low I can drive it without going on a carb-free menu. Do I have white rice on rare occasions? Oh yeah, when I travel back to Hawaii to see my parents for a week once or twice a year, it is there every night. But it is no longer the full plate (that's how I used to measure if I had enough), but just enough for a taste with every forkful of main dish.
I hope your doctor never tells you that cutting back on carbs is a necessity, but take heart if it should come to that point - cutting out white rice is not so big a deal as your mind is making it now. Thank you for another enjoyable video!
I find it kind of odd that you have to limit your rice consumption, but your parents apparently still eat as much of it as they want. BTW, I hate to be da grammar Nazi, bruddah, but the word you wanted was "alluded" not eluded.
@@GNMi79 Good catch! I need to perform better at proofreading. And, of course, my mistake is so apparent now.
As for the folks, in their old age, they too are watching their blood sugar levels. However, they still allow themselves a limited amount daily. Nothing close to the quantity I ate daily.
Mahalo for sharing. It's great that you were able to cut out rice after so many years of eating it. I hope that I never have to cut it out because of health reasons, which is why I'm trying to make small changes now. I want to be able to enjoy Hawaii food for the rest of my life. Might just have to eat mini size instead of regular and replace rice with other alternatives.
Dang I bet that musubi was heaven! Good job on watching your diet and also not going extreme either. I’ve noticed I had to also add salads to my diet since the constant rice can slow digestion. Thanks for validating that for me!
In Japan, I noticed that people typically have rice with every meal, but the amount of rice is limited to one modest sized bowl. In the US, rice consumption appears to be 2 to 3 times what is eaten in Japan. People will start with a larger serving and also have a second helping.
I'm amazed that people in Japan eat so little rice compared to what we eat in Hawaii. They must think we're starving based on the amount of rice we consume.
If you are pre-hypertensive, you might also want to consider checking the amount of sodium you are consuming in one day. I was shocked to learn that it is recommended that adults consume only 2,300 mgs. or less sodium daily. That is nearly 1 teaspoon. My guess is, if you are eating out often or buying convenience foods, you may be far over the daily recommended intake of sodium, which very much can impact hypertension. Most American diets are very high in sodium.
Yeah, a lot of local foods are high in sodium, such as Spam. Cutting those foods will probably help a lot too.
awesome post bradah!
🤙
Great video update. Gave up eating white rice and switched to brown rice and my sugar levels has improved dramatically. I eat white rice only occasionally 😊❤.
Great switch. Glad your sugar levels have gotten better 🤙
Just found your Channel...Very refreshing to hear your takes on the Local Lifestyle...I share similar views with you so its like I'm talking with my friends. Keep up the great content!
Mahalo. Glad you enjoyed the videos. 🤙
Rice is totally not necessary! As someone of Chinese ethnicity myself, I grew up in it as well.
However, for fitness reasons, awhile back, I decided to cut back on it completely. I ended up feeling sluggish, and even skinny fat!
Now I just eat a moderate amount, and feel better than ever. A bit of carbs is still necessary!
Good for you for pushing yourself to eat healthier! My doctor said my A1C was borderline. That was my push to eat a low carb diet. I was already exercising so it was all diet. Definitely a struggle for the first 3 months or so. But now after 3 years, I eat carbs every once in a while, but a very small percentage. I think it is definitely easier on the mainland. When I go back home, I definitely am unable to avoid it.
Congrats on the progress. Three years strong is great 🤙
I have rice three or four times a week but only a scoop to scoop and a half. Tough to do with eating rice most of my life…67 years young. Blood pressure still holding steady in the 125-127. BP was a bit higher when I are almost 2+ scoops rice almost every day for one or two meals. Miss having plenty of rice but didn’t want ohana to miss me. Want to be seen-not viewed, so had to adjust the whole diet and limit meals with rice. Mahalo for sharing your candid video of what it’s like to cutout rice from meals. Keep up the great videos.
That's a great reduction in rice that you've incorporated. I figure if I make small changes now, I won't have to make bigger changes later.
Yea, baby steps reductions of rice with meals should be a bit more tolerable. It was super tough learning to have meals with reduced rice portions. As difficult as it was, I knew it would be a drastic diet shift for me to go through but I had to do it for my health…but most importantly I wanted to ensure I’d be around to watch and enjoy time with my ohana, especially the grand children and great grand children. How much did your BP drop, if you like share.
wonderful to find your channel planning a trip to Hawaii .....
