While your family's habit of eating rice first might offer immediate comfort, it does not align with modern nutritional principles. Consuming carbohydrates on an empty stomach causes a rapid spike in blood sugar, forcing the pancreas to overwork in producing insulin. Over time, this can lead to weight gain, diabetes, and metabolic disorders.

Conversely, prioritizing vegetables and meat offers significant advantages. The fiber in vegetables aids gentle digestion and creates a protective buffer for the stomach lining against dry, hard foods. Crucially, this eating sequence slows down sugar absorption into the bloodstream and promotes early satiety, naturally helping you reduce rice consumption. This simple, scientific adjustment is easy to implement and particularly beneficial for managing weight and controlling health conditions without resorting to restrictive diets.

This advice comes from nutrition expert Phan Thai Tan, who graduated from the University of Medicine and Pharmacy, TP HCM, and the Institute for Integrative Nutrition (IIN), US.