One of the most common carbohydrate that people consume is rice, the question is, white or brown.
White rice is America’s favorite carbohydrate; it is even sometimes referred to as “American rice.” Roughly 70 percent of the rice eaten in the United States today is white, but white rice is brown rice.
What? Yes, it is refined brown rice. When rice is harvested it typically goes to a mill and is cleaned and the husks are taken off the grains. At this stage it is brown rice, it still has many layers of bran on the grain. Bran is simply the outside layer or layers of a grain.
Manufacturers get rid of these layers so that they are easier to digest even if most of the nutrients that the grain will provide are in the bran. They do this is because it takes less time to cook white rice. White rice also weighs less than brown rice so it was cheaper to export and import. White rice also lasts longer in storage because it doesn’t attract as many insects and doesn’t have the natural rice oil which would lead it to soil.
Brown rice, on the other hand, is rice right after it is harvested and the husk is taken off. The rice still has all of its natural nutrients like B vitamins, manganese, selenium and magnesium and all of its original dietary fiber and essential fatty acids.
Manganese helps your body utilize certain nutrients, helps regulate blood sugar levels, and helps protect your cells. Selenium helps prevent the risk of joint inflammation and support your thyroid and healthy cells. Magnesium is utilized all throughout your body. It supports healthy bones, your energy and metabolism; maintain a healthy nervous system, and blood sugar levels.
Incorporating this food into your diet will provide you with a good amount of healthy fiber for your diet. This fiber will help you feel “fuller” and will cause you to eat less. It is also considered a whole grain, and will help stabilize your blood sugar so it is good for people who are at risk of diabetes. It is one of the most nutrient dense foods. It has natural oils that are a healthy fat, as well as, has some anti-oxidant properties.
On the other hand, white rice is not as nutrient dense and is digested quickly which will cause your blood sugar to peak in a short time. This can cause damage to your blood vessels and nerves. Over time this can lead to type 2 diabetes, heart and kidney disease.
Not to be confused, any grain, or starchy foods will cause your blood sugar to rise. But you want a gradual release so your body can have sustained release of nutrients, so your body will not store the unused energy as fat.
One thing that you need to keep in mind is making sure that all of your carbohydrates count. Try to get more whole grain foods like brown rice to get the most out of what you eat.
References:
http://www.yesmagazine.org/blogs/john-cavanagh-and-robin-broad/the-story-of-refined-white-rice
http://www.caloriesecrets.net/10-health-benefits-of-brown-rice/
http://www.vegkitchen.com/tips/10-reasons-why-brown-rice-is-the-healthy-choice/
http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=128
http://diabetes.webmd.com/news/20100614/brown-rice-vs-white-rice-which-is-better