Try brown rice, Chris. I used to have rice with my udon and saimen in the distant past. Serious Japanese drinkers (nonbei) believed that since Sake was made from rice, it was a substitute for a meal. Kampai.
I've tried brown rice in the past. Currently, we're trying a rice and quinoa mix.
I grew up in Hawaii and absolutely rice with every meal. I’m now 50 and was diagnosed pre-diabetic with hypertension two years ago. I cut rice out of my diet (along with other carbs and added sugar) and I’m much better now. Rice is now a treat (along with Mac salad). I miss it but everything in moderation. Not three meals a day.
i'm a big believer in walking on the treadmill on an incline. before you know it, you're doing 5 miles per day at a 4.0 incline in a period of 60 minutes. i did that 5-7 days per week and lost 50 lbs in a year w/out really dieting at all, i just naturally began to want smaller portions as i got fitter. the transformation was unreal. got rid of ole dough boy. i recom the NordicTrack Commercial 1750, but i don't know if they ship to HI. mine's been collecting dust here in FL because i have 3/4 acre that is a full body workout to maintain, lol.
Mahalo for sharing. I like the idea of just increasing moderate exercise like walking. It's how we lost weight the last time we were in Japan. We ate a lot, but we walked a lot too.
Sweet potatoes, you have many varieties in Hawai'i. Okinawa is a Blue Zone.
As senior citizen I know what you aent thru , best advice I can give you did the smart thing & recognized how bad rice is to, I know sounds like hierarchy but as we age our diet & lifestyle must also change, for the sake of our family. Next thing to do is discuss with your doctor your options BEFORE you get sick. Its going to be difficult but well worth it. You're halfway there by recognizing your prehypertension condition. Good luck😊
I was thinking about following-up with my doctor just to check my health. As I'm entering middle age, I'm hoping that I don't run into the common health issues that many people have.
Good choice!
As someone who eats Keto (no carbs), if you do a cold turkey no-carb diet, you probably need electrolytes. Otherwise you'll get major energy level issues, headaches, sleeping problems etc. I usually have to supplement with potassium, sodium & magnesium. They actually call it the keto flu. Ketosis really burns electrolytes, so if you don't supplement you'll feel those massive energy issues.
When we visit Hawaii, I'll eat a bit of rice, but the white rice as a side is always too much! As a Canadian, its not a staple in the diet, so it seems different to eat plain white rice!
Mahalo for the suggestions 🤙
Rice is such a staple. I remember being able to cook rice when I was a kid. It was something I could get started before my mom got home from work. And honestly, the aroma of fresh cooked rice is comforting and nostalgic.
Thing is, being pre-diabetic, I have to turn the dial down on rice and noodles and other carbs. Those meat and salad meals you showed are very familiar. Once in a while I will enjoy some rice or go out for wonton noodle soup, and of course the old favorite, ramen noodles are still comfort food. I just have to be very intermittent with them.
PS, I still have my National brand rice cooker that must be 40 years old and works fine, and yes, I can cook rice in a pot😊
Mahalo for sharing. Amazing that you can cook rice in a pot. I tried, but too hard when I grew up with a rice cooker. 🤙
Wow, brings back a memory from a couple of years ago. My blood sugar creeped past 100 on a check up, and doctor said that's borderline diabetes if it remains constant. So, for the next 6 months until my next check-up, I went totally keto. It was not only no rice, but breads, potatoes, pastries, pasta, sugar.... Now thankfully, I'm actually not really a rice person (my Asian membership card is in jeopardy), but when you go totally without, you develop cravings. But, I stuck to it. On my next check-up, I had lost 10 lbs. and my blood sugar dropped from 102 to 66. My doctor was amazed! I told him what I did, but also that I did not think I could sustain it for the rest of my life. He said the key is moderation, and the reason why so many diets fail is that you deny yourself completely. You can have rice, just not every day, 3 meals a day!
Good advice from. Your Dr. Moderation in everything & is everything.
Great advice on moderation. I've been cutting back on rice. It's a nice balance.
I too am from Hawaii and eat rice ( but not everyday).. I do eat the white rice/brown rice mix at home and only eat white rice w/a Spam, eggs and rice plate at a restaurant in town before I work my 4th day in a row and/or maybe just a musubi or 2 ( not weekly tho, maybe 2x/month).. it does help that I walk everywhere here in Hilo and both my jobs are physical , standing on your feet, walking around the whole shift, etc...
