Why villify white rice?

JessLLoser
JessLLoser Posts: 235 Member
edited December 21 in Health and Weight Loss
I live in Japan. I am American. The Japanese eat white rice three times a day. Most usually eat the equivalent of 1 1/2 cups for each meal.

Any diet advice tells you white rice is bad. And yet, we would all agree that the average Japanese is thinner than your average American. Not one woman I know works out. Most take walks every day and clean the house. When they diet, they usually walk a little more. Or not eat sweets for a while. There are cake shops and bread shops on every corner. These women drink beer, they eat cake, they eat rice. They do not work out. And they are slim! They don`t look like athletic models but they look good even into their 60`s and 70`s.

Who eats brown rice in Japan? No one!

Why is the stapel food of India, Vietnam, Japan, Cambodia etc... made evil in the diet world? The populations who eat it are surely thinner.

Can one lose weight while eating normal food? Are we going to find out that the low carb lifestyle is just as bad for us as the low fat lifestyle was?

I`m not sure because as you can see from my ticker, I haven`t lost any weight yet, despite counting my calories since March.

Rice is healthy.
«134

Replies

  • mmarin81
    mmarin81 Posts: 241
    Interesting and I have always wondered that myself.
  • YoungDoc2B
    YoungDoc2B Posts: 1,593 Member
    I've noticed the same. Interested to see what others think.
  • Establishedn1986
    Establishedn1986 Posts: 306 Member
    I eat white rice! I love it. I actually REFUSE to give it up. I wont eat as much as I used to, however I will still eat it. I have still lost weight! :)
  • knowwhentoshutup
    knowwhentoshutup Posts: 318 Member
    I think it becomes an easy target, but in the end comes to calories in vs. calories out, metabolism, and genetics.
  • Crochetluvr
    Crochetluvr Posts: 3,332 Member
    Its a pure carb with low nutritional value. Its digested very quickly so it great for quick energy. But for me and my diabetes, its not a good food.
  • Sidesteal
    Sidesteal Posts: 5,510 Member
    Because people fail to consider the diet as a whole and instead like to pin obesity on things other than energy surplus.
    Because people are grossly mislead into thinking that brown food is arbitrarily better than white food regardless of an individuals needs and his or her total food consumption,
    Because some people still think glycemic index matters when for most people it doesn't.
  • VeganPanda
    VeganPanda Posts: 582 Member
    It's because the other foods which the people in those countries consume is mostly healthy.

    I don't think any food should be vilified, but Americans are fat because of McDonald's.
  • EngineerPrincess
    EngineerPrincess Posts: 306 Member
    I agree. There's less obesity in the middle east too and they eat tons of rice. Rice is like, a given at most of our dinners and unless carbs become too much of your nutritional intake it's not a problem. I think that different bodies have different tolerances of different levels of carbs/protein/fats so no one ratio is good for everyone, it depends on your ethnicity and genetics and allergies and just your body type in general. I can personally eat as much rice as I want, but when I eat too much bread I get sick/gain weight.
  • asmendiola
    asmendiola Posts: 6
    I feel your pain. I am a Pacific Islander, who loves to eat white rice. It is part of our daily diet. The Japanese are tiny because it's in their genes. I eat rice every day because that is what I grew up doing. But since dieting, I've limited the amount of rice. I eat about 1/3 cup every meal, which has helped. You may want to try that. Good luck!
  • hiphopfrog
    hiphopfrog Posts: 4 Member
    White rice is definitely a staple for me! A 1/2 cup with some sort of stew is filling & cheap. Plus I have a rice cooker, which makes it very easy. Have lost 13kg (29lb) while eating white rice.
  • unrulygurl
    unrulygurl Posts: 103 Member
    Brown rice has more iron & vitamins. I've been eating a lot more of it. However, I still eat my sticky calrose rice anytime I'm making an Asian dish. Sushi made with brown rice is just not appealing to me.
  • itsafrappe
    itsafrappe Posts: 162 Member
    there will always be someone who can find something wrong with any kind of food. i say leave me and my white rice alone!:grumble:
  • Pebble321
    Pebble321 Posts: 6,423 Member
    It's a good question - in my opinion, white rice is the victim of two things: the low-carb trend (people get upset it I call it a fad, so I'll call it a trend!) and the "white is bad" trend.

