Know What's in Your Rice

Rice is the one of the most common non-allergen,very useful for the people who have gluten sensitivity(which is largely present in wheat and its products). Rice is Low in Sodium, unlike chapatis,makes an ideal meal for those who have troubles managing hypertension. Besides it also has very negligible traces of sugar and Fat, which can be helpful for weight watchers. Rice Bran oil which is made from the bran of the rice is very effective in cholesterol management. Brown rice could be a wiser choice to consume, as the outer layer of the rice is retained,making it high in fiber with most of the nutrients preserved. White rice is further processed and polished resulting in loss of vital nutrients during milling.

Rice has many ingredients associated with it, as listed below.

1. Carbs: A good source of carbohydrates, in many cases and the main source of carbohydrates, it has digestible starch. This is both the best and the worst part of rice. The human digestive system lacks the enzyme required to digest this and so it does not get immediately digested and is not absorbed into the blood stream. It converts into short chain fatty acids in the small intestine, feeds the rich intestinal flora, goes all the way to the large intestine where it is finally absorbed. This is the reason rice is believed to work against weight loss. A good way to reduce this fat is to add a spoonful of coconut oil to the rice, which helps cut calories. The other good news is this rice with lowered calorie is beneficial for the good bacteria in the stomach. Another reason to cheer is that when re-heated, this benefit of lowered calories is not lost.
2. Proteins: Rice has a good amount of dietary protein, which is essential for repair of body tissues on a regular basis.
3. Vitamins: Vitamin B complex in rice regulates the body’s chemical reactions and converts food to energy. Rice also contains small amounts of thiamine, niacin, riboflavin, and vitamin E.
4. Minerals: It is also a good source of iron and zinc, which protects the body from free radical damage, which is an important process in the genesis of cancer.

Types of rice

White rice is what has always been popular in most households. However, with the recent shift in eating habits, more people are switching to brown rice. This is white rice plus the husk, which gives additional amount of fibre and is richer in terms of nutrients. It not only has lesser calories compared to white rice (170 calories vs. 220 calories for a medium cup serving), it is also packed with minerals (manganese, selenium, magnesium and potassium) as well. It takes slightly longer to cook, but reduces the chances of developing type 2 diabetes by half and helps in weight loss too. It may just seem like a cup of rice, but it sure is loaded.