That's good that you include walking in your daily routine. I think that helps.
Good job Chris, it’s tough not eating rice. I have put on some weight lately so I have trimmed down a lot on my rice intake from a full bowl to maybe a quarter. It’s not hard, just got used to it by eating more fish and chicken.
Quarter bowl of rice is a good amount. 🤙
I am so impressed with your honesty in temporarily giving up rice. Especially your feeling that we are "conditioned" to eat a certain amount of rice in a meal. I am a child of the islands living on the mainland so rice is not so easily available. It's what we grew up on and we don't question it until you start having old age kine issues.
I sub out for the purple/black forbidden rice sometimes and have become a big fan tbh!
Bravo for your honest sharing. Just got back from visiting family…I don’t really think it is the white rice that kills … but please try to cut down the salt!!!! Oh dear! Much like you mentioned about how our body processes foods as we mature, I found myself unable to eat much of many foods because how salty they were : saimin broth, Chinese foods from sauces to dimsum…etc ! What used to be novelty eats back then now I could only politely have a few bites.
EVERYTIME at Zippys I order the saimin I needed to ask for a cup of hot water to dilute the broth. 😮
I recommend you cut out outside foods and stick with low sodium SPAM and prepare foods at home for a month …😅 that would be a fantastic video !
Just a suggestion 😊 God Bless❤
Processed rice (white rice) also raise your blood glucose levels as well, a concern that many people have.
Yeah, I think it's why I used to feel the ups and downs after eating. I noticed that I didn't feel that as much when I replaced rice with salad.
@@HelloFromHawaii Love rice, but a big cause of Pre-diabetes symptoms...
Yea it does get tough to cut out rice here in Hawaii because it is everywhere. I usually do keto/low carb when I do a cut and the first week is usually tough because I need to meal prep and my body is transitioning on using fat instead of carbs for energy. This is the time you usually feel sick because of the change of energy source from glucose to fat. I usually take tons of electrolytes during this period and it helps with the headaches and general irritable feeling. Usually when I get over the "keto flu", things gets so much better especially with my overall mood, energy levels, bloodwork, etc. I do wish there were more low carb options here though.
Braddah, I went through a very similar cross roads on my health journey. I'm one of those got a food scale to see exactly what I was eating. Eh, pretty much EVERYTHING I was eating was over "2 servings." This meant if serving on something was 175 cal I actually ate 350 cal! So I looked up. Serving of rice and brah, I was eating waaaaaaaay more than what many eat in the course of the day. For me, I'm now having it once, sometimes twice, a day AND only 100-150g of cooked rice. Eh and you'd be surprised how much 100g of rice stretches when you make into fried rice? Plenty!😂🤙🏻
Good episode. Keep em coming!
Side note, I just got back from a factory visit in China. I ran across a few colleagues who also have been cutting out or cutting down on rice. And funny thing it is they don't even come close to volume of rice we eat as local Hawaii people!
That's great that you're actually counting and using a food scale. I'm pretty sure two scoops rice in a plate lunch is too much, but it's what we grew up with. Just gotta replace one scoop with greens.
am myself Asian woman and do eat rice but not every day, though you can replace instead of rice to sweet potatoes gives protein and fiber and energy, I think eating rice (rice will make me constipation) unless adding veggies into the rice, I don't eat red meat, mostly eat veggies, nuts and fruits and yogurts (just plain protein yogurts) though do eat (not every day) white pork or fish or chicken,
For starters great topic! Especially for locals. I live in the mainland but because of my Hawaii roots I used to eat lots of rice! I’m about 20 years older than you and I still eat rice. No matter the age, I learned everything in moderation and balance. I kid you not I used to cook 3 to 4 cups of rice everyday. Now 1/2 cup. Even got a smaller rice cooker! Lol Personally for me rice helps with my digestion. Maybe you should have cut way back instead of eliminating it and switch to brown rice?
I have to eat white rice, brown just don't cut it...but I've cut way back on amount...I quit Coke completely which was hard but helped me alot
Great idea with the smaller rice cooker. Since we have kids who love rice, we have a large rice cooker, but my parents have downgraded to small one.
