It’s always said that cut down on fat and you would slim down. But, I have observed that many people despite cutting down on fat, still put on weight. The reason for this is simple carbohydrates which Indian population gorges on without knowing the facts.

Indian diets comprises more of simple carbohydrates which mainly consists of white rice, sugar, maida. There is definitely a substitute for everything.

Let’s talk about how beneficial brown rice is over white rice! The difference between white and brown rice is not that of colour alone but there is lot more to it.

How Brown rice gets converted to white rice?

The outermost layer, the hull, is removed to produce brown rice. This process avoids the unnecessary loss of nutrients that occurs with further processing. If brown rice is further milled to remove the bran and most of the germ layer, the result is a whiter rice, but also a rice that has lost many more nutrients. At this point, however, the rice is still unpolished, and it takes polishing to produce the white rice we consume.

Benefits of Brown Rice:

• Rich in Selenium: A trace mineral which reduces the risk for common illness like colon cancer.

 

• High in manganese: One cup of brown rice provides 80% of our daily manganese requirements. Manganese helps the body synthesize fats. Manganese also benefits our nervous and reproductive systems.

 

• High in fiber: It is packed with fiber! It has been shown to reduce high cholesterol levels. It also keeps your sugar under control so brown rice is an excellent grain choice for people with diabetes. You feel satiated after eating brown rice as it is high in fiber so you tend to eat lesser in the meal, thus portion size comes into the picture.

 

• Protection against breast cancer: The pytonutrient Lignin present in brown rice known to inhibit the growth of breast cancerous cells.

•       Healthy bowel function: Brown rice contains good amounts of insoluble fibre that stays in the gut and aids digestion and prevents constipation.
•       Great source of Magnesium: Magnesium is thought to be a key nutrient needed for healthy bones along with calcium and vitamin D.

To summarize, brown rice is  a healthy substitute which is packed with whole lot of antioxidants and micro-nutrients than white rice.