For those of us who devour health and nutrition tips, news, and strategies, it seems to have become a hard (and generally accepted) rule that \u201cbrown foods\u201d are preferable to their white counterparts. We\u2019re talking, of course, about common carb sources like whole wheat pasta, multigrain bread\u2014and brown rice.<\/p>\n
Paired with veggies, beans, and other nutrient-rich foods, brown rice is a staple of a healthy diet\u2014and it\u2019s pretty easy to prepare, too. But its lighter sibling, white rice, is often shunned, or consumed only as a guilty pleasure. Yet the contrast may not be as clear as it seems: in fact, there\u2019s ample evidence that white rice may be just as healthful as brown rice\u2014perhaps even healthier, by some definitions.<\/p>\n
The Typical Argument<\/strong><\/p>\n There are a few reasons that we typically aim to replace white rice with brown\u2014but when held up to closer scrutiny, those reasons don\u2019t look quite as compelling.<\/p>\n For one, we often hear that brown rice contains more dietary fiber and protein, which is true. But take a closer look at the nutritional values of each, and you\u2019ll find that their protein content is almost identical. Brown rice has more fiber, but only a small amount\u2014which could easily be made up by introducing some veggies into your dish.<\/p>\n What About Nutrients?<\/strong><\/p>\n Brown rice has another thing going for it: it\u2019s chock-full of important micronutrients, like potassium and magnesium, which the body needs. But once again, a closer look reveals some cracks in this argument: Unfortunately, brown rice also contains something called phytate\u2014<\/em>a villainous anti-nutrient that actually makes it more difficult for your body to make use of those increased micronutrients. Plus, white rice is commonly enriched with nutrients, which can make up a lot of the difference.<\/p>\n Other Important Considerations<\/strong><\/p>\n Based only on the above categories, it might seem that brown rice has the edge nutritionally\u2014if only slightly\u2014but there\u2019s even more to the picture. First, know that consumption of too much white rice has been shown to lead to a higher risk of type 2 diabetes. (But keep in mind that consuming too much brown rice may not be a lot better, according to nutritionists.) However, there\u2019s also the question of arsenic. Though the amounts contained in rice are probably fine for most people, arsenic can be harmful to the body, and there\u2019s more of it in white rice than in brown.<\/p>\n Ultimately, it\u2019s a tough call: some experts swing one way or the other, while others suggest that you simply eat what you prefer (we like that option the best). Either way, the story\u2019s clearly not as \u201cbrown and white\u201d as common knowledge suggests.<\/p>\n For further guidance on nutrition and diet, contact us at PMR today!<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" For those of us who devour health and nutrition tips, news, and strategies, it seems to have become a hard (and generally accepted) rule that \u201cbrown foods\u201d are preferable to their white counterparts. We\u2019re talking, of course, about common carb sources like whole wheat pasta, multigrain bread\u2014and brown rice. Paired with veggies, beans, and other…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":969,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false},"categories":[59],"tags":[],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n