Rice and pasta

fosterks

Why are wholewheat pasta and brown rice better?

I'm not disputing that they are, just interested to know why.

nichi123

Love wholewheat pasta....but brown rice??? YUCK!!!! lol

ejmcam

They are whole grains, and your body processes them better. Most things made with white flour (reg pasta) your body has trouble processing. White rice has had the bran removed. The bran is what makes it a grain.

ejmcam

Found this on the Mayo clinic website :

Whole grains haven't had their bran and germ removed by milling, making them good sources of fiber — the part of plant-based foods that your body doesn't digest. Among many health benefits, high-fiber foods also tend to make you feel full longer.

Refined grains, such as white rice or white flour, have both the bran and germ removed from the grain. Although vitamins and minerals are added back into refined grains after the milling process, they still don't have as many nutrients as whole grains do, and they don't provide as much fiber naturally.

sagisun1969

Whole wheat pasta and brown rice are complex carbs. Complex carbs take longer to break down than simple carbs and therefore your body has to use more energy to digest them and process them in your body. Since your body is using more energy breaking down the complex carbs, you your body doesn't retain as many calories or carbs from those types of foods.

Selly7749

And lots of lovely fibre too!

TateFTW

Whole wheat pasta and brown rice are complex carbs. Complex carbs take longer to break down than simple carbs and therefore your body has to use more energy to digest them and process them in your body. Since your body is using more energy breaking down the complex carbs, you your body doesn't retain as many calories or carbs from those types of foods.

Right answer, wrong reason. The amount of energy you use processing foods is miniscule and hardly worth noting.

Complex carbs take longer to process, therefore they give you good energy for longer periods of time, as opposed to simple carbs which quickly digest and flood the bloodstream with sugars. This is why simple carbs leave you feeling drained and hungry not too long after you eat them, which is not very helpful when you're trying to stick to a calorie deficient diet.

Carbs always process into sugars inside the body, the only difference between them is how long it takes.

pnieuw

Also complex carbs have a lower glycemic index. The lower the index value, the slower your body raises your blood sugar. Eat simple carbs, like white bread, and you get a quick boost to your blood sugar, compared to whole wheat bread.

Lower glycemic index means a slower release into your blood stream, and that's better for your health!

Great info at http://www.glycemicindex.com/