Aloo paratha vs poha vs egg omelette: Breakfast favourite that spikes blood sugar the most is…

What can we infer?

Clinical nutritionist Garima Goyal said the impact of food on blood sugar levels is quite variable depending upon the ingredients of the recipe, preparation method, and the glycemic index (GI) of the meal.

Let’s decode the dishes one by one.

Aloo paratha

The ingredients of aloo parantha include whole wheat flour, spices, mashed potatoes and ghee/oil, and its glycemic index (GI) is medium to high, ranging between 56-70 (varying with the flour used), said Goyal. “This meal is a combination of complex carbohydrates coming from whole wheat flour and simple carbohydrates from potatoes, causing a moderately high spike in blood glucose levels. Potatoes come under the category of high GI food, causing a sudden spike in postprandial blood glucose levels. The spike further rises if maida (refined flour)or liberal amount of ghee/oil is used,” said Goyal.

The blood sugar spike is alarming if you consume more than one parantha.

Poha

Considered a ‘lightweight’ dish made using flattened rice, peanuts, vegetables, mustard seeds, and spices, poha’s GI is medium to high (GI – 56-70), just like aloo parantha, said Goyal.

Which food causes the maximum sugar spike? (Source: Freepik)

“Poha has a lesser glycemic index than rice. The addition of fibre-rich vegetables and peanuts helps slow down the absorption of carbohydrates. However, it still has medium to high GI varying with portion size and amount of oil used to prepare it,” said Goyal.

Egg omelette with two pieces of bread

To make this, bread, eggs, oil, and vegetables are used. “Bread chosen should be whole wheat or brown bread as it has a significantly lower GI than white bread and causes a lesser blood sugar spike, emphasised Goyal. “This spike further lowers with protein and fat content from the eggs. The combination of whole wheat bread and eggs slows down the glucose release from the food,” mentioned Goyal.

 

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What to note?

While egg omelette, if consumed with whole wheat bread, causes the lowest spike in blood sugar levels, you can modify other breakfast options too for better glycemic control, emphasised Goyal.

“For aloo parantha, consume small portions or use less oil/ghee for preparation. Also, consider pairing it with a protein source such as curd to slow down the digestion rate of carbohydrates. For poha, if you add more vegetables, the high fibre content will cause a lesser blood sugar spike. Use less oil too,” said Goyal.

DISCLAIMER: This article is based on information from the public domain and/or the experts we spoke to. Always consult your health practitioner before starting any routine.