How to eat rice in the right way to improve your health?
Rice is an integral part of our diet and we often love to consume rice either with pulses, curries or some veggies. But the interesting fact is that including rice in your daily diet also can help you balance your daily food intake and to improve your health.
Yes! you have heard the right. Rice is a good alternative if you are beginning a diet and wish to improve your health at the same time.
Let us explore why we are emphasizing the inclusion of rice in your diet.
Is eating rice good for your health?
Rice is a comfort food for any rice lover. Eating a plate full of rice served with your favorite curry is a blessing. The mere thought of eating rice can make you drool over it.
Rice is one of the majorly consumed cereal grains across the world and a staple food in India.
Rice varies from white rice to brown rice to nutrient-dense red rice and black rice. There are numerous varieties of rice and each one has something good or bad for our health.
However, there are several myths about eating rice. It is believed that eating rice is not good for health but rice is a rich source of nutrients. Therefore, we have thought of going into the matter and whether eating rice is good or bad.
A powerhouse of various nutrients
Rice is a nutrient-rich food. All variants of rice are great sources of minerals such as iron and calcium.
Rice is also rich in vitamins such as vitamin D, niacin, thiamine, fibre and riboflavin.
Rice has less saturated fats and good cholesterol as compared to other grains so it is easy to digest and good for heart health.
Natural energy booster
Yes! you heard it right!
Rice has gained a bad reputation for being the sole reason for our after-meal dizziness.
Well, you will be surprised to know the fact that rice is naturally loaded with carbohydrates which help in boosting the natural energy level.
Rice includes complex carbohydrates that take quite some time to break down. So, it keeps you satisfied for a longer duration of time.
However, starchy food can be harmful to diabetic people so keeping a moderate quantity becomes important to derive the benefits of this nutrient-dense cereal.
Glycemic index
Despite all the good things, rice has a high glycemic index which can actually lead to diabetes. The presence of starch in rice takes too much time to break down the carbs. Therefore, avoid too much rice, especially white rice, to stay away from lifestyle diseases.
Easy to digest
Rice is the best healthy alternative to go for those suffering from stomach ailments. It is light and good for diets and the presence of fibres helps in reducing constipation and other stomach-related ailments.
Help in weight loss
Going for a rice-based diet can actually help in losing weight as per various studies. Rice has more fibre and less saturated fats.
However, it is also a fact that too much consumption of rice leads to weight gain. so keep the quantity moderate.
How can rice help in Dieting?
- Well, if you are planning to start a diet then consider including rice in it.
- Consuming a moderate quantity of rice instigates a feeling of fullness, satisfies hunger and improves your health.
- Rice fulfils the needs of your body as it is rich in magnesium and phosphorus.
- It gives you that feeling of fulfilment with little consumption, playing with your psychology helps you in your dieting plan.
Choose quality over quantity
- Often people are not aware of the fact that rice is available in multiple variants in the market.
- Some varieties of rice are polished with poisonous substances that can lead to severe health issues.
- So, always avoid polished rice and instead include Basmati rice, Brown rice or parboiled rice in your daily diet.
- Make sure you avoid any form of policed rice and choose organically grown parboiled rice which is a good source of energy and minerals.
Rice is a carb. Should I consume it?
- Rice is a popular grain that is eaten all over the world, especially in Asia, some European countries and African countries.
- It is not a ‘Food’ that we should be afraid of. Of course, rice is a high-carbohydrate food but these carbs are not bad.
- Our brains and muscles thrive on carbohydrates and use nutrients as the main energy source.
- Every hour, our brain needs 5 grams of glucose to function and approx 120 grams of glucose per day.
- A half cup of cooked rice has 23 grams of carbohydrates thereby showing it can be a part of your regular healthy diet.
- You can eat rice with daal, curry or beans depending on your food choice or cultural preference.
- Rice is also the main part of some Biryani, Pulao and even our favourite Khichdi.
- Brown rice is often considered to be preferable to white rice and it is rich in fibre, selenium, manganese, iron magnesium, B vitamins and copper.
- Fibre helps in the digestion of food, feel full longer and improve cholesterol level which is important in weight management.
- In addition, other nutrients in rice also support the immune system.
How to eat white rice to lose weight?
Rice is an easily digestible, gluten-free grain that offers several B vitamins as well. In order to lose weight, We must create a calorie deficit by eating fewer calories.
White rice has gained a bad reputation among fitness freaks or weight watchers due to its tendency to pack in high amounts of starch and for being rich in calories.
Rice is an incredibly versatile food grain that is easy to prepare as well.
You can cook it in a variety of ways and it is also available easily and very cheap.
A number of people ban white rice from their diets in order to keep away the excess calories but rice is a staple food in many Indian household kitchens and is also used in various Indian food preparation. If you are fond of eating rice, you may still be able to consume it on a weight-loss diet.
Here are some ways to eat rice on a weight-loss diet.
Portion Control
Take only one serving of rice during the meal to restrict the number of calories. Adjust your portions of rice according to your dietary needs and the kind of low-calorie diet you may be following.
Skip eating other carbs in meals before or after the one with rice.
Opt for the right cooking method
Cooking rice in cream or frying it, is not good but boil it instead as it will pack in lesser calories.
If you are eating at the right time or regular with your daily workouts, you can easily lose weight without exercising dietary restrictions.
Pair it with vegetables
Rice can make you feel hungry much sooner than other carbs. You can avoid this by pairing it with lots of roasted or grilled vegetables with high fibre or protein in them.
Consider beans, spinach, peas, broccoli or even chicken or paneer.
Practicing the right amount of rice is a key component for healthy weight loss.
Stay fit and healthy forever!!
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