Rice...Is This The Devil Even When Its Brown??

CeleryStalker

I like all kinds of rice. White rice, basmati, jasmine, brown, I even bought some black rice this week. I eat rice 4x/day most days and my fitness has never been better. Everything in moderation and appropriate ratios. I was sad panda without rice.

Acg67

Here is an interesting article from Web MD on how eating brown rice instead of white rice can significantly reduce the risk of T2 diabetes because it has a lower glycemic index and causes a much lower spike in blood glucose after eating it

http://diabetes.webmd.com/news/20100614/brown-rice-vs-white-rice-which-is-better

Here are a couple of excerpts

June 14, 2010 -- Replacing white rice in your diet with brown rice may reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes, according to a new study.

The finding is important because the consumption of white rice in the United States has increased dramatically in the past few decades, and about 18 million Americans have type 2 diabetes.

Researchers at the Harvard School of Public Health say eating two or more servings of brown rice weekly seems to be associated with a lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes. On the other hand, they report, eating five or more servings of white rice per week is associated with an increased risk.

Qi Sun, MD, now an instructor of medicine at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, and colleagues at Harvard estimate that replacing 50 grams daily of white rice (uncooked, equivalent to a one-third serving) with the same amount of brown rice would lower the risk of type 2 diabetes by 16%.

Replacing the same amount of white rice with other whole grains, such as barley and wheat, is associated with a 36% reduced risk.

The study is published in the online journal Archives of Internal Medicine.

The researchers say the study is the first to specifically examine white rice vs. brown rice in relation to development of type2 diabetes among Americans.

“Rice consumption in the U.S. has dramatically increased in recent decades,” Sun says in a news release. “We believe replacing white rice and other refined grains with whole grains, including brown rice, would lower the risk of type 2 diabetes.”

White rice is created by removing the bran and germ portions of brown rice. The authors say that more than 70% of rice eaten in the U.S. is white.

Brown Rice Reduces Diabetes Risk

The scientists examined rice consumption and diabetes risk in 39,765 men and 157,463 women in three large studies -- the Health Professionals Follow-Up Study and the Nurses’ Health Study I and II.

They analyzed responses to questionnaires completed every four years about diet, lifestyle, and health conditions.

After adjusting for age and other lifestyle and dietary risk factors, people who consumed five or more servings of white rice per week had a 17% increased risk of diabetes, compared to people who ate less than one serving per month.

But eating two or more servings of brown rice per week was associated with an 11% reduced risk of developing type 2 diabetes, compared to eating less than one serving of brown rice per month.

White rice has a higher glycemic index than brown rice, the researchers say. That index is a measure of how fast a particular food raises blood glucose levels, compared with the same amount of glucose.

“The high glycemic index of white rice consumption is likely the consequence of disrupting the physical and botanical structure of rice grains during the refining process,” the authors write. “The other consequence of the refining process includes loss of fiber, vitamins, magnesium and other minerals, lignans, phytoestrogens, and phytic acid, many of which may be protective factors for diabetes risk.”

They recommend replacing white rice and other refined grains with brown rice to try to prevent type 2 diabetes.

Brown rice, the researchers say, often does not generate as

Lol GI

Notice how they don't mention how much the phytic acid inhibits mineral absorption of the greater minerals in brown?

cwolfman13

Should starches be limited?? i Almost feel the white rice is empty calories & the starch will be turned into sugar/fat?? iv been informed several different things in regards to the white rice so thats why im a tad confused. I know brown rice has more nutritional value.

i kind of heard the same thing about potatoes and it being a starch..to try & not eat white rice or potatoes every day..but i kind of feel like this may not necessarily be bad eating them as long as i stay in my calorie range

For one, you have to consider the source...also, you really have to take a step back and look at context and how we got to this point of demonizing carbohydrates in general. The bottom line is that most people eating the SAD could stand to dump some carbs from their daily intake...because the SAD is extremely unbalanced and carb heavy...and a lot of simple sugars at that.

Carbs aren't the devil though...they are the rocket fuel that propels your body. I could not do the things I do without starchy carbs like potatoes, rice, pasta, etc...these are the things that allow me to go rock 50 miles on my bike without falling flat on my face afterwards.

If you're sedentary or if your diet is carb heavy already you may benefit from a reduction due to the fact that if you're sedentary you just don't need that rocket fuel and if your diet is carb overload you have too much rocket fuel...but if you're active at all, there's nothing "empty" about starches or other carbohydrates...they move you.

I would suggest going old school...balanced diet rich in nutrient dense foods...with a smattering of jelly beans here and there...and beer.

meeper123

eat what you want if you can fit it into your calories. It is when you get super restrictive that you are setting yourself up to fail.

been there done that...

CeleryStalker

I can't cook brown rice. I fail at it SO hard. I burn it, every time. Or it ends up crunchy...sometimes both? I love white rice. It doesn't matter what rice you like, it's about the macros and your calorie limit. If you're in a calorie deficit you will lose weight :P

I cook brown rice the same way I cook pasta....with a LOT of water, cook for about 30 minutes, then drain off the excess water. So good!

CeleryStalker

I don't understand any of these posts. I don't do anything differently to cook white or brown (or red or black or even wild) rice. I just put the specified amount rice and liquid in a pan bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and let it cook for however long the package says. I've never had a problem.

LOL ya, that too. I used to use the specified amount on the bag, but then I noticed on the Mahatma (or maybe Uncle Ben's?) that you can add a surplus of water, boil til soft, then drain. It's my preferred method for cooking rice now, regardless of the type.

wheird

Nutritionally, their profile is so similar that it barely matters. Brown rice has slightly more fiber, not enough to even matter. White rice 3-4x the folic acid (a B vitamin).

