What’s Best and Bad for You as a Diabetic Patient in the Philippines

For diabetic patients, the issue is usually what type of food to consume that has a low glycemic index. Patient’s issue is usually type of carbohydrate, amount, preparation and pairing, not simply “bawal forever”. But Doc Damian, what is even a glycemic index? We’ve heard it all before, in the clinics, when a patient says, we must lessen foods with glycemic index, that is best to reduce the spike of blood sugar. Glycemic index or GI measures how fast a carbohydrate-containing food raises blood sugar. Low GI = 55 or below, medium = 56 – 69, and high = 70 and above.

Glycemic index is useful, but it should not be used alone; portion size, total carbohydrates, fiber, protein, fat, and cooking method also affect blood sugar response.

This blog will be useful for those people who want to decrease their blood sugar spikes, not necessarily those diagnosed with diabetes mellitus.

1. Rice and other staple carbohydrates

Rice is the most important category for Filipino patients because it is eaten daily. Polished white rice is usually high GI, while some pigmented rice varieties such as black rice may have lower GI values. PhilRice has also reported work on identifying low-GI rice varieties for Filipinos.

White rice/kanin

High

Limit Portion. Prefer ½ cup to 1 cup.

Lugaw/arrozcaldo

High

Limit. Soft, overcooked rice is digested faster. Add egg and chicken and avoid big servings.

Sinigang/Fried rice

High

Limit. Still same as white rice but with oil and salt.

Brown rice

Medium to Lower

Better than white rice, but still portion controlled.

Red rice

Medium

Better option than white rice; still counted as carbohydrates.

Black rice/pirurutong-type

Low to Medium

Good alternative when available; still control portions.

Corn/mais

Low to Medium

Good alternative in moderate portions; especially boiled corn.

Sweet potato/kamote

Low to Medium

Better carbohydrate option than white rice when boiled or steamed.

Cassava/kamoteng kahoy

Medium to high

Limit, especially if fried or sweetened.

Potato

High

Limit, especially mashed, fried or chips.

Taro/gabi

Medium

Portion control; better boiled than fried.

2. Bread, kakanin and breakfast staples

Pandesal

High

Limit, choose smalled pieces and pair with egg, tuna, or peanut butter without sugar.

White loaf bread/tasty bread

High

Limit. Choose whole grain if available.

Whole wheat bread

Low to Medium

Better than white bread, but still count slices.

Ensaymada

High

Avoid/Limit; refined flour with sugar and fat.

Monay/putok/Spanish bread

High

Limit, usually also with refined flour and sugar.

Biko/suman/kutsinta/sapin-sapin palitaw

High

Limit strongly; sticky rice and sugar raise blood sugar quickly.

Champorado

High

Limit; rice + sugar. Use unsweetened cocoa and smaller rice portion if modified.

Instant oatmeal

Medium to High

Choose plain rolled oats instead.

3. Noodles and Pasta common in the Philippines

Pancit bihon

Medium to High

Limit portion; add more vegetables and protein.

Pancit canton

Medium to High

Limit; often oily and salty.

Instant noodles

High overall health concern!

Avoid due to refined carbs, sodium and low nutrition.

Spaghetti

Medium to High

Limit; Sweet sauce increases sugar load.

Pasta cooked al dente

Usually Medium

Better option if portion controlled and paired with vegetables and protein.

Mami/lomi

Medium to High

Limit noodles; choose more meat, egg, vegetables; less broth if salty.

4. Fruits common in the Philippines

BETTER FRUIT CHOICES

Apple

Low

1 small piece

Pear

Low

1 small piece

Orange/dalandan

Low to Medium

1 small piece

Pomelo/suha

Low to Medium

1 cup segments

Guava/bayabas

Low

1 medium piece

Papaya

Low to Medium

1 cup

Saba banana, boiled

Medium

1 small piece

Avocado

Low carb

Good choice; avoid condensed milk or sugar

FRUITS TO LIMIT

Mango

Can raise sugar quickly, especially ripe mango. Limit to small slices.

Pineapple

Higher sugar load if large portion.

Watermelon

Often listed as high GI, though portion matters.

Grapes

Easy to overeat.

Ripe banana/lakatan

Can raise sugar if large or very ripe.

Fruit juice

Avoid/limit; fast sugar absorption and less fiber.

Dried fruit

Avoid/limit; concentrated sugar.

5. Vegetables: Best Choices for Diabetes

Non-starchy vegetables are among the best foods for diabetes because they are high in fiber and low in digestible carbohydrates.

BEST/EAT MORE OFTEN

Ampalaya

Good low-carb vegetables; do not rely on it as “medicine”

Pechay

Excellent soups and stir-fries.

Kangkong

Good but avoid too much oil or bagoong.

Malunggay

Nutrient-dense, good in tinola or monggo.

Sayote

Low-carb, good for soups.

Upo

Good, low-card vegetable.

Talong

Good if grilled/boiled; avoid heavily fried tortang talong daily.

Okra

Good fiber source.

Sitaw/green beans

Good, but watch salty sauces.

Cabbage/repolyo

Good, affordable, filling.

Cucumber/pipino

Good snack option.

Tomato/kamatis

Good, low-carb.

VEGETABLES/STARCHY FOODS TO PORTION CONTROL

Kalabasa

Nutritious but starchy; moderate portions.

Potato

Limit.

Corn

Count as carbohydrate.

Gabi

Count as carbohydrate.

Kamote

Better carb choice, but still count portion.

Cassava

Limit, especially if sweetened or fried.

6. Protein Foods: Usually safe for Blood Sugar

Plain protein foods have little to no GI because it only applies to carbohydrate-containing foods. These are usually good choices when grilled, boiled, steamed, or cooked with minimal oil and sugar.

Fish: bangus, tilapia, galunggong, tuna, salmon, sardines

Good Protein choices; avoid sweet sauces and deep-frying.

Chicken

Good; remove skin if trying to reduce saturated fat.

Eggs

Good protein; avoid pairing with large rice portions.

Tofu/tokwa

Good plant protein; better steamed or lightly pan-seared than deep-fried.

Monggo

Good fiber + protein; portion-controlled because it still contains crabs.

Pork/beef

Does not spike sugar directly, but choose lean cuts and avoid processed meats.

Processed meats: hotdog, ham, longganisa and tocino

Limit; often high sodium, fat, and sometimes sugar.

The American Diabetes Association lists nutrient-dense options such as leafy vegetables, beans, fish, and other whole foods as helpful choices in diabetes meal planning.

7. Filipino Dishes: Better Choices or to limit

BETTER CHOICES

Tinola

Protein + vegetables; low sugar.

Sinigang

Good if with fish/lean meat and lots of vegetables.

Nilaga

Good if lean meat and more vegetables, less potato.

Pinakbet

Good vegetable dish; reduce bagoong and oil.

Ginisang monggo

Good fiber/protein; control rice portion.

Grilled fish/inihaw na isda

Good protein; low carb.

Chicken adobo

Can be okay; avoid sugar and limit rice.

Tortang Talong

Okay it not oily and paired with vegetables.

LIMIT OR MODIFY

Kare-kare

High fat; bagoong high in salt; rice portions often large.

Caldereta/menudo/afritada

Often has potatoes, sugar and fatty meat.

Sweet-style spaghetti

Refined pasta with sweet sauce.

Tocino, longganisa, tapa with garlic rice

High in sugar, salt and fat; commonly eaten with rice.

Fried chicken

High calories and also eaten with rice.

Sisig

High fat with salt.

Lechon kawali/chicharon

Avoid or limit because it is high in saturated fat.

8. Drinks: Very important for Filipino Patients

Sugary drinks are one of the fastest ways to raise blood sugar levels.

Water

BEST daily drink.

Unsweetened tea

Good alternative for water.

Black Coffee

Good if no sugar/creamer.

Soft drinks

Avoid regular versions.

Milk tea

Avoid/limit; very high sugar unless unsweetened. Culprit for younger diabetic patients.

Fruit juice

Avoid/limit; even “natural” juices raise sugar fast.

3-in-1 coffee

Limit; contains sugar and creamer.

Sago’t gulaman

Avoid/limit; this is sugar syrup.

Buko juice

Limit; natural sugar still counts as sugar.

Energy drinks

Avoid regular versions.

Simple list of “Can Eat / Limit / Avoid” as a summary.

CAN EAT MORE OFTEN

- Ampalaya, pechay, kangkong, malunggay, sayote, upo, okra, cucumber, tomato

- Fish, chicken, eggs, tofu, lean meat

- Monggo and beans in controlled portions

- Guava, apple, orange, papaya, suha

- Brown rice, red rice, black rice, corn, kamote – portion has to be controlled since these are still carbohydrates.

LIMIT

- White rice

- Pandesal and white bread

- Pancit, pasta, noodles

- Mango, pineapple, watermelon, ripe banana

- Kalabasa, potato, cassava, gabi

- Kakanin

- Sweetened coffee and milk tea

AVOID OR RESERVED FOR RARE OCCASIONS

- Soft drinks

- Fruit juice

- Sago’t gulaman

- Sweet milk tea

- Cakes, donuts, pastries

- Candy and chocolates with sugar

- Large serving of kakanin

- Deep-fried fast food with rice

- Tocino, sweet longganisa, sweet Filipino-style spaghetti

We don’t have to remove rice in our meals. But for many diabetic patients, the goal is to reduce the rice portion, choose higher-fiber carbohydrates, add more vegetables, and include protein with every meal. A better Filipino plate might look like this: ½ plate vegetables + ¼ plate fish or chicken or egg or tofu + ¼ plate rice or kamote.

Also, blood sugar response differs per person. The best test is still checking glucose readings such as Fasting Blood Sugar which are requested and discussed with your friendly internal medicine doctor, and that is me! Doc Damian!