Hi Chris, I just ate a Teriyaki Chicken Rice bowl on yesterday from Goma Tei Ramen. Talking about Ono grindz 😅. Today back to eating healthy. Don’t give up rice just eat it in moderation. No more rice for me for rest of the month.
I've been eating rice in moderation. It's a nice balance.
The struggle is real, even for us mainlanders (cutting carbs, that is). I am trying to lower my carbs and when I do eat them, trying to choose whole carbs/less processed. I have to have some kind of carbs, or I get very grumpy! I like brown rice, so that was an easy change for me to make. I wish more restaurants would offer it. I eat oatmeal in the morning and air-popped popcorn for snack. I might eat a salad for lunch and a baked potato or baked sweet potato and some protein for dinner. If I have too much bread, pasta, or rice at lunch, my blood sugar takes a nose-dive and I'm falling asleep by 3 pm!
Good for you for trying to make small changes. I also wish more places offered brown rice. Hard to pick that option too when they charge extra, but I understand.
Carbs are needed by the human body. It is better to moderate your rice intake.
My high school nutrition class told me that there are two types of carbs: starch and sugar.
The ideal plan is to eat mostly starch and only a little bit of sugar.
Replaced white rice with a mix of Gen-Ji-Mai rice and Quinoa, never going back to white rice. Super delicious combo and healthy. Add a little blackberry rice for purple rice.
I also tried quinoa. It was okay.
@@HelloFromHawaii it helps if you roast the quinoa first. Dry roast it in a skillet after rinsing it in water. It's bitter otherwise. You probably know that. And, quinoa is better if you sauteed scallions and put them in too, garlic too.
I always wondered about how land seems lower in particular areas of McCully until recently finding a viewmaster of Honolulu with vast rice patties circa 1900.
Tried many diets after having a serious digestive issue along with pre diabetes. I finally ended up on carnivore the majority beef with eggs ,butter , olive oil . . No processed food . My health both physically and mentally is amazing only eat a small amount . My energy and clarity is the highest it’s ever been . The other benefit was loss of pain that I thought was a normal for all my previous injuries along with the aging effect 0 pain level now.
Have you tried cauliflower rice (Costco)? It’s not the same but it’s close enough if you want to reduce your carb intake without changing your diet drastically. Also, refrigerating any carbs overnight increases the resistance of the starch (lowers glycemic index) in cooked potatoes, pasta, beans, and rice. There’s also Miracle Noodle which makes pasta and rice from low carb konjac. Even doing a 50/50 ratio (rice & cauliflower rice) made a difference in my blood sugar. Good luck.
Mahalo for the suggestion. I'll have to ask my wife if Costco here has it. 🤙
Brown organic high quality rice is better..not taste or wallet wise, but substituting it half the time with white works for me. Same with organic brown or sourdough bread instead of just wheat or white..I did it for my blood pressure as well lol. Happy for you! Humble servings and quality is key imo! Just realizing you don’t HAVE to have the rice all the time is great!
Refined carbs are a key factor in hypertension. Doctors are slowly starting to realize that hypertension is an early sign of insulin resistance. If reducing or eliminating them, you really do need to increase fat and protein (which won’t raise insulin levels). It’s vital. There aren’t really “healthier carbs” especially when it comes to starches. The body turns all carbs to glucose, which requires insulin. There’s just “less bad” carbs. But your body really needs the fats and protein (there is actually no nutritional requirement for carbs because our bodies can do without)
If you go cold turkey on carbs then it’s not going to help. It’s easy to fail and be defeated. Your body needs some carbs.
I would recommend a gradual change. Japanese brown rice is decent. But eat half so one scoop max. Try other carbs can but something with more fibers.
Improving your vegetable intake and healthy fats helps to round out the diet. You will get more fiber. The healthy fats will help you be satiated.
For proteins, gradually shift towards less saturated fats.
Your Brody has two energy forms, glucose and fat. The hunger and lack of energy was not allowing your body to get more adapted. You dropped the glycemic intake but probably didn’t increase the proteins with fats. Consider adding some more small fish like sardines, or more salmon… fatty fish and get a better electrolytes balance. When we drop carbs, our body will flush out the electrolytes also.
