Rice is a quintessential part of the Indian diet and consuming more than one serving of it a day is a common practice in almost every household. With health and fitness being an integral part of social media, healthier options such as brown and even red rice have gained a lot of popularity in the last few years. Such is the human mindset that we are led to believe by marketing companies that everything brown is healthier. But what's the truth and are these brown and red variants of these age-old grains any healthier? In today's blog, we'll share all the insights.
Brown rice:
Brown rice is a grain that contains the outer shell or coating of the grain, and only has its outer inedible husk removed, but the germ fairly untouched. it is this outer layer with the germ that contains a fair amount of nutrients such as various vitamins, minerals and a whole lot of fiber.
Red Rice:
Just like its brown cousin, red rice too has its hull or husk is the only thing that is removed and the bran remains unremoved. Calorically, brown and red rice are fairly similar and the only differentiator is the pigmentation that gives it its colour. So how exactly is white rice the unhealthier of the 3 grains?
White Rice:
Unlike its coloured cousins, white rice has its hull, husk, and bran removed. The bran is where all the nutrients such as vitamins, minerals, and fiber are. So why exactly is it removed? Well, the justification given for the same is that since the bran contains phytic acid, an anti-nutrient, it can prevent one's body from absorbing nutrients. But what they fail to tell you is that soaking brown and red rice can get rid of most if not all of the phytic acid. Moreover, since white rice is so low in fiber, and is almost all carbohydrates, it can and will spike your blood sugar levels and over time, can lead to insulin resistance and even type 2 diabetes.
Rice in itself isn't bad. Rice has been an integral part of Indian diets for centuries and is satiating as well. But when you measure the pros and cons between the refined (white) grain v the unrefined and unprocessed (red/brown) grain, the clear winner here is the unprocessed grain, as not only is it high in dietary fiber, but is also packed with nutrients that your body needs.
If you or your family members are frequent rice consumers and are looking for healthier alternatives, then you must opt for unprocessed grains always. For more such health and wellness blogs, do keep following us.
Questions?