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Question: I Love Rice, But Is Rice Good for Me?


“Is rice good for you” is a question that pops up periodically for those looking to lose weight or bulk muscle mass. What is known is that rice is a staple food for the Asian continent being served 3 times a day. This is the replacement for potatoes for most other regions of the world like America and Europe.

Since rice is a carbohydrate, its intake has to be regulated so new fat cells are not produced just as any other carbohydrate. This is a great energy food that can be quickly turned into glucose for the body to use. A ½ cup of rice provides the body with about 15 grams of carbohydrates but there is 0.9g fat and no sodium present. The last two are a major plus in the eyes of most health conscience people.

This same ½ cup of rice is also only about 105 calories so using rice to lose weight is possible. It is filling and has 1.6 grams of fiber that is essential to a diet. There is also 2.5 grams of protein in this ½ cup of rice. All of these numbers are for brown rice.

Brown rice is the natural color of rice before it is bleached white or polished. It has more nutrients and vitamins than its bleach cousin and is considered healthier. The brown color is contributed by the presents of bran in the rice.

Unlike other high carbohydrate foods, rice has a low glycemic index number. This is easily translated to the fact that it breaks down slowly in the body and it’s absorbed over a longer period of time. By the carbohydrates being released over a longer period of time, it can be readily used up by the body as it is being released instead of being turned to fat because of an overabundance of supply that is converted all at once.

Other nutrients included in brown rice are zinc, selenium, magnesium, manganese, iron, niacin, thiamine and several essential fatty acids. This food item is also very low in sugar, and no gluten or cholesterol is present.

With the makeup of rice and the way it is processed by your body, it is a great source for fuel throughout the day. One of the little known health benefits of brown rice is how it helps to control high blood pressure to a point. It also helps to reduce a person’s risk of heart diseases when eaten regularly.

Most people steam rice as part of its preparation. This is the healthiest way to cook rice. For those wishing to eat and prepare brown rice an addition soaking of the rice for 20 to 30 minutes is recommended so the steaming process is complete in the same time as white or polished rice.

Rice is also a great substitute for those people that have an allergy towards wheat and wheat based products.

Now knowing all of the preceding information, I am sure you can now answer the question of “is rice good for you.” The answer should be an ecstatic “yes” in many ways. It is full of nutrients and a great fuel source for your body that has a slow release.  This prevents less fat from being formed when you eat it on a daily basis.

 

 

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4 Responses to “Question: I Love Rice, But Is Rice Good for Me?”

  1. You now have made a quite a few practical pointers in this particular article, thanks to find a motivating read through

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  4. Having to stick to a GF diet myself its good to see more info on the subject. Im finding more and more great information everyday and there are now loads more restaurants serving GF options. Im constantly worried about cross contamination when dining out.

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