Brown rice Vs White rice

One of the peculiar food patterns in my ancestral village is a staple dinner  which is rice porridge, normally consumed with  pickles. Can you imagine that?  So much of carb, & only that for dinner! Despite doing that, most of them are in excellent health & shape.  On closer scrutiny, one will realize that they are in fact feeding on brown rice & not white rice.

Majority of world’s population is feeding on white rice which is also known as polished rice & I prefer to call it processed rice. Rice manufacturers process rice so that it can have a longer shelf life. We as consumers not only pay for the processing but also get an empty calorie product in return.

What is a brown rice?

The process of making brown rice involves removing only the outermost hull of the rice. By doing so most of the nutrients in the rice are retained.

Many are not even aware that rice is rich in minerals, fiber, phytonutrients & B complex vitamins.

Some astonishing facts about Brown Rice:

• People who eat brown rice weigh less and are less likely to gain weight ( As researched by Harvard Medical school)

• Lowers cholesterol & has significant cardiovascular benefits.
• A cup of brown rice will fulfill 15% of the daily fiber requirements.
• Phytonutrients present in brown rice is even better than fruits because these are in free form & thus, easily absorbed by the body. Read the published research here.
• Magnesium present in Brown rice significantly reduces the risk of diabetics.

These benefits are lost when the rice is processed & what we are left with is a white starchy substitute which is devoid of any of the benefits mentioned above. Processing removes about 75% of minerals, almost all fiber & 85 % of B complex vitamins. In some countries it is mandatory to enrich white rice with B complex vitamins, but it is difficult to imitate nature.

My definition of processed food would be:

Traumatized & Devitalized food products which are devoid of nutritional benefits & are also toxic in nature.  The first step towards healthier eating will be eliminating processed food from our kitchen. This blog will have many more articles on processed food coming its way.

The intention here is not to scare the readers; I have been living on white rice for 37 years now. But it is never too late to move towards a healthier way of life. Try substituting at least one meal a day with brown rice.

Here are some suggestions for consuming brown rice:

• After soaking rice in water, pressure cook it to keep the maximum benefits intact.
• Porridge made with cooked brown rice, milk & honey is great for kids.
• Enhance the benefits of rice by cooking it with beans or adding tossed mushrooms in them.
• The cooking liquor of brown rice can also be consumed with seasonings.

Parting shot from this blogger to lighten up your day – “Just because I advocate vegetarianism & suggest green leafy vegetables, don’t start chewing or smoking Tobacco.”