Brown Rice Vs White Rice: Is the switch worth it?
Rice is a grain that is consumed worldwide. In fact, it is a staple food in Asia. Being an Indian, I consume rice almost daily. The debate between white rice and brown rice is not a new one. A few years back I made the switch myself opting for the brown version of it. My decision was neither a well-informed one nor was it well thought of. My sole reason was a celebrity interview where the celebrity in question advised to stay away from anything “white” if you plan on having a slim waist.
It has been quite some time since I went back to white rice. The reason- “I hate the way brown rice tastes!”
Anyways I thought of giving this matter some serious thought. Is it worth making the switch? Is brown rice healthier than white rice? More precisely are those health benefits worth giving up on the taste factor?
What Is White (Rice) Was Once Brown!
Picture credit: https://legionathletics.com/
Brown rice and white rice are essentially the same grain. It’s just that the brown rice got a makeover and came to be known as white rice. But even after that expensive high-end makeover brown rice is still considered the better one.
Brown rice is a whole grain. A milling process is used to remove the rice’s husk, bran, and germ. This is done to increase the shelf life of white rice but this also removes much of its nutrition, including fiber, vitamins, and minerals.
Brown rice on the other hand includes the fibrous bran, the nutritious germ, and the carbohydrate-rich endosperm and hence is considered healthier than white rice.
To make up for the lost nutrients, white rice is artificially fortified with them. The refined grain is also polished to appear more appetizing.
Both white and brown rice are high in carbohydrates because both contain the endosperm. This is the carbs rich part of the rice. The only difference is that brown rice has a much higher content of other nutrients too!
Brown Rice: The good, the bad, and the ugly
1. Fiber Content
Since brown rice contains the bran unlike white rice it is generally higher in fiber. It typically provides 1 to 3 g more fiber than a comparable amount of white rice. The benefit of taking a high fiber diet is not only that it improves your digestion but also that it makes you feel fuller faster, which helps in weight management.
2. Manganese
Manganese is a trace mineral which means that it is required by our body in a very small quantity. It is essential for the normal functioning of your brain, nervous system, and many of your body’s enzyme systems. Brown rice is an excellent source of this nutrient, while white rice is not.
3. Selenium
Brown rice is also a good source of selenium, which plays an integral role in thyroid hormone production, antioxidant protection, and immune function.
4. Magnesium
Brown rice contains magnesium which is necessary for many vital functions, such as blood coagulation, muscle contraction, cellular production, and bone development.
5. Folate
Enriched white rice is a good source of folate. Folate helps your body make DNA and other genetic material. Although folate is an essential nutrient for everyone, it’s especially vital for women who are pregnant or are planning to become pregnant.
6.Arsenic
All is not good about brown rice though. It is higher in terms of a toxic chemical called arsenic.
Arsenic is a heavy metal that our body accumulates over time and can’t excrete. Arsenic is toxic. Long-term consumption may increase your risk of chronic diseases including cancer, heart disease, and type 2 diabetes.
However, moderate consumption of a few servings per week is not particularly harmful.
7. Phytic Acid
Brown rice is also higher in terms of phytic acid. It is an anti-nutrient that reduces the body’s ability to absorb iron and zinc from the food. However, if you take a varied diet this should not be a problem.
8. Glycemic Index
The glycemic index (GI) is another factor you should consider. GI is a numeric system that ranks food or rather the carbs on a scale of 0 to 100.
A higher GI means the carbs are quickly converted to glucose and result in a quick rise in blood sugar levels post-consumption. Such carbs are called simple carbs. Complex carbs are converted into glucose more slowly and thus have lower GI ratings.
Now, as far as rice goes, white rice has a GI OF 73 ± 4 and that of brown rice is 68 ± 4. The GI of both is quite comparable but a lot of people have the misconception that brown rice has a much lower GI than white rice. Ironically, basmati rice which is a variety of white rice has the lowest on the GI of all types, coming in at 43 to 57.
If you eat sensibly it is recommended that your diet should consist of varied low GI foods.
Which Is Better For Weight Loss- The million-dollar question!
“Scientifically speaking” there is tons of research that suggest that eating brown rice instead of white may also significantly reduce weight and body mass index (BMI). However, the difference is rather negligible, to begin with, and becomes even more so when you factor in the anti-nutrients. Also even though brown rice is lower on GI, it’s not that much lower.
So long story short, brown rice is healthy but this does not mean that white rice is essentially unhealthy. Either type of rice can be part of a healthy diet and there is nothing wrong with some white rice every now and then.
Resources:
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/319797#rice-and-diabetes
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/1541-4337.12449
https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/food-features/rice/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3996977/
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/brown-vs-white-rice#section6