Decreasing the rice may be helpful as you are dropping your glycemic intake. We dropped grains. We now add some back in, but instead of white rice, we eat basmati brown rice. This takes the glycemic index from higher than bread to medium low. We add in cauliflower rice to food in lieu of rice sometimes. If you fry it in olive oil and butter and or coconut oil than it is wonderful for some dishes where you need to cut the spices.
Great video.
Always have rice cooker going ready to feed family 24/7 is the culture here!
Bravo!!! That’s discipline!
I tried eating as vegetarian for 3 months during 2020 because my cholesterol was trending high.
I eliminated my meat intake, exercised 4x week, no alcohol, et al. My levels didn’t improve too much though. I fault my female hormones, cortisol/stress, and poor sleep to high lipid values. Do you and keep trying. Let’s not give ourselves.
It would be tough to give up meat. I thought about trying, but I'd miss eating meat too much.
We have a RD in our family. We all have to eat brown rice (you get used to it eventually) but the reason you're hungry and have low energy is the lack of protein. Also, I'm sure you know diabetes is epidemic on the islands. Hawaiian food is extra salty which also shoots blood pressure up. I suggest you try again with the assistance of a dietitian. Most insurance pays for one consultation if you are at risk. Don't give up. Just take a different track.
Mahalo for the suggestions. I'll look into a consult with a nutritionist. 🤙
My husband is diabetic. His A1c went from 7.0 to 4.5 just by cutting out rice, bread and potatoes. It’s been five years now and he is 60 lbs lighter, and takes no medication. Diet controlled only. His A1c remains around 4.5!! Good luck to you. 😎
I did intermittent fasting for 6 months. Since I work at night, I only eat in the morning like breakfast. No rice, bread, cereal, milk, soda, pork and red meat. Just a can of sardines or mackerel in olive oil. Sometimes boiled or fried eggs and grilled chicken. The first month was challenging, then the body starts to adapt. I lost cravings and lost 40 lbs. Now I am back to my usual Asian habit. Especially coming from a poor family and malnutrition. Eat whatever my hearts desire. Now I'm 200lbs and happy.
You could probably try sweet potato or taro, Chris.
You get some carbohydrates as well as other vitamins and nutrients, and it’s not a grain.
I have been on a modified carnivore/keto diet for about a month. It sucks because my food options are very limited. The pros are my weight immediately dropped, my cravings for food dropped, my desire to eat bread/rice/potatoes dropped and I have more muscle and can fit into my pants again. It’s insane.
Great changes 🤙
@@HelloFromHawaii Thank you!
I'm Fil-Am and stopped eating rice for a while last summer when I was diagnosed with diabetes. I thought it was going to be hard but,...it wasn't. I always had to have rice with my eggs for breakfast and at dinner. I stopped cold turkey and didn't miss it for 2 straight months. I ate salad at dinner, specificaly spinach salad with protein. Really dut down on other carbs, as well. Yes, my A1C went dow drastically. My appetite decreased with the smaller portions. This was 2 months before my endocrinologist put me on Ozempic. By then, I lost even more weight and A1C was 6.8. I did start to eat 1 cup of brown rice once or twice a week. It was strange to start eating it again. I really can't see eating a lot of rice now, it's just too filing. LOL
It would've been interesting if you did bloodwork to show the difference. Also, I just came back from a two week trip to Japan. I found it hard to eat "healthy" in Japan. Not too many places serve a big salad as a meal. Combini food tastes great but has a lot of preservatives. Japan has a lot of deep fried foods. I ate mostly sushi since to me it's the most whole food. Yakiniku was good too. Keep up the great work.
I had to reduce my carb intake due to illness? It is not fun long term. Thank you for Video. 🌺
You're a brave man for taking on that challenge, Chris! That is a Herculean feat for anyone in Hawaii, since everything is served with rice, and it's such a cultural thing to eat lots of rice and not waste any food. I was just there for about 3 weeks, and I caught myself leaving some rice on my plate uneaten towards the end of the trip, because I was getting a Bhudda belly that I wasn't exactly pleased with. For me, what you did would be comparable to me not eating any pasta for 30 days. I hope you can use what you learned from this experiment to make some healthy changes in moderation.🤙
Yeah, it was tough, but I'm glad I tried it. Learned a lot. And as I've gotten older, I've learned that it's okay to leave some food on the plate, especially with the large portions in Hawaii. 🤙
I give you credit for trying, I know I can't lol. I've cut back on the volume a little but there's no way I could cut it all out, especially if it's Japanese rice.
