This Japanese saying sits perfectly for the food item that feeds more than half of the world. No, the love for a bowl of perfect white rice isn’t limited to Asians, as widely assumed; it stretches to over three billion people from different sects, religions, and nations across the globe.
Most rice lovers don’t get satiated even after eating a piece of bread or roti unless they have eaten at least a morsel of rice. But with the world getting health conscious, the white rice is seen as a bitter enemy. Enter brown rice—the ‘healthy and pure’ form of rice—which took the world by storm. The authenticity and nutrition factor of white rice was (and is still) being questioned widely. Apparently, having the former will keep you fit and fine while the latter makes you unhealthy.
Brown Rice Vs White Rice – The Verdict
As we just saw, the difference between white rice and brown rice is not much. But it is definitely clear that brown rice isn’t the purest of the variety, it has its own flaws. What matters most is the taste, your choice, and your budget.
Honestly, a cup of white rice won’t make you fat, like how a cup of brown rice won’t make you look better.
Always remember, nutrition is not a ‘one size fits all’ science—the degree of absorption and the effect varies from person to person. We all know that there are individuals who can eat everything and remain petite and, then there are those like me, prone to quick weight gain despite being on a strict diet. It’s all about your metabolism, really.
I always follow a mantra—‘Never have anything that doesn’t appease my taste buds no matter how healthy it is.’ Personally, I dislike the strong flavor of brown rice, so I prefer making white rice at home. While it was easy to get carried away by the very enticing debate over the ‘healthier rice option,’ I kept my ground.
My suggestion to you will be to remember these points next time you go grocery shopping:
- Eating rice is okay—whatever variety be it. Just keep the quantity in check. Not a fan of rice? It’s okay. But make sure you have a healthy source of carb in your diet that can substitute rice.
- White rice or brown rice—it’s totally up to you. The nutrients and the effects are almost the same. Let your taste buds be the judge. Just control the quantity and the frequency with brown rice.
- Weight watchers, keep in mind that your choice of rice variant is not going to make you gain weight unnecessarily. It’s the portion size that matters.
- Be smart, play with the varieties. Nature offers us plentiful choices, so it’s better that you play with it. Use basmati one day, and change to brown rice the next day. Do the same with long-grained and the short-grained variants. Make your meals enjoyable.
- Always remember that all the differences in calories, nutrients, and GI don’t matter because no person will have just a cup of rice, without an accompanying dish. It’s the overall meal that matters—rice alone is not going to make you fat or slim.
- As for those with diabetes, there is no way that you are going to have rice on an empty stomach, apart from the first meal of the day. It means that you are going to have it when your system already has some food in it. This further means that its effect on the blood glucose will be next to nothing. So brave up, and have your portion. Avoid having it first thing in the morning.
After carefully analyzing the pros and cons of both the rice varieties, it’s safe to conclude that while white and brown rice have their advantages, it doesn’t matter what you are having unless the portion-size is compromised. Be clear that, brown rice is not the king and white rice doesn’t deserve all the hate it gets. Both are almost similar—like apples and apples. In fact, several points favor white rice over the brown rice, like the phytic acid content, digestibility, and arsenic content.
This is all about brown rice vs white rice! So, we can say that none of them is ruling over the other. It’s a tie literally. Have the one you like, and do tell us which variety is your favorite! Write to us in the comment box below.
Stay fit, stay healthy!