They eat it in the north, they love it in the west, they simply indulge on it in the south and they cannot live without it in the east. We are talking about one staple food that is loved all over India, rice. We eat our rice in all possible ways from yummy biryanis, nutritious khichdis to the simple curd rice. With the same vigor that we love our rice, it has been condemned for its many diet sins. It is a taboo to eat rice if you are dieting and it is the reason many households with diabetics fight over it.
This article will try to find the answer to why rice is termed ‘unhealthy’ and what it has to offer to the diabetics and the diet conscious.
Does rice make me fat? Should Diabetics avoid it completely?
Rice, generally consumed as white rice, is high in carbohydrates, has little fiber and very few vitamins. There are three factors that make it bad for those who are trying to lose weight.
- Firstly it has a high Glycemic Index (GI), the higher the number is, easier it is for the body to digest it. Since rice is mostly carbohydrates, it is quickly broken down in glucose and the sudden surge of glucose in the body stimulates the body to release insulin which gives the body instant energy followed by a stage of feeling of hungry again. For those with Diabetes this sudden increase in levels of glucose in the blood is not good. It leads to weight gain as rice does not stay in the stomach for long and leaves you feeling hungry again.
- The second factor is that rice contains more calories. 361 calories per 100 grams and the quantity that we Indians prefer (large heaps) results in our consuming a high calorie meal.
- The third factor is simply that white rice contains calories and carbohydrates but falls short in fiber and other nutrients. So unless we eat the brown rice variety that is high in fiber as well as other nutrients like niacin, thiamin, calcium, potassium and protein, there is not much nutritional value in rice.
These three factors make rice bad for those who are trying to lose weight and make it a taboo for those with Diabetes.
Does rice make me lethargic?
Foods that have high Glycemic index shoot up the glucose levels in the blood which also increases levels of amino acid –tryptophan which is used by the brain to produce serotonin - asleep inducing agent. Since rice has high GI, it makes you feel lethargic and sleepy.
The Healthier rice options
Basmati: Everyone knows that the main ingredient that makes or breaks the Pulao and the Biryani is the Basmati rice that is used. Basmati rice with its nutty taste, long grain sizeand non stick property makes these dishes taste the way they do. Along with all these properties, Basmati rice is also a better option than the regular variety. Why?
It has medium glycemic index compared to the regular rice which means that it is digested slowly in the stomach hence fills for a long time. The calories obtained from basmati are lower because it swells more in water hence you eat the same amount and yet get lesser calories from it.
Parboiled rice: Also called ‘ukda chawal,’ parboiled rice is healthier than the regular rice because it is processed differently. Unlike the regular polishingprocess to remove the husk that deprives the rice of most of its nutrients, the rice here is partially boiled using steam to separate the husk in the grain. Later the husk is removed but the rice is still nutritious.
It is found that parboiled rice has 80% of the same nutrients as found in brown rice. Parboiled rice is not easily accepted because it tastes different than the regular rice and the yellowish tinge that it has, but with time, the taste buds get used to it.
Brown rice: Brown rice has come into the forefront with the new trend of health foods. Brown rice is the best kind of rice as most of the nutrients like thiamin, niacin, potassium, magnesium, folacin, vitamin E and iron are present in the grain. Brown rice also contains fiber that makes all the difference in its nutritional valueas the fiber increases the time taken to digest it and thus also prevents the spike in the glucose rate that is not good.
The problem with Brown rice, again, is the acceptability to it’s taste. There is a vast difference between the taste of brown rice and white rice, so is the difference in appearance, as well as time for cooking (it takes about 40-60 minutes to cook unlike the regular variety that takes just about 20-30 minutes). You need to acquire a taste for brown rice and use different ways of cooking to make it more palatable; for example soaking the rice overnight before cooking and masking the taste of brown rice with more sauces and stronger flavored spices works.
What about Saffola’s Arise?
Some facts first: Saffola’s Arise is claimed to be having 20% less carbohydrates and 20% less calories than normal rice. Taj Mahal Agro Industries, the company behind this rice has introduced a new brand of rice called as ‘moolgiri’ which has a very low GI (that of 51 as compared to the 72 GI that normal rice has). It is not genetically modified but has been processed to reduce the calories as well as carbohydrate content.
With the numbers presented by the company, Arise seems to be a good bet for those who love rice yet don’t want the calories with it. While most of the nutritionists we spoke to hadn’t tried Arise, they gave us their opinions based on the numbers shown by the company.
Dr. Shweta Iyengar, Nutritionist says that “I cannot say if Arise is better than normal rice, it seems to be better nutritionally but I am not sure whether it can give the same feeling of satisfaction that rice gives which is mainly due to the release of sugar in the blood.”
Sweety Das, Nutritionist from DENMARC (Diabetes Endocrine Nutrition Management Research Centre) says that “We do recommend Arise to our Diabetes patients as low GI rice is highly beneficial for them and for those who cannot do away with rice, Arise is a good alternative.”
Naini Setalvad, another well known nutritionist from Mumbai endorses Arise and says Arise has changed the way rice is perceived, “As Arise is lower GI Rice, it gets digested slowly and releases glucose steadily thereby keeping you fuller for a longer time. Further as the glucose releases steadily, it won’t make you feel lethargic or lazy after eating, also one bowl of cooked Saffola’s Arise has up to 20% less calories than regular rice varieties. Hence for a similar serve size of rice you actually eat lesser quantity and in turn lesser calories.”
If the claims that Arise is making are indeed true, then it solves the rice woes of all those who did not want the calories and the carbohydrates that rice brings with it.
If switching to different varieties of rice does not appeal to your taste buds,here are some ways to make your white rice healthier.
- With Veggies: “Since you know that white rice has high glycemic index, you must eat it with foods that have lower glycemic index to balance it out. The foods that you can eat with rice are foods with lots of fiber like vegetables, pulses in the form of dals” advises Shweta Iyengar but she also points out that if you opt for aloo sabzi that has high glycemic index with rice then it is doubly bad.
- Go the Khichdi Way: Sweety Das suggests eating khichdi instead of the regular rice and dal for diabetics and weight conscious. She says that when you prepare khichdi with pulses, sprouts, lots of vegetables, this balances out the Glycemic index of the overall meal and gives you more nutrition
- Not at Night: Another recommendation is to time the rice meals well. When you eat rice at daytime, the extra energy of the carbohydrates is adequately utilized but if you eat it at night, there is poor absorption of the glucose and this leads to hyperglycemia i.e. unusually high amounts of sugar in the blood that is not good especially for those with diabetes.
- Mind your portion: The best option for the rice lovers to eat rice yet remain healthy is by regulating the portion size. If you remain disciplined in the amounts you eat, then there is no problem.
So now you know why your favorite ‘rice’ got a bad name and ways in which you can still eat rice in a healthy way!
