- White rice is less nutritious than brown rice, and many people incorporate brown rice into their diet as a better option..
- However, white rice is more beneficial with a particular person or in a particular situation.
- Brown is better than white when it comes to sugar, but neither is recommended as part of a healthy diet.
Comparing all the countless rice and sugar options on the market today can leave you standing in the grocery aisle and scratching your head in confusion.
From basmati to long grain rice, brown rice, granulated sugar, raw sugar and brown sugar, there are varieties to suit every taste and dietary need.
A staple food for more than 3.5 billion people worldwide, rice is especially popular in Asia, Latin America and parts of Africa. According to Healthline, he has more than 7,000 varieties of grains, ranging from different colors to shapes and sizes. For many of us, however, the most commonly consumed varieties in South Africa and many other countries are white and brown rice.
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But when it comes to choosing between white and brown rice, many of us believe that brown rice is more nutritious. I asked a nutritionist.
Response of registered dietitian
Both brown and white rice are made from the same grain, but as we explained in a previous article on News24, brown rice goes through a refining process that removes the husk and bran (the brown stuff) to make white rice. This process removes nutrients such as iron, vitamins and magnesium.
Toni Brien, Registered Dietitian of Crazy4Food, explains:
Brown rice is generally considered to be more nutritious than white rice. This is because it is unprocessed and contains more fiber, magnesium and antioxidants than white rice.
Brien adds that this hearty, nutty rice also has a lower GI (glycemic index) compared to white rice. The NHS explains that the GI is a rating system for carbohydrate-containing foods that indicates how quickly each food affects blood sugar (glucose) levels when eaten alone. .
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“[A lower GI] It helps control blood sugar levels and keep you going for a longer period of time,” says Brian. They add that it has a moderate GI. That said, not all white rice is bad for you. Brian says:
Both white and brown rice can be included in a healthy, balanced diet as long as portions are controlled. White rice is better than brown rice, as is the case with those who have it.
Healthline also explains that white rice is often unfairly criticized. Earlier this year, the study’s lead investigator said, “A diet that involves consuming large amounts of unhealthy refined grains can be thought of as similar to a diet high in unhealthy sugars and oils.” rice field.
But sometimes it is beneficial.
A low-fiber diet is beneficial for people experiencing heartburn, nausea, vomiting, or recovering from medical procedures that affect the digestive system, and in these cases, low-fiber diets may be beneficial. , bland, easy-to-digest white rice is often recommended, says Healthline. Pregnant women may also benefit from the extra folic acid found in nutrient-rich white rice.
News24 also notes that while too much white rice can lead to weight gain (because carbs digest quickly), it’s also a great post-workout meal because fast-digesting carbs are absorbed by your muscles to make up for lost energy. I explained that I would be exercising.
Sweet talk: what about sugar?
With ongoing research into the health effects of the foods we eat, we hear more and more about how unhealthy sugar is. It is projected to rise slightly above 171 million tonnes over the course of 2020, rising to about 179 million tonnes by 2023.
As News24 has previously noted, research has shown that when manufacturers add less sugar to processed and prepackaged foods, they can significantly improve overall health. Conversely, a diet high in sugar is associated with an increased risk of certain health conditions such as type 2 diabetes and heart disease.
Contrary to popular belief, brown sugar and white sugar are not all that different when it comes to nutritional value.
“When comparing white sugar to brown sugar, if you want to get down to nutrition, less refined brown sugar has slightly more micronutrients than white sugar. [sugar]’ says Brian.
“But neither is high GI and not very nutrient dense. So if you really want to pick and choose what you want, yes. Brown sugar is better than white sugar, but both are healthy.” Not recommended for balancing diets.”
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The same applies to brown sugar. It is dark brown, juicy, and tastes like toffee.
“Because that sugar is just unprocessed… it contains more nutrients, but it’s still sugar, not a good source of nutrients,” Brian says.
In fact, added sugar should always be limited or avoided whenever possible, she adds.
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