    I think brown rice has a bit more fibre and few more nutrients, but that doesn't make white rice bad.
    Too many carbs don't agree with SOME people, but for many people (like me) they can fit just fine into a healthy and varied diet. Rice is great, especially when you eat it with lots of veggies and a moderate amount of meat or seafood (like many traditional asian dishes).

    I have lived through the "must eat low-fat" years and I suspect that the "must eat low-carb" trend will peter out in the just the same way too. I can only assume that in another 10-15 years we will be hearing "must eat low-protein'!

    So, my theory is that no food is evil, and there is no one "right" way to eat. It's about each of us finding out for ourselves what makes us feel good and full of energy, as well as working out what fits into our own lifestyle. For me, I know I am healthier and happier when I eat a good variety of veggies, meat, seafood, rice, pasta, dairy etc and limit the amount of chocolate, cakes, biscuits etc. Just cutting out "carbs" leaves me hungry and grumpy - so that's not right for me.
  • shalinimunjal
    shalinimunjal Posts: 192 Member
    The problem is not the white rice or the white flour. It is the overabundance of fast food, overindulgence on individuals part, little to no opportunity to walk anywhere. Similar to Japan, people in India (especially the south) eat rice 3 times a day. They eat it with a little clarified butter and spicy lentils.It's absolutely delish.

    No one eats brown rice in India either. Most haven't heard of it. They walk everywhere and every day. They walk for pleasure, socializing, and out of necessity!
  • mustgetmuscles1
    mustgetmuscles1 Posts: 3,346 Member
    I love rice and I love sushi. The problem is not the rice or any other food. I dont believe in good food vs bad food. It is that people over eat.
  • DrKittyCat
    DrKittyCat Posts: 108
    There isn't necessarily "less obesity" in these areas anymore. Obesity, type II diabetes are on the rise globally. This mostly has to do with food being readily available and people having to work less to get that food. The decrease in activity, and increase in consumption, is what makes us fat. This isn't just true in America, but everywhere. White rice isn't the culprit, but if white rice is all you eat and in large portions, you aren't doing yourself much good. It isn't the most nutritious food out there.
  • abetterjune
    abetterjune Posts: 219
    I had a trainer who said white rice was better than brown because it was more easily digested... just my 2 cents
  • OSC_ESD
    OSC_ESD Posts: 752 Member
    ~ It doesn't have anything to do with the calories or fat ... it's the nutritional value :

    Basically, white rice ends up being brown rice with its nutritional crown stripped away.

    While both white rice and brown rice provide close to the same amount of carbohydrates, calories, and calcium, brown rice outpaces white rice in almost every other regard. Brown rice provides four times as much fiber, additional protein, and has a lower Glycemic Index.

    Bottom line is you get more nutrition from brown rice vs white rice ... but I can tell you my Sushi taste just as good with either ! I would never tell someone " white " is bad ... it's just brown is nutritionally better.

    :flowerforyou:
  • catniss
    catniss Posts: 326 Member
    If you click on the link, there is a well informed article about the nutritional difference between white (refined) and brown rice.

    http://arp.optimalhealthsystems.com/showeduc.asp?id=7

    Another thing to consider is that while so many peoples of the world may be eating white rice, they aren't eating all the other junk.
  • Dave198lbs
    Dave198lbs Posts: 8,810 Member
    . They walk everywhere and every day. They walk for pleasure, socializing, and out of necessity!

    :drinker:
  • Sabine_Stroehm
    Sabine_Stroehm Posts: 19,263 Member
    My husband is asian. We don't "vilify" white rice. That said he, I, his entire family, know that that just because it's asian doesn't mean it's the healthiest option (just as "just because it's...."american"..."german"....)... it's not "bad", but why NOT eat brown rice?

    We have ALL switched to a brown rice blend when we are at home.

    At restaurants? Sure, we'll ask for briwn rice, and if it doesn't cost an arm, we'll do that, if they have it. But in our homes? Why NOT eat a good hearty brown rice blend. We won't deny ourselves sushi. YUM why would we?

    But why not brown rice when we can?
    In fact, ours IS a blend. We have a summer blend and a winter blend. The summer blend has mung beans along with a few hearty brown rices...
    Why not brown rice when you can?
    Why not sweet potatoes?
    Why not whole oats?
    Why not a good whole grain bread?
  • taunto
    taunto Posts: 6,420 Member
    I am Indian. I have lived in different parts of Asia and Europe most of my life and now am in America. Heres the difference.

