White Rice Unhealthy?

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Replies

  • Achrya
    Achrya Posts: 16,913 Member
    I have white rice a few times a week and so far I seem fine. No insulin spikes leading to fat storage or whatever.
  • emtjmac
    emtjmac Posts: 1,320 Member
    I AM WHITE RICE. CONSUME ME AND YOU WILL ENJOY RICHES BEYOND IMAGINATION. RRRRIIIIICHESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS...
  • Ang108
    Ang108 Posts: 1,711 Member
    Somebody beat it in my head that white rice is bad for me, and I should not eat it at all.

    My question is... is that necessarily true? What is so bad with white rice?

    Also: I don't mean the rice after toppings and such, I mean the white rice completely alone.

    The nutritional differences in white and brown rice are so minute that you will have to make your own personal choice. If you want a tiny bit more fiber; eat brown rice and if you want the nutrients to be absorbed a tiny bit easier/faster...eat white. Both are high calorie, which means that 2 cups a day ( as one poster suggested) adds up to 650 calories, which is fine if you have the calories to spend. If not practice moderation......it's simple....:o).
  • rickyll
    rickyll Posts: 188 Member
    White rice is no healthier or no less healthier than brown rice. Brown rice is composed of larger molecules (less processed) so your body takes a longer time breaking it down and thus, Brown rice give you more energy for longer periods of time and makes you feel full for longer than white rice does.

    Only difference. well not the only difference but a major one.
  • TrailNurse
    TrailNurse Posts: 359 Member
    It spikes insulin and triggers the body to store fat. Unless you are an athlete or a body builder, I wouldn't eat it especially if you are overweight and insulin resistant.....which most obese people are.

    If that is true then why didn't Asians get fat? They didn't until they started eating Western crap.

    You might find this study interesting.


    National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, a research program from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

    Dr. Karen Kim, a professor of medicine at the University of Chicago, said: 'It looks as if we (Asians) don’t have a problem. But it’s a huge problem. 'There are huge differences where weight does not adequately reflect the realities of complications from being overweight.

    'For Asians, you do not have to be overweight to get the complications for obesity.' But that is likely to be masking a problem in the Asian community, leading people to falsely believe that they are healthier than they actually are.


    Asians carry their weight around their organs so cardiovascular disease, can start in normal-weight Asians who have a BMI of just 19 or 20.

    Moral of the story.....just because you are "skinny fat" does not mean you are healthy.
  • Mia_RagazzaTosta
    Mia_RagazzaTosta Posts: 4,885 Member
    It's unhealthy if there's no butter or salt in it.
  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
    NO, it's not unhealthy.


    It's actually a bit debatable whether brown rice is 'healthier' at all. The 'antinutrients' (I know, it sounds made up but they're actually compounds that block nutrient absorption like phytic acid) in brown rice might actually make white rice come out on top for nutrient absorption. In the plus column for brown rice is fiber- so I guess it wins if your diet lacks fiber sources.

    Yep.
  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
    It spikes insulin and triggers the body to store fat. Unless you are an athlete or a body builder, I wouldn't eat it especially if you are overweight and insulin resistant.....which most obese people are.

    Much more than brown? What about in a mixed macro meal?

    How do you store fat in a caloric deficit?

    Have a read of this

    http://www.weightology.net/weightologyweekly/?page_id=319
  • Rice has been found to have VERY high levels of cancer-causing arsenic. The FDA has warned the public to not overdue their intake. It's really sad seeing people giving their babies spoonfuls of rice cereal all the time. Brown rice levels of arsenic are actually higher than white rice, so the FDA says you can eat it in moderation.
  • ILiftHeavyAcrylics
    ILiftHeavyAcrylics Posts: 27,732 Member
    Rice has been found to have VERY high levels of cancer-causing arsenic. The FDA has warned the public to not overdue their intake. It's really sad seeing people giving their babies spoonfuls of rice cereal all the time. Brown rice levels of arsenic are actually higher than white rice, so the FDA says you can eat it in moderation.

    Here's the statement from the FDA in case anyone is curious. I googled because I hadn't heard about it. They're saying basically that there's no immediate risk but to eat it in moderation.

    http://www.fda.gov/Food/FoodborneIllnessContaminants/Metals/ucm319870.htm
  • Thanks for posting the link!

    Arsenic builds up in the body, so limiting exposure to it within reason is probably a good plan of action.
  • UpEarly
    UpEarly Posts: 2,555 Member
    have you tried riviana brown rice with a nutty flavour.... eaten with chilli tuna and mix carrots, peas and green peas.. damn... im hungry... time for that TREAT MEAL... LOL

    Well... since I sort of hate tuna, I don't think your treat meal is going to do anything for me! haha
  • MVY_
    MVY_ Posts: 253 Member
    No it's not bad, just don't have a good of nutrition as other rice. :) I'm asian and I still eat white rice once in a while. It's habit I don't think I can break. Lol
  • fit4lifeUcan2
    fit4lifeUcan2 Posts: 1,458 Member
    Are all the Asian people sick/ dying/ fat?. So NO it's fine.

    Actually they have the highest rate of stomach and intestinal cancers because white rice is high in arsenic. In moderation its not bad but if you eat it every day for the majority of your meals you're at a higher risk for these cancers. But over all its not all that unhealthy for you. Eat brown rice if you want a healthier option.
  • mockchoc
    mockchoc Posts: 6,573 Member
    Are all the Asian people sick/ dying/ fat?. So NO it's fine.

    Actually they have the highest rate of stomach and intestinal cancers because white rice is high in arsenic. In moderation its not bad but if you eat it every day for the majority of your meals you're at a higher risk for these cancers. But over all its not all that unhealthy for you. Eat brown rice if you want a healthier option.

    So I take it you didn't bother to read what a poster above gave us to read? Brown rice has around twice as much arsenic.

    Here I'll give it to you again.

    http://www.fda.gov/Food/FoodborneIllnessContaminants/Metals/ucm319870.htm
  • airdiva1
    airdiva1 Posts: 198 Member
    Have you tried black rice? It's yummy!
  • LiftAllThePizzas
    LiftAllThePizzas Posts: 17,857 Member
    It spikes insulin and triggers the body to store fat. Unless you are an athlete or a body builder, I wouldn't eat it especially if you are overweight and insulin resistant.....which most obese people are.
    Protein spikes insulin. Should people avoid protein?
  • psmd
    psmd Posts: 764 Member
    It's not terrible--but I find it hard to keep portions down, I think that's what's bad about it. Also my mom makes it with butter AND oil!!! Tastes awesome but I've stopped eating hers for that reason. If I make it, I like to mix 1/2 rice, 1/2 quinoa to at least add some protein to the mix. And I watch my portions better.
  • allaboutthecake
    allaboutthecake Posts: 1,535 Member
    White rice is really really bad for "me" cuz I luv to load up brown sugar and real butter on it and mix in full-strength whipping cream. :love: Okay, that in itself is not bad...but putting me into an overloaded sugar crash coma is while I'm driving :noway:

    So I like to eat it at night. :laugh: In the safety of my pajamas in my own home.







    And now, I want some white rice. :ohwell:
  • mockchoc
    mockchoc Posts: 6,573 Member
    Have you tried black rice? It's yummy!

    Love black rice or wild rice even though wild rice isn't actually a type of rice still delicious.