For diabetic patients struggling to control spikes in sugar levels, Primera Rice may be just the rice for you as it causes no spikes in sugar levels. A senior lecturer shares her story with Dr Janet Woo.
FOR Dr Shazilah Kamaruddin, Primera Rice is like an answer to her prayer for a healthy rice for her diabetic mum. The 40-year-old lecturer attached to the Faculty of Science and Technology at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) was at her wits’ end, wondering how to help control her mum’s sugar levels when she was given a gift pack of Primera rice at a conference to try out.
“My mum is 62 and has been a diabetic since she was 17. At first, she only needed to take oral medication. But then, she caught tuberculosis (TB) in 2018 and had to take insulin jabs ever since. My three siblings and I have to monitor her sugar levels regularly.
“This is not easy to juggle as mum lives alone in Kluang, Johor while we work in Kuala Lumpur (KL). We have discussed relocating mum to KL but like most mothers today, mum is adamant about having her own space. Besides, she has her own set of friends back in her kampung.
“I was really worried about mum, and desperately searching the Internet and asking friends about ways to control her sugar levels. Then, I attended a conference in January this year and was given this gift pack of Primera rice. I decided to let mum try it. “To my surprise, mum liked the rice. Said it tasted like pulut hitam (black pulut).
“I was so relieved when I heard that because mum refuses to eat anything that is not delicious to her,” added Dr Shazilah with a laugh.
According to Dr Shazilah, the good effects of eating Primera Rice were felt by her mum Puan Maitah Tahir almost immediately. It is almost as if she has been given a new lease on life. “Mum now takes Primera Red Rice for her main meals, namely, breakfast and lunch. Her sugar level hovers at around 15 to 17mmol/L. With white rice, her sugar level used to spike to much higher levels, sometimes above 25mmol/L.
“She can even take snacks in the afternoon now, without experiencing a sugar spike. But I don’t encourage her to eat rice for dinner – it is too heavy for her. She sleeps early, so her last meal for the day is usually something light, before 8pm. “Thanks to Primera red rice, my siblings and I do not have to worry so much about my mum’s health now. But I still insist on her sending me pictures of her sugar levels off and on, just to check on her.
‘I call my mum often, and make sure she eats Primera Red Rice at least once a day. Mum usually eats the rice on its own, with meat, vegetables and curry as side dishes. But sometimes, she makes it into a bubur (akin to porridge).” Dr Shazilah sources for Primera Red Rice from supermarkets like Lotus.
“It is easily available and quite economical. A 10-kg pack can last 3 to 5 months for my mum as she stays alone. You just add three cups of water to half a cup of rice and boil this to get nice, soft, fluffy rice. The rice expands upon cooking and is quite filling.”
For now, at least, Dr Shazilah is happy to continue using Primera red rice for her mum and strongly recommends it.
“I will stick to Primera Red Rice for my mum. I won’t change her diet. I am not a medical person but Primera makes me confident as it is based on years of research and I have seen its benefits on my mum. I am just so grateful that my mum can continue to enjoy rice without spikes in sugar levels.
“Diabetic patients should seriously consider replacing white rice with this. Primera red rice is not only delicious and nutritious but also fills you up so you will not over-indulge in the carbohydrates.
“Most important of all, no more alarming spikes in sugar levels.”
