In the time of banting and the Padeo diet, and the fear that the word – carb, has placed into our minds. Nevertheless, which is better, brown rice, white rice or wild rice? Well, if you look at the amount of carbs per cup of rice, then brown rice has 52 grams of carbs, white rice only one gram more, but wild rice stands at 35 grams of carbs. This would mean that wild rice is healthier to eat than compared to white or brown rice, right. Not quite, as it might have less carbs, it does not mean that the rice if more nutritious than the other sort of rice varieties.
If you compare the three types of rice varieties, than brown rice contains more fiber than white rice, but it is also an excellent source of magnesium and selenium. In additionally, brown rice could lesson your risks for developing type 2 diabetes, help with weight management and to lower your cholesterol. The problem with white rice is that it has been processed. This means that all the goodness of brown rice has been stripped away. This means all the fiber, mineral and vitamins are removed. That said, what many producers have been doing is to re-add nutrients. Whereas wild rice, which is more of a grass than a rice, is packed with antioxidants and nutrients.
Brown rice and wild rice, both, contain healthier types of fiber. But it is agreed that we need around 225 and 325 grams of carbohydrates each day. This should make up around 45 to 65 % of your total daily calories and should be eaten throughout the day.
That said although rice might have a great texture and easy to add to most meals, you should aim for the low-carb rice options, as they are healthier.
In fact, there are different options available that you can opt for instead of using rice. These include rice made out of cauliflower or broccoli. In addition, you can look out for koniac. Koniac is an Asian root vegetable, and when it is used to make a rice, it is called Shirataki rice.
An easy way to make your own rice substitute is by:
• Chop the vegetable of your choice, and then place them in a food processor
• Pulse in a food processor until you achieve your preferred consistency
• Place you mixture in the microwave for a few minutes or cook on the stove. You may want to cook it for a shorter time to retain some of the raw crunch.
The bottom line on rice
Firstly, do not eat more than a cup of rice per meal. That is since like most things in life, you should do everything in moderation, the same applies to rice. In addition, when you are going to eat rice, make sure it is the healthier types like wild rice or brown rice, instead of white rice. Nevertheless, brown rice will make you feel fuller then you will eat less.
There other types of rice, like black rice and red rice you can explore. Black rice is full of fiber and contains iron, protein, and antioxidants. It is often used in dessert dishes since some types are slightly sweet. You can experiment using black rice in a variety of dishes. Whereas, red rice is another nutritious choice that also has a lot of fiber. The only thing about red rice is that it is high in carbs and have a rather complex taste, which some people might not enjoy. Still red rice with its color can be used as an aesthetic enhancement to certain dishes.
In addition, you can sometimes go for a rice alternative such as cauliflower than is used to make rice. That is another way that you can get your veg.