It would be hard for me to cut out Japanese rice. So good 🤙
I haven’t eaten rice for 4 months! It’s awesome, stopped eating sweets too.
You didn't mention losing weight in the 30 days without rice and carbs. I stopped eating rice for 2 years in 2019 and lost 30 lbs! Along with no rice, I kept my carbs very low. The pounds just kept coming off. When I did eat carbs I loaded my plate with vegetables and salad to cancel out the carbs (cauliflower rice is amazing! Just season it with whatever you would regular rice). Fast forward to this year, and I've reintroduced rice back into my life and have now regained 12 lbs! And that's just half a cup cooked rice 2-3 times a week. There are 6 teaspoons of sugar in 1 cup of rice. It's the way starch[carbs] turns into sugar. These are "hidden sugars" because nutrition labels often read no sugars. People struggling with weight become discouraged because they know they're eating healthier but not losing. You talked about hypertension but pre-diabetes is also a big problem because of all the hidden sugars in everyday foods. The only book to buy is The Skinny Gut Diet. Because of this book I know I can always lose the 12 lbs again, easy. When I'm ready to give up the weekly total cup and a half cooked rice, that is.
He did mention weight.
If you put rice in the fridge overnight it becomes 'starch resistant'. The carbs don't add to insulin spking.
I know brown rice is not appetizing or even nasty to many locals.
But have you thought of substituting white rice with the brown?
They even have cauliflower rice now too.
I've tried brown rice. Eh, not really as tasty, but I know it's the healthier option.
@@HelloFromHawaiimy mom's from Japan and she pointed me to Sukoyaka Genmai brown rice from Hokkaido. It's quality, genuinely good and I don't get the symptoms I get when I eat American white rice
Rice is not the culprit. Its the sedentary lifestyle. Everything in moderation. Hawaii is the best place to get out there, walk, hike, run and swim. Be active. Don’t blame the rice. Blame your lifestyle. Make that change today.
Have you thought about doing brown rice instead we do need carbs Sourdough is also super healthy and quinoa.
good on you!!
🤙
Every few months I go 2 weeks without eating processed sugar to detox. Meaning I can eat stuff with natural sugar like apples, etc. But no ice cream, soda, cake, or sugar in my coffee. I always feel more clear headed, less sluggish, and clean (not sure how to explain this one).
That's a great routine. Maybe I should do that too.
Thanks for sharing
🤙
This is so interesting, because in Asia obv, rice is a staple but very few overweight ppl
Go go gohan guy!
Your improvements in digestion may be due to eating more vegetables than less rice. Try to keep up with more fruits/vegetables and reduce rice, maybe even do hapa rice too. Can try experiment with the ratios if brown rice is tough for you.
Congrats brah, you made it. Enjoy the rice while can brah. Maybe go brown rice, quinoa, popcorn cooked in olive oil.
I've been trying a rice and quinoa mix.
Rice is not bad in fact it can be a very nutritious food, but it’s important not to overdo it. I’m south Asian from India and this is definitely tough.
South Asians have increased risk of hypertension and diabetes as well.
Yes but what would happen if you stopped eating rice in Kentucky?
brah, you are so so brave. 😄
Eating a low carb diet is much harder than going the keto route since a low carb diet will spike your insulin production at times and will make you crave more carbs like crazy. However, in your case, your elevated blood pressure might be more contributed to your higher cortisol levels attributed to a stressful lifestyle. If you find your blood pressure higher in the mornings than the rest of the day, it’s likely cortisol levels. The kicker is that cortisol levels can be effectively controlled with more restful sleep, but that’s also a luxury for you because of the keikis.
Yes, I think better sleep would make more of a difference, but it's hard with young kids. Miss those 8 hour sleeps 😄
Don't eat it every meal, but definitely need a little rice...white rice! Gave up sodas and fruit juices last 2 years or so....got healthier!
Giving up soda and juice is huge. I drink soda occasionally. Mostly Coke Zero.
I stopped eating rice, all forms of carbohydrates, and sugar. I had withdrawal symptoms during the first 2 weeks, like irritable and unable to sleep. After that ,I dont miss rice, carbs, and sugar. Ive been doing this for 6 months now, and lost 35 pounds without exercise.
