White Rice Good or Bad

White Rice Good or Bad?

Every day on social media we see post which refer White Rice are not healthy for human consumption, you gain weight by eating white rice, they cause many metabolic health risk... Is this True?

 Let’s take a look on Scientific Evidence Based Studies and our Traditional use of rice.  

Rice is a cereal grain that has been grown for thousands of years. It's a staple food in many countries. Several types are available, but here I discussed varieties of white rice which are the most popular.

All whole grains are composed of three major components:

Bran: A rough and hard outer layer that protects the seed. It contains fiber, minerals and antioxidants.

Germ: A nutrient-rich core containing carbs, fat, protein, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and other plant compounds.

Endosperm: This is the largest part of the grain. It consists almost entirely of carbs (starch) and a small amount of protein.

Brown rice is simply the entire whole rice grain. It contains the fiber-rich bran, the nutrient-packed germ and the carbohydrate-rich endosperm.

While white rice is stripped of its bran and germ, leaving just the endosperm. It’s then processed to improve taste, extend shelf life and enhance cooking properties. As a result, white rice lacks many vitamins and minerals that are present in brown rice

So white rice varieties are almost entirely made up of carbs in the form of starches, or long chains of glucose known as amylose and amylopectin. Different types of rice contain different amounts of these starches, so have different texture and digestibility. Rice that does not stick together after cooking is high in amylose, while sticky rice is generally high in amylopectin. Because of these variations in starch composition, different types of rice can have different health effects.

Somehow, White rice may considered empty carbs since it loses its main sources of nutrients.

But marketed white rice is typically enriched with added nutrients, including iron and B vitamins like folic acid, niacin, thiamine and more.

100 grams enrich white rice and unenriched white rice

Nutrients	White rice, unenriched	White rice, enriched
Calories	123	123
Protein	2.9 grams	2.9 grams
Carbs	30 grams	26 grams
Fat	0.4 grams	0.4 grams
Fiber	0.9 grams	0.9 grams
Folate	1% of the RDI	20% of the RDI
Manganese	18% of the RDI	18% of the RDI
Thiamine	5% of the RDI	14% of the RDI
Selenium	13% of the RDI	13% of the RDI
Niacin	12% of the RDI	12% of the RDI
Iron	1% of the RDI	10% of the RDI
Vitamin B6	8% of the RDI	8% of the RDI
Phosphorus	6% of the RDI	6% of the RDI
Copper	4% of the RDI	4% of the RDI
Magnesium	2% of the RDI	2% of the RDI

 Glycemic Index Of White Rice:

Different varieties of rice has different GI, normally GI can range from relatively low (43) to very high (109), depending on the type and variety. (Glycemic index (GI) is a measure of how fast your body converts carbs into sugars that can be absorbed into your bloodstream).

White rice has a GI of 64, which mean white rice has medium GI, its mean carbs in white rice are turned into blood sugar more rapidly, but study show white basmati rice has a low-GI food, 

In a review of studies in over 350,000 people, researchers found that those who ate more white rice had a higher risk of type 2 diabetes than those who ate the least. So, if you are eating large amount of white on daily basis and not include other healthy option in your daily menu, then might be you are at risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

Metabolic Syndrome & White Rice:

Some studies have shown higher risk of metabolic syndrome, especially in Asian adults who regularly eat large amounts of white rice. Metabolic syndrome is the name for a group of risk factors that may increase your risk of health conditions, such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes and stroke. But, the link between white rice and heart disease is still unclear.

Effect on Weight Loss Are Conflicting: 

White rice is classified as a refined grain, and studies suggest that diets high in refined grains lead to obesity and weight gain. But In case of white rice, researches not confirm it.

Some studies have associated diets high in refined grains like white rice to weight gain, belly fat and obesity, while other studies have found no correlation

Diets centered around white rice have been shown to promote weight loss, especially in countries where it’s an everyday food.

So, white rice are not helpful or detrimental for weight loss. Portion size of rice should be controlled.

Easy To Digest: 

White rice are low in fiber, bland and easy to digest so recommended in digestive health problem where low fiber diet are recommend such as Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, inflammatory bowel disease and other digestive disorders. A low-fiber diet can lessen the workload of the digestive tract, allowing it to rest.

Bottom Line:

1. White rice is often unfairly criticised and can serve as a better alternative to brown rice in some situations. Brown rice has its own benefits and white rice has its own.
2. White rice are easy to digest and helpful in digestive issue.
3. Some varieties of rice may increase the blood glucose level, but some rice varieties has low GI level.
4. Any Food can be Fattening if portion sizes aren't controlled.
5. Rice is a staple food for more than half of the world's population, particularly Asian countries like China, Japan, Korea and India. These are all countries that, until recently, had relatively low percentages of people who were overweight or obese.
6. If you add varieties of vegetable, fruits, healthy fat and protein in your daily menu then you get a healthy balanced Nutrition.
7. Everything in excess is harmful

image source: Google.