Does Rice Eating Habit Give You Unwanted Fat? Facts Check

We often hear diet conscious people saying, “I have cut down on my rice intake as want to lose some weight”. We, often, wonder if rice is the culprit for our unwanted weight gain. Before coming to any conclusion, let us understand what is rice exactly? Rice is a crop of cereals, and the grain seeds of rice crop belong to grass family. The word cereal is derived from “ceres” the roman goddess of grain. The term cereal is not limited to only rice, wheat, maize or corn, jowar or bajra, it also includes flours, breads of different kind, pasta, etc. in this category.

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From the ages, we have seen rice as a staple and important part of the meal in the diet of most parts of India but in today’s era, people think that of rice as body shape destroyer.

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“A little knowledge is always dangerous“, with that being said, it’s important to know if rice is, essentially, blamable or is it our other habits that work against our diet. As we all know that rice is known for it’s starch content but we all forget that no food is just rich in one nutrient. There are many other nutrients present in it which makes it much more valuable. Along with Starch, rice also contains carbohydrates, fats, protein, minerals and enzymes which are necessary for the body’s growth and development. In fact, rice is the only grain to have high levels of essential amino acid called Lysine. Lysine is an important component required in body to absorb calcium, reduce diabetes related problem, etc.

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Let’s accept that we start believing on something that we constantly hear from various sources from time-to-time. The same is with rice. Let’s look at some of the myths and facts to identify if rice is the culprit in giving you unwanted fats.

Myth: Rice has starch and hence, if we eat it on a regular basis, it will lead to unwanted fats

Fact: Cooked rice have less than 10% starch left, and is a source of energy as it gets converted into glucose and provides the energy the body requires.

Myth: Rice has high glycemic index and is bad for diabetes

Fact: Rice is traditionally eaten with dhal, subji, meat, dahi, etc. which lowers the glycemic index of the meal and is therefore, safe for diabetic patients if taken in prescribed quantity.

Myth: Rice is rich in carbohydrates, therefore it must be avoided

Fact: No food is just carbohydrate, fat or protein. Rice has crucial amino acid, Vitamins and many phytonutrients that are essential for body’s growth and development.

Myth: Eat Brown Rice, Not White

Fact: We have always eaten white rice and so, psychologically, we think brown rice is better than white rice. However, white rice contain optimum amount of fiber along with fair amount of Vitamin B6 and Zinc.

We know you would be wondering if rice can be taken blindly in whatever quantity after the Myth-Fact result above. The answer to it is, every food which are good in any nutrient, if taken in excess, will start harming your body. Hence, it’s time to open our eyes and change the attitude towards rice. Try to include it in your daily diet in the right  proportion so that it stays in your stomach’s friend-list always without causing any harm to it.

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