Is White Rice Really Healthy?
Many nutritionists view white rice as unhealthy, leaving you wondering whether white rice is healthy for you. To find a satisfying answer, read this article to learn more about white rice and whether it can be part of a healthy diet.
White rice is not healthy if consumed in high amounts. It's been said to cause diabetes, heart disease, and weight gain. However, it still has some benefits for you. It comprises carbs, proteins, and carbohydrates, making it better than most other carbohydrate sources.
White rice is a carbohydrate maligned as being unhealthy. It lacks many essential nutrients like Vitamin A, vitamin B1, vitamin B2, vitamin B3, vitamin E, and minerals like selenium and zinc that are vital for your body.
If you care about the dietary benefits the food brings to your body and want to maintain a healthy lifestyle, you should not consume white rice as the only food. Here's why white rice is not only good for you but also a delicacy that shouldn't be given up
1. White Rice is Stripped of Nutrients and Fiber.
White rice lacks more nutrients than brown rice. This is because it is stripped of its brain rich in fibre and germ rich in nutrients to enhance its taste, shelf life, and cooking properties, leaving it with only endosperm (carbohydrates).
The remaining nutrients in white rice are also lost during the cooking process. When you boil the rice in the water while cooking, the nutrients it contains, which are carbohydrates, are sensitive to heat; therefore, you lose the nutrients before eating.
However, in other countries like Canada, white rice is enhanced with extra nutrients such as iron and B vitamins, folic acid, niacin and thiamine.
Below you can see how one ounce of (158g) cooked, enriched white rice compares nutritionally with unenriched, cooked white rice.
Nutrients in unenriched, cooked White Rice
- Carbohydrate 41.2g
- Fibre 1.4 g
- Proteins 4.6 g
- Vitamins B6 0.2mg
- 41.2 g
- Fibre 1.4 g
- Proteins 4.6 g
- Vitamins B6 0.2mg
- Folate 4.7 mcg
- Calories 194
- Iron 0.4 g
- Fat 0.6 g
- Niacin 3.6 mg
- Thiamine 0.1g
Uncooked enriched White Rice
- carbohydrates 41.2g
- Fibre 1.4g
- Proteins 4.6 g
- Vitamins B6 0.2g
- Folate 128mcg
- calories 194
- Iron 3g
- Fat 0.6 mg
- Niacin 3.6g
- Thiamine 0.3g
One cup of cooked white rice has 123 calories and 27 grams of carbohydrates with no fats or proteins. As a result, white rice can be fine for those on low-carbohydrate diets, but it just doesn't provide enough nutrients for everyone else.
2. It Has a High Glycemic Index Score
white rice has a high glycemic index score of 61, which may cause insulin resistance and weight gain in people with diabetes or pre-diabetes.
The Glycemic index (GI) measures how quickly carbohydrates in food are broken down into sugar molecules in the digestive system. So, a high glycemic index score means the carbohydrates in white rice are broken down into sugar molecules much faster and absorbed into the body.
High GI foods like white rice cause blood sugar to rise, while low GI foods break down slower, which can help manage conditions like diabetes.
3. White Rice Increases Diabetes Risks
White rice is high in carbohydrates, broken down into sugar, and absorbed rapidly into the bloodstream. When blood sugar levels spike, insulin is released to balance them out. And due to the low fibre content of white rice causes blood sugar levels to drop quickly, resulting in a sharp rise in hunger again.
This cycle continues and eventually leads to type 2 diabetes risks for obese people or pre-diabetes.
Look at the insights into how white rice affects diabetes risk:
White Rice Quantity Relative: Diabetes Risk in percentage( %)
Five> Serving of white rice per week at 20%
One serving per week 38%
1–3 servings per month 26%
However, the maximum rice consumption group of 5 servings (900g/week) was not linked to a higher diabetes risk than the second-highest category, one serving per week (395 g/week), indicating that a dosages association did not exist.
The new Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) research has revealed that consuming white rice (or polished rice) increases the risk of diabetes, especially among Asian Americans.
The HSPH findings are based on an analysis of data from participants in two extensive, ongoing studies who completed food frequency questionnaires about their diet over the previous year.
Researchers found that people who reported eating three to four servings (300 grams) per day had a greater risk of developing type 2 diabetes than those who ate less than ½ cup (100 grams) per day.
4. May Increase the Risk of Metabolic Syndrome
The term "metabolic syndrome" refers to a group of risk factors that increase the risk of type 2 diabetes and heart disease. The risk factors include:
- abdominal obesity
- elevated blood pressure
- high triglycerides (fats)
- low cholesterol levels
- impaired glucose tolerance
Researchers have found that white rice, rich in carbohydrates, can raise the risk of metabolic syndrome, especially in Asian people.
According to epidemiological studies (CHD), saturated fats raise cholesterol levels, and high cholesterol levels increase the risk of type 2 diabetes and coronary heart disease, according to epidemiological studies (CHD).
Doctors recommend limiting your intake to three servings per week or less because it still contains a lot of starch and sugar.
5. White Rice May Have High Content of Arsenic
Arsenic occurs naturally in the environment and can be found in groundwater and surface water, where the rice is grown.
White rice contains high levels of arsenic because it absorbs more arsenic from the contaminated soil than other plants, making it toxic for human consumption.
Research has proved that long-term consumption of white rice can cause various health problems such as diabetes, cancer, and cardiovascular disease.
Arsenic is toxic by ingestion; its symptoms include nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhoea, and death due to respiratory failure or heart failure if ingested in large amounts. Therefore, avoid feeding your children a high quantity of white rice or rice-based products.
However, not all types of white rice contain high arsenic content. Other varieties such as white rice grown in the Himalayan region, jasmine, and Basmati, have a low content of arsenic.
Though regular consumption of white rice is linked to several health problems such as obesity, diabetes, heart disease, and other diseases, white rice is not necessarily unhealthy.
Most white rice in Canada and the united states is fortified with vitamins, particularly folate, to improve its nutritional value. In addition, its lower fibre content may also aid in digestion problems.
Brown rice, on the other hand, is more nutritious and also healthier for diabetes, heart disease, and weight management, according to studies.
6. It May Cause an Increase or Loss in Weight
Consumption of white rice can lead to an increase in weight or reduced weight. It can increase weight because it contains a high glycemic index, which can cause spikes in blood sugar levels and insulin secretion.
White rice also provides many carbohydrates converted into fat and stored in the body if not used as energy. This is the reason white rice may lead to an increase in weight and not reduce weight.
However, It is not clear whether white rice does cause weight gain or weight loss; some studies suggest that people who eat white rice as part of their diet gain more weight than those who don't. Other studies show that white rice intake promotes weight loss, especially when you eat it daily.
The consumption of white rice may also decrease weight because it does not contain as many calories as brown or red rice. That's why people who consume white rice as their primary food item will consume fewer nutrients.
Conclusion
White rice is not healthy food. It is high in refined carbohydrates and will spike insulin levels, leading to cravings, obesity and diabetes. Like many processed foods, it has been stripped of nutrients and is mainly void of phytonutrients.
The GI index found in white rice is at least 55–69, which is the cause of much inflammation in the body. Avoiding it while eating wholesome, unprocessed organic whole foods is key to losing weight and maintaining good health.
If you must take rice, remember that consuming white rice in large amounts and for a prolonged period can cause health problems. If you have too little rice, it won't affect you, but too much of it may become unhealthy for you. Thus, drink in moderation.
