Rice is not only considered a vital part of Indian culture, but the whole Asian community as well. Its hard to imagine a meal without rice. People do need some sources of healthy carbs and rice can be a relatively safe and much better option. When it comes to the health part, most of us avoid. Most common complaints we hear against white rice are on the lines of It will make you fat, it has no essential nutrients, its white so its bad (unhealthy) and, all white things are unhealthy. But, white rice doesnt deserve all the hate it gets.
On the other hand, brown rice is the first choice if you are looking for a healthier option. Brown rice is more nutritious than white rice. Brown rice also excels over white rice in the fiber content. It has all the important nutrients your body requires and many more benefits. Just because its good to eat a diet rich in relatively unprocessed foods, that doesnt mean you should avoid white rice. Brown rice has its shortcoming as well. So heres discussing why white rice isnt as bad as its considered to be:
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Carbs Content
So lets get the elephant out of the room first. One cup of cooked rice, whether white or brown has almost similar carb content. Brown rice, while being all nutrient-dense somewhat lacks in the healthy carb content. This proportion is highly overshadowed by the layers of fiber on the whole grain. White rice is ripped off all the additional layers and thus, has better carb content. Optimum carb content is essential for our body to function properly. It gives us much required energy. In the end, it all comes down to your portion. Doesnt matter if you are having brown or white rice, if your portion isnt controlled you are automatically taking in more carbs.
Arsenic
Arsenic is commonly found in nature and many man-made products (including pesticides, herbicides and fertilizers) and its toxic to us humans. Rice contains higher levels of arsenic than other grains due to the way its grown and this applies to both brown and white rice. According to many researches, brown rice generally contains a bit more arsenic than white rice. According to recent reports, many of the brown rice brands have been found to contain at least 50% more than the safe amount of arsenic.Thats why brown rice should not be eaten often or in an excess quantity. Portion-controlling is the key here.
Folate
Folate, also known as folic acid, folacin and vitamin B9, is one of the B vitamins. This vitamin is absolutely necessary for women, particularly those who are pregnant. It’s essential for the production, repair, and functioning of DNA, our genetic map and a basic building block of cells.While brown rice is rich in essential B vitamins, it contains a comparably lesser amount of folate. White rice on the other hand, is an excellent source of folate.
Digestibility
It is a given that brown rice, being nutrient and fiber-heavy, is not that easily digested. Overdose of the grain based fiber can harm the gut, thus hampering the digestion process. White rice, on the other hand, is a reasonable digestive option. White rice while processing removes the bran layer and thus eliminates the threat of phytic acid. Though, it has limited fiber content and has most of the essential nutrients in finite. These factors make white rice superior for those with a weak digestive system and in general as well.
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Fat Content
White Rice contains less fat in comparison to brown rice. A cup of brown rice contains around 2-3 grams of fat when compared to the one gram or less of fat in white rice. This depends on the quality of white rice you prefer. Always opt for good quality long grained thick basmati rice.
Conclusion
The reason white rice is been hated mainly because our main aim is to lose weight and get fit. We need to understand, a bowl of white rice wont make us fat or a bowl of brown rice wont make us fit. If our aim is to lose weight it actually doesnt matter what rice we choose. It all comes down to our metabolism and most importantly our portion-size. If we know what were doing with our total calories and macros, we can eat anything and lose weight. If you have any medical issues its better to consult your doctors or physicians or nutritionist before choosing the better rice.
White rice has forever been frowned upon due to their low fiber and limited nutrient content. We can also make an argument that South India is a (white)rice eating region or the Japanese are the most healthiest and long-living community because they eat white rice more effectively. Its safe to conclude that while white rice has their pros and cons, they arent your enemy, just be cautious with the quality.
Disclaimer: This post was written by our guest contributor. The content herein is owned by the blogger. Gympik is not responsible for any kind of infringement caused.