White rice is considered a high carb grain, white rice popularity was maligned because of its milling and refining process to make its shelf life long and enhance the texture, milling process strips the rice from its nutritious outer layer, creating a new product of brown rice to sell at a higher price, in general, Brown rice is a whole grain that contains the bran and germ. These provide fiber and several vitamins and minerals. White rice is a refined grain that has had these parts removed, making it softer and more quick-cooking. so it’s not the rice to blame but the refining process making it easy to cook and store. If you want to lose weight, the first piece of advice that most dieticians will give you is to ditch white rice totally. But, ever wondered why? Is white rice really the culprit? Or are we ignoring some basic facts here? So, first things first – rice is not unhealthy or fattening. It is a rich source of carbohydrates and fiber but it gets a bad reputation mostly because it is a high glycemic index food. This means that it is digested very quickly which can cause sudden spikes in your blood sugar levels. Moreover, since it gets digested quickly, you end up feeling hungry again soon after eating it which may add unnecessary calories to your day.
Ever wondered, if white rice is fattening and unhealthy, why are the Japanese so healthy, since they eat so much of it? According to the statistics, Japanese people eat lots of rice. On average, a modern typical Japanese person who is living in an urban city consumes 82.1 kg of rice per year, for comparison, A US citizen consumes only about 10.8 kg. In Japan, rice is comfort food and is often served in Breakfast lunches and even in dinner. It comes with almost every type of Japanese dish, most typically as short-grain white rice. Yes, the rice that’s most common in japan is not brown, black, red, or wild: just plain white rice.
Nutrition in white rice
According to USDA data 100 grams of cooked white rice contains 130 calories as well as 28 gm of carbohydrates. White rice doesn’t have much fiber as it is the processed form of rice, where the bran and husk have been removed. Neither does white rice have any significant amount of protein as 100 grams only contains 2.7 gm of protein. However, commercial white rice is fortified with vitamins and minerals, due to which it may be healthy to consume. On the other hand, most rice dishes contain excessive salt and oil, especially in the case of dishes like fried rice. If one’s goal is to shed some kilos, you better avoid consumption of such dishes and should rather stick to consuming boiled or steamed rice.
So how to cook rice in a healthy manner
Cooking rice is extremely easy. All you need is a rice or pressure cooker or any other heavy-bottomed utensil that you can cover, and some water to cook the rice with. Cooking rice with only water is obviously the healthiest method. rice becomes a fattening evil monster when it’s tossed in oil and sauces without any vegetables. Additionally, keep your rice salt-free as chances are that the side dish that you are going to eat your rice with already has a lot of salt in it.
Points to remember while cooking rice
- Add some coconut oil or Ghee to the water you’re going to cook your rice in. Researchers have recently found out that adding coconut oil to white rice while cooking can increase the amount of resistant starch in it and slash the amount of calories in your dish.
- Add a few cloves to your rice cooker while cooking the rice. Clove is also helpful in regulating blood sugar and it also contains antioxidants to fight inflammation. making your rice antioxidant rich
- If you have become bored of eating same steamed white rice, combine your cooked rice with blanched or lightly stir-fried high-fibre vegetables to make your meal more Palatable and healthy.
- And remember Steaming or boiling rice is the best way of cooking them, due to the elimination of any high-fat vegetable oils.
How to eat white rice
So Japanese people eat so much white rice still the obesity rate in Japan is lowest in the world, merely at 4.3% we don’t have any reason to hate rice, you don’t necessarily have to go stop eating it. Portion control and moderation is key here. You may indulge in a small portion of steamed or boiled rice every once in a while. But if you are suffering from hypertension or diabetes, you must consult your nutritionist before adding to your diet.
Eating in moderation
A plain bowl of rice is never the entire meal. instead, it is served with one protein dish and 1 or two vegetable-rich side dishes to make it complete, there are no restrictions for rice, it can be consumed with meat, dairy, or any kind of soup to make it wholesome. just make sure to accompany your rice with an equal or higher number of vegetables and other variety of foods that keeps you nourished and satisfied.
Eating mindfully
As the rice gets easily digested people tend to eat it in bigger portions to keep them full for longer. or nowadays people are eating in front of their television sets watching NetFlix, distracting the mind from feeling the hunger resulting in overeating. mindful eating is the art of presence of mind while eating. mindful eating is an approach to food that focuses on awareness of the food and the experience of food, it has very little to do with calories, carbohydrates, proteins, the main purpose of mindful eating is not to lose weight, but it is highly likely that those who adopt this style of eating will lose weight.
White rice is not an enemy
The learning is to stay unafraid of it, and have a relationship with it. we should neither be scares nor intimidates by rice — instead of avoiding it, enjoy it in moderate portions, with different vegetables, filling fats, and nourishing proteins. understand and know that if you adhere to principles of moderation and mindfulness, you’re going to be fine. Foods should not be feared, and should never be a source of our anxiety. We should not be afraid of white rice like we should be afraid of poison, for this will only perpetuate cycles of obsession, shame, and stress-eating, and will further damage our well-being. This applies not just to rice, but to all foods.
Instead of labels of ‘bad’ and ‘good’ foods, we should look at the bigger picture of eating, and find ways to incorporate the foods we love into our lifestyle so that they can expand our experiences, connect us with our loved ones, and bring us joy.
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