White Rice Unhealthy?

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  • Ulwaz
    Ulwaz Posts: 380 Member
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    rice is healthy in moderation :)
  • Sreneesa
    Sreneesa Posts: 1,170 Member
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    White rice is the only kind of rice I eat... especially basmati rice! Eating it didn't prevent me from losing weight (or keeping it off for about two years now.) It may not be the most nutrition packed food I eat, but it's not the worst either. I eat more than enough other stuff that's healthy that I don't see why I shouldn't eat the type of rice I prefer. My take... life it too short to eat nasty brown rice. :laugh:

    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

    Yummmyyyyy...
  • KuroNyankoSensei
    KuroNyankoSensei Posts: 288 Member
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    I'm Asian and white rice doesn't do much for me to be honest. I've eaten jasmine white rice all my life, but it's not particularly filling, especially if you're pairing it with mostly vegetable dishes and maybe one meat or fish dish. I would be able to eat three big bowls of it and still feel hungry in an hour.

    Plus, when a lot of Asians go to diet, the first thing they cut out is rice. Either they have a small amount or cut it out completely XP.

    I'd go for a grain that has more fiber and nutrients.
  • arrenaesquivel
    arrenaesquivel Posts: 2
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    I eat a mix of 1/2 brown 1/2 white, it helps with the taste as well as the calories, since brown rice actually has more calories. Well at least the brands i use do. The one thing i can say is rice tends to make me feel heavy, but being half korean it use to be a major part of my diet. I never eat more than 1/2 cup in a single day. The truth is as long as you stay within your calorie goal, you wont gain weight! Hope that helps, good luck everyone!!!
  • arios952013
    arios952013 Posts: 201 Member
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    White rice is a higher glycemic index and is processed (is milled rice that had its husk, bran and germ removed. compared to brown rice. There are other healthier options like Quinoa or whole grains.
    See: http://www.webmd.com/diabetes/news/20100614/brown-rice-vs-white-rice-which-is-better
  • SomeNights246
    SomeNights246 Posts: 807 Member
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    In large amounts, yeah.

    But nothing is good for you in large amounts.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,669 Member
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    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 is insulinogenic. Should that be avoided too since it "triggers" the body to store fat? Fat is stored due to over consumption. Eating rice with a calorie deficit, this doesn't happen.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
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    Been in fitness industry for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
  • SugaryLynx
    SugaryLynx Posts: 2,640 Member
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    It's unhealthy if there's no butter or salt in it.

    ^ oooh, this!
  • Warchortle
    Warchortle Posts: 2,197 Member
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    The white... rice is always trying to bring the brown .. rice down.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,669 Member
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    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.
    American Asians weights are much different than those from outside of the US. Also mentioned by the "article" is that Asian in the US is a collection of many countries. China, Japan, Vietnam, Thailand, etc.
    Hate to say it on my part, but 70% of the overweight Asians are of Filipino decent. The rest of the percentage is divided up amongst the other Asian populations.
    But again, eating rice in a calorie deficit DOESN'T cause one to gain fat as you've stated previously.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
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    Been in fitness industry for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
  • operation6pack
    operation6pack Posts: 9 Member
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    I've heard from Dr. Oz that white rice is not the healthiest because of the starchy content. Brown rice/whole grain is supposed to be better and Quinoa is supposed to be an even better supplement to rice.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,669 Member
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    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.
    Actually it doesn't build up. It leaves the body through urine or is deposited in hair and nails which grow out.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness industry for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
  • MelodyandBarbells
    MelodyandBarbells Posts: 7,725 Member
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    I'd say I eat rice at least three times a week. Got a tiny rice cooker to keep the portions down by cooking only what I need. I used to measure 1/3 cup but the !!!WEIGH EVERYTHING!!! crew got to me and now I weigh the 49g or 1/4 cup serving everytime right in the rice cooker pot (170 calories). Curry thyme and salt get added to it. I started out a/1 cup uncooked then cut down to half, then a third, now the 1/4 serving size. I like the quinoa idea but I've literally eaten rice all my life. It's just nice to incorporate it into a calorie deficit nonetheless.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,669 Member
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    I've heard from Dr. Oz that white rice is not the healthiest because of the starchy content. Brown rice/whole grain is supposed to be better and Quinoa is supposed to be an even better supplement to rice.
    Dr. Oz is a quack. If you're using his information as a resource, you'll end up disappointed. No food is really considered "unhealthy" since health is much more than just about what you eat. Now "nutritionally deficient" I can agree with.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
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    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness industry for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
  • Dewymorning
    Dewymorning Posts: 762 Member
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    I'd say I eat rice at least three times a week. Got a tiny rice cooker to keep the portions down by cooking only what I need. I used to measure 1/3 cup but the !!!WEIGH EVERYTHING!!! crew got to me and now I weigh the 49g or 1/4 cup serving everytime right in the rice cooker pot (170 calories). Curry thyme and salt get added to it. I started out a/1 cup uncooked then cut down to half, then a third, now the 1/4 serving size. I like the quinoa idea but I've literally eaten rice all my life. It's just nice to incorporate it into a calorie deficit nonetheless.