    Rice is rice. Like you said, Japanese folks WALK alot. folks in US underestimate walking. In US, if you wanna goto the corner store, we take our car. Then we spend an hour walking on a treadmill. In Asia, it is a norm to walk about 5-6 miles a day. Our diet is heavy on carbs and fat but our lifestyle supports it. If you're living an active lifestyle in America, sure you can have white rice too.

    I lived in Italy. You think Japanese folks eat "unhealthy"? Everything has cheese, oil, pasta, meats there and wash it down with wine. In Middle East, we eat Ruz-Hashwi, chicken (with skin) thats placed on top of rice cooked in butter with lamb and deep fried Almonds. In India we have halwa-puri. Thats a sweet made out of refined flour which is then loaded up with oil and sugar (halwa) and puri is deep fried white bread and then we eat them both together along with some curry (Also loaded with oil). And thats just the breakfast. I don't know any Indian who works out....

    But, inspite of all this "unhealthy" foods and "unhealthy" lifestyle, they have something in common. They walk everywhere and they don't eat alot. Also, they don't have freakin McD's and Pizza hut every day. You know in certain parts of the world, people actually dress up to goto McD's? Its basically a fancy place for you to take your date (and not in a cheap way). People there don't eat out as much as they do in US

    So there you have it folks, the foreigners secret to eating crap and staying healthy. Walk, eat less and eat home cooked
  • KrisyKat
    KrisyKat Posts: 740 Member
    Where I live, white rice is non-negotiable...serve anything else, and you'll get dirty looks!! :laugh:
  • alli_baba
    alli_baba Posts: 232 Member
    They walk everywhere and every day. They walk for pleasure, socializing, and out of necessity!

    I used to live in Italy and I noticed the same thing about the Italians. Despite pasta being eaten on an almost daily basis, Italians are very slim.

    Also, portion sizes were smaller, hardly anybody drank soft drinks, sweets were occasional treats, and you didn't see much snacking between meals.
  • secretlobster
    secretlobster Posts: 3,566 Member
    I guess people think that eating the whole part of the rice (bran) makes it healthier. Unless you have a serious issue with IBS, or a real fiber deficiency, brown rice isn't so amazing that you should avoid white rice forever. There is nothing wrong with white rice. Is it empty carbs? Sure. But there's nothing bad about it.

    The GI of most types of white rice is comparable to, or lower than, that of brown rice.

    I don't avoid white rice at all and somehow I lost 40lbs. Out of all the foods to get upset over, white rice is one of the most harmless.
  • Raina27
    Raina27 Posts: 133
    I still eat white rice a few times a week and I also refuse to give it up (or anything for that matter) and I am still losing weight!! EVERYTHING in moderation works for ME!! :bigsmile:
  • Elen_Sia
    Elen_Sia Posts: 638 Member
    I am Asian, hear me roar. I will NEVER EVER give up white rice. I still eat sushi. I still eat fried rice. And egg noodles. And rice noodles.

    I eat very differently now compared to what I ate 6-12 months ago but I always make time and space for my beloved rice. The only difference this time is I also WORK OUT six days a week.

    By the way, my body fat percentage currently is 20.9%. Be jealous. :smile:
  • wackyfunster
    wackyfunster Posts: 944 Member
    I find it ironic that Okinawans eat the opposite of what most MFP people advocate: mostly carbs, and a caloric intake that qualifies for "starvation mode" by MFP standards, and yet are the healthiest and most long-lived people on earth.
  • glennstoudt
    glennstoudt Posts: 403 Member
    Nothing white is popular for weight loss. It is an easy strategy since most on the SAD eat too much, as has been noted. I lost 20% of my former body weight with a carb reduction strategy that resulted in a caloric restriction. As I live in South Louisiana, rice is a staple, and as an Italian family in New Orleans, bread is a staple. As has been noted, there is nothing wrong with any food, it is usually the quantity. But sometimes it is easier to have a self imposed restriction for something that you may overconsume and goode results can be achieved. It is not easy to compare diets of people from other parts of the world with the SAD. It is unlikely that multiple soft drinks are consumed along with rice at every meal in India, or even Japan. And there are genetic factors involved although that is less of a factor than the quantity of consumption.
    In short, white rice is of little nutritional value, but it is a great vehicle for various foods. We can consume it as everything as part of a calorie profile that makes sense for each of us.
  • RacerX_14
    RacerX_14 Posts: 578 Member
    I love all rice! I also think you can all sorts of things people say are "bad" if you do so in moderation.
This discussion has been closed.

Categories