Brown rice is better

With all the processing that goes on in our food system, we should always be looking for things that are less refined and closer to their natural state. The easiest way to do this is (usually) for opting for things that are brown instead of white. We should be getting about 6 ounces of grains a day and at least half of these should be whole grains. The average American, by the way, gets one serving of whole grains in a day.

When a raw rice grain is refined into white rice, you lose pretty much all the nutrients: 67% of vitamin B3, 80% of vitamin B1, 90% of vitamin B6, 50% of manganese and phosphorus, 60% of iron (a nutrient most of us are deficient in) and all the fiber and essential fatty acids-to be exact. Why would anyone in their right mind do this to such a lovely plant? White rice has traditionally been viewed as the rice that the wealthy consumed since they could afford to pay the higher price that came from the processing. Peasants and working class consumed the brown rice and so brown rice became associated with lower socio-economic status. Undoing years of stigma attached to the different types is a work in progress.

In addition to all those nutrients lost in processing, brown rice also contains antioxidants which neutralize free radicals (or reactive oxygen species) in our bodies. What you say? Is there more? Why yes there is.

Being a whole grain and all, brown rice can help lower your cholesterol (it binds to it), keeps you fuller longer (can help you with weight loss), improves gut health (makes a bulky stool, or as my advanced nutrition professor refers to it- "fluffy poo"), and controls blood sugar levels for diabetics.

Amazing. And you can get instant brown rice or Uncle Ben's even makes it in those microwaveable packs. Top it with fish or add in a stir fry and you have a very healthy alternative to white rice.