Rice is a staple food in many countries and more than half of the world’s population mainly the Asian Countries consumes Rice.

Rice is one of the most widely consumed grains in the world. There are many different types of rice available in different parts of the world.

White rice is a refined, high-carb food that’s had most of its fibre removed. A high intake of refined carbs has been linked to obesity and chronic disease. However, there are few countries with a high rice intake have low levels of these exact diseases.

So what’s the deal with rice? Is it weight loss friendly or fattening? This article gets to the bottom of this question.

The TRUTH about CARBOHYDRATES..??

Carbohydrates are basically sugars which are broken down by your body quickly so they can provide the energy necessary to fuel your body and feed your brain. Simple starchy carbs like those found in white rice can actually be broken down too quickly. This floods your bloodstream with sugar, causing your pancreas to send out insulin to remove the extra sugar from your blood. Any sugars that can’t be processed are stored as fat, which is why it’s a good idea to limit the amount of starchy carbs in your diet – but you shouldn’t cut them out entirely.

While we talk about different kinds of Rice, brown rice takes longer to digest than white rice. Brown rice is considered a whole grain because it still has the germ, the outer bran and the inner bran intact, which are the most nutritious parts of the rice. Whole grain rice also offers more fiber, which helps keep you full and ensures healthy elimination. Wild rice is not actually rice, but the seed of a wild grass that still retains the hull. You can cook and use it like rice. Exotic rice varieties like forbidden black rice are best when offered as whole grain.

Starting with the basics of what is WHOLE GRAIN.?

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 an intact whole grain that contains both the bran and germ. Therefore, it’s nutritious and rich in fiber and antioxidants. On the other side, white rice has had both the bran and nutritious germ removed, ultimately stripping it of all its nutritional parts. This is generally done to improve its taste, prolong its shelf life and enhance its cooking qualities.

Different types of rice contain different amounts of these starches, which affects their 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.

Food can only be fattening if the portion size are not controlled properly..!

As with most things in nutrition, the dose determines the poison.

There is nothing particularly “fattening” about rice, so its effects on weight must come down to serving size and the overall quality of your diet.

This has to do with the perception of the serving size. Serving large portions has been shown to increase calorie intake significantly, without people realizing it.

Also, since people don’t realize that they are eating more than usual, they generally don’t compensate by eating less at the next meal.
Therefore, depending on the serving size, rice can be both weight loss friendly and fattening

Therefore, depending on the serving size, rice can be both weight loss friendly and fattening

Tips:

Choose whole-grain, long-cooking rice over white or instant rice so you get the maximum nutritional benefit per calorie. Many rice bag instructions say to add fat such as butter or oil when you cook the rice, but this isn’t necessary and adds extra calories.

Pair your rice with vegetables and fish or lean meats, and keep your portion to 1/3 or 1/2 cup per meal.

If the taste of brown rice is too strong for you, start out by mixing it half and half with white or wild rice. Shift the proportions each time you make it until you’re eating brown rice alone.