Did your bp numbers get better? Besides carb elimination did you watch your sodium intake? Jpnse food has alot of sodium… shoyu, tsukemono, miso, etc. Also, upping your cardio will impact your bp in a big, good way. Is your hypertension genetic?
I'm not sure about my blood pressure numbers. I'll have to get that checked. I'm also trying to walk more and sleep better.
Like lots of people are suggesting, if you eat rice, you avoid salt. My husband was told to avoid bread and stick to rice because of the salt.
I'll probably look into cutting the salty foods. Hard to give up Spam, though 😅
Lots of lessons learned here. I am about the same age and while I didn’t skip rice, I had to also have a “humble” serving of rice.
Yeah, I no can pile on the rice like I used to.
I could live the rest of my life without rice and be happy as a clam. It's not a food we eat on a regular basis. Now peanut butter--that's a different story!
😆
What I want to know is if more restaurants are providing a brown rice option? It was hard to find sometimes while on vacation in Hawaii. 😅
From what I've seen, not too many places offer brown rice.
DUDE...I keep saying it...KGMB news anchor!!!
Try substituting Potato Salad and half amount of rice. Have a balanced diet and stay healthy. (Don’t get sick ! )
That's a good idea. 🤙
"Rice was calling me! "😂😂 OMG that big spam musubi yum yum!
So what happened to your blood pressure?
I haven't checked it, but I should to see if anything improved. I'm sure cutting salty foods and getting better sleep will result in greater improvements.
An interesting video...out of the normal, but as usual with HFH, insightful and thought-provoking.
The trick is balance and moderation using the 50% vegetables + 25% carbs +25% protein formula. Avoiding carbs (and sugar) completely is not something a doctor would recommend so this experiment was rather extreme. Many people go 50% carbs (rice) because it's filling. The reason why we pile on the rice is because the main component is often salty. Most processed foods like Spam musubi are loaded with salt and sugar because they hit the pleasure center of the brain and sell products. I don't know when teriyaki sauce started being added to musubi which I never knew growing up.
It's true that as you get older your tastes change and you become more sensitive, not only to foods and seasonings, but also to annoying habits of other people like noise (nyuk nyuk!).
As a final rice factoid, in a multicourse gourmet kaiseki meal consisting of up to 10 small courses, a small bowl of high-quality koshihikari rice comes at the very end of the meal with miso soup and Japanese pickles, followed by fruit. As you go through each course, you learn to appreciate the flavor of each dish without the need for rice. You also savor the flavor of the rice, which before I moved to Japan, I never knew how delicious rice on its own could be. Now I can easily tell the difference between low and top-shelf rice.
I didn't eliminate all carbs during this time, but had to find others ways to get them for energy. I'm sure cutting out salty foods would also have helped in the past month too.
I'm moving away from wheat and sugar. Can't give up rice though... that's like half the food here.
😆
I can do without bread, potatoes or pasta (pasta is questionable 😂), but NOT rice. I’m from Honolulu originally, but have lived on the mainland for 35 years. Your will power is much stronger than mine. I would have caved by the second week.
Carbs affect my blood pressure A LOT. And for some reason, even pure sugar seems less harmful than, say, grains (bread/pasta/etc.).
Born and raised in Hawaii, but I was never a rice eater....always preferred potatoes or bread (the odd one in my family). However, there are some dishes/foods that just go with rice (like chili & rice).
Moderation/ portion control is key. 😅
Working on moderation now. It's been nice eating rice again. Just trying not to eat as much.
Did your blood pressure improve? I suspect it didn't change much if any. Try eating hapa rice. Half brown, half white. I've been doing it for years. White rice is ono, but nutritionally devoid. It's just empty calories.
I've actually tried a rice and quinoa mix my wife makes. Pretty good.
I don't think it's the rice that causes hypertension, it's what you eat with the rice. Hawaii food is high in sodium. You can eat brown rice instead of white rice if you want more fiber in your diet. When I go to Zippys when I'm in town, I will eat chili with brown rice for the fiber.
Hypertension is associated to insulin sensitivity. So rice and carbs are directly the cause of hypertension. Carnivore diet.
Yes, it's the shoyu that is super high in sodium.
Again, I'm not a nutritionist, but I assumed that eating less rice and other processed carbs would have a positive impact on my health. Agree that the high sodium foods we eat here don't help either. Hard to give up Spam, though.
It literally does carbs make sugars.