    I don't like eating quinoa by itself, but I found a packet which is rice and quinoa mixed together, and that is what I currently use when I make rice.

    Still have to watch portions though.
  • YorriaRaine
    YorriaRaine Posts: 370 Member
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    Is rice like pasta where to get an accurate serving size you need to measure it before it's cooked? (aka, dry rice)
  • MelodyandBarbells
    MelodyandBarbells Posts: 7,725 Member
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    Is rice like pasta where to get an accurate serving size you need to measure it before it's cooked? (aka, dry rice)

    Yes, the amount and weight of rice after it is cooked will depend on how much water you add to it. To be certain how many calories you're cooking you need to measure or weigh it dry :)
  • knra_grl
    knra_grl Posts: 1,568 Member
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    I like white rice better - I had some brown rice in the cupboard and I just mix them half and half to use it up. Wild Rice or black rice is good but it's actually a seed and I wouldn't eat wild rice with sweet and sour sauce somehow that just wouldn't work for me :ohwell:
  • MelodyandBarbells
    MelodyandBarbells Posts: 7,725 Member
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    I'd say I eat rice at least three times a week. Got a tiny rice cooker to keep the portions down by cooking only what I need. I used to measure 1/3 cup but the !!!WEIGH EVERYTHING!!! crew got to me and now I weigh the 49g or 1/4 cup serving everytime right in the rice cooker pot (170 calories). Curry thyme and salt get added to it. I started out a/1 cup uncooked then cut down to half, then a third, now the 1/4 serving size. I like the quinoa idea but I've literally eaten rice all my life. It's just nice to incorporate it into a calorie deficit nonetheless.

    I don't like eating quinoa by itself, but I found a packet which is rice and quinoa mixed together, and that is what I currently use when I make rice.

    Still have to watch portions though.

    Sounds potentially yummy! Will check for one in the grocery store next time.
  • PamelaJ413
    PamelaJ413 Posts: 7
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    Don't think I've seen THIS issue with rice, yet.....
    Google RICE and ARSENIC. Seriously, apparently arsenic is used in the processing of rice, and ESPECIALLY so in brown rice. I know someone who was treated and released from the hospital for arsenic poisoning, and the doc asked her if she was consuming a great deal of rice recently"! (And she was, brown, everyday as part of her health kick!)
    It's suggested you rinse your rice before cooking it. And don't overdo it. Try quinoa too :-) And barley!
    My own personal rice experience while eating clean and losing weigh is go for it. I would keep a woman's portion at 1/2 cup. I think the earlier :wink: answer that suggested not to eat it unless you were an athlete etc. was somewhat fanatical. Keeping it real is key for me. Sure, I want to eat clean, but I don't want to be obsessive and miserable. I want to be healthy and trim and happy!

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