Choose which you like the taste of more.

How does white rice get more B vitamins? My understanding is that white rice starts out as brown rice.

Folic acid is often added to foods during the processing...process.

wheird

Also, regarding carbohydrates. Carbs are generally broken down into three categories. Starches (Complex), sugars (Simple), and fiber (fiber).

Starches are not bad, mkay?

ldrosophila

They both have their place. Brown has more fiber and it's got that nutty taste. White is delicious with sushi. If you need vitamin A try golden rice.

If you are a diabetic both can cause your blood sugars to be high.

redheaddee

Neither. Both. I love Purple Jasmine rice, it is gorgeous on a plate. And the aromatic Egyptian rice I got at the mediterranean market. And beautiful, black wild rice. I love them all.

mustgetmuscles1

Always my favorite thing to post in rice threads.

Alan Aragon

White rice actually has an equal or better nutritional yield & also has a better nitrogen-retentive effect than brown rice. This is because the fiber & phytate content of brown rice act as antinutrients, reducing the bioavailability of the micronutrients it contains. Since no one is reading the fricking link, I'll just lay things out here:

---

Comparison of the nutritional value between brown rice and white rice

Callegaro Mda D, Tirapegui J. Arq Gastroenterol. 1996 Oct-Dec;33(4):225-31.

Cereals are considered an important source of nutrients both in human and animal nourishment. In this paper nutritional value of brown rice is compared to that of white rice in relation to nutrients. Results show that despite higher nutrients contents of brown rice compared to white rice, experimental data does not provide evidence that the brown rice diet is better than the diet based on white rice. Possible antinutritional factors present in brown rice have adverse effects on bioavailability of this cereal nutrients.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9302338

---

Effects of brown rice on apparent digestibility and balance of nutrients in young men on low protein diets

J Nutr Sci Vitaminol (Tokyo). 1987 Jun;33(3):207-18. .Miyoshi H, Okuda T, Okuda K, Koishi H.

The effect of brown rice with low protein intake was studied in five healthy young men. Feces were weighed, the digestibility of nutrients was determined, and blood tests were made. Each subject followed a diet consisting mainly of polished rice for 14 days and one consisting mainly of brown rice for 8 days. Both diets contained 0.5 g protein per kg of body weight. The brown rice diet had 3 times as much dietary fiber as the polished rice diet. On the brown rice diet, fecal weight increased, and apparent digestibility of energy, protein, and fat decreased, as did the absorption rates of Na, K, and P. The nitrogen balance was negative on both diets, but more negative on the brown rice diet. The phosphorus balance on the brown rice diet was significantly negative, but other minerals were not affected by the diet. The levels of cholesterol and minerals in the plasma were not significantly different on the polished rice diet and the brown rice diet. Comparing these results with data on standard protein intake (Miyoshi, H. et al (1986) J. Nutr. Sci. Vitaminol., 32, 581-589.), we concluded that brown rice reduced protein digestibility and nitrogen balance.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2822877

RachelN76

Jasmine rice is fragrant and delicate. Mmmmmm.
Basmati for everyday rice.
Brown basmati is my favourite, nutty and delicious.

bcattoes

Since no one is reading the fricking link, I'll just lay things out here

Perhaps there aren't many young men on low protein diets on here, or many that think reading only 2 studies tells you much about nutrition.

eric_sg61

Here is an interesting article from Web MD

Stopped reading at this point...............oh and IN after Aragon

sdionnemoore

First time I made brown rice, my husband said it looked like headless maggots. :noway: Regardless, I prefer it over white.

RachyLovesRattys

I wonder if anyone saw the episode of the Doctors or Dr.Oz or some ish like that where they said brown rice is awesome nutritionally, except because it contains the whole fibrous part and all, it leaches arsenic from the soil and holds it there. Apparently, just like cyanide in apple sauce/juice, you can eventually overdo it with arsenic if you eat a lot of brown rice. They recommended switching it up occasionally back and forth from white to brown rice. That also being said, there's arsenic in our bodies anyway and I feel we have much bigger problems to worry about than brown rice.

Edited to say, the reason for the cyanide also is because the seeds are included in processing and not removed, so apples are delciously fine!

ninerbuff

Hmmmm start off by saying the title of this post looks borderline racist at first glance hahahahah

But this is to ask you guys how everyone feels about white rice vs. brown rice. Do you guys stay away from rice completly or is brown rice the way to go if i want rice at all??

Iv heard mixed things regarding white rice so...your thoughts??

Rice is FINE. There isn't a substantial difference between white and brown rice worth noting. Just eat which one you like better.

A.C.E. Certified Personal/Group FitnessTrainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

ninerbuff

all rice is the devil.... CARBS

Only to those who don't know how to eat carbs correctly.

A.C.E. Certified Personal/Group FitnessTrainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

metaphoria

Rice isn't the devil.

Raw onion and candy corn are the devil.

ninerbuff

Should starches be limited?? i Almost feel the white rice is empty calories & the starch will be turned into sugar/fat?? iv been informed several different things in regards to the white rice so thats why im a tad confused. I know brown rice has more nutritional value.

i kind of heard the same thing about potatoes and it being a starch..to try & not eat white rice or potatoes every day..but i kind of feel like this may not necessarily be bad eating them as long as i stay in my calorie range

All carbs are broken down to sugar in the body regardless of source. And you're right about just staying in calorie range.

A.C.E. Certified Personal/Group FitnessTrainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition