"Swap white rice for brown rice," said the expert. (Source: Getty Images/Thinkstock)
Rice is a staple food item in various parts of the world, especially in Asia. So much so that many people can’t do without at least one serving of rice with their meals. However, at the same time, debates are always rife about the possible health effects of consuming rice, with many looking for alternatives to the most commonly-consumed white rice, such as brown rice, red rice and black rice.
To understand which variety is best suited for you, we reached out to Garima Goyal, a dietitian, who explained more about the different kinds and their different benefits for you.
White rice
The most common variety of rice consumed all over the globe is white rice. “Compared to other varieties, white rice is the highest in carbohydrate content so those trying to limit their calories should consume it with caution. The appearance of this rice is polished due to the removal of its outer bran and husk layers — leaving it with less fibre,” Goyal explained.
Brown rice
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This type of rice has only the outer inedible layer removed, but the bran and germ are intact, which is the cause of its brown colour and high fibre content, the expert said. “Brown rice is less polished than white rice. This whole grain food is a good alternative to white rice because of its richness in vitamins and minerals such as magnesium, selenium, thiamine, niacin, vitamin B6, phosphorus and potassium. Brown rice also contains flavonoid antioxidants such as apigenin, quercetin and luteolin. It also possesses a slightly lower glycemic index than white rice. Brown rice has been shown to reduce HbA1c in diabetics as well.”
White rice is the most common variety (Source: Getty Images/Thinkstock)
Red rice
Red rice is also known as Himalayan or Bhutanese rice. “This rice contains a lot of magnesium which lowers blood pressure, maintains blood glucose levels and strengthens bones. It is also rich in iron and inc. Thus, this makes for a healthier alternative as compared to brown rice,” Goyal said.
Also read | Should diabetics cut down on white rice?
Black rice
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Black rice has a mild, nutty and earthy flavour and is also called ‘forbidden rice’ or ‘purple rice’. “It is a rich source of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants such as anthocyanins, which are responsible for giving it the black colour. Vitamin E and iron are high in this variety of rice. The deep black colour of this variety changes to purple when cooked. Since black rice has the highest antioxidant, protein and dietary fibre content as compared to all other varieties, it is the healthiest choice. It also has cardioprotective effects,” the dietitian said.
According to Goyal, while choosing any variety of rice which is not refined is fine, black rice is the best alternative due to its nutrient density, rich fibre and antioxidant content.
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