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Here's why you should not give up eating white rice

If you though white rice is full of empty calories, read this.

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Written By: Tania Tarafdar | Published : March 29, 2016 6:20 PM IST

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I occasionally ate rice but all that changed after I got married. My husband loves eating rice, so much so that he stays away from all other grains. While I enjoyed having rajma chawal and dal chawal, I finally gave it up thinking that it is making me put on weight. Like me, many of my friends stopped eating white rice thinking that it is an empty source of calories and switched to brown rice. I got in touch with well-known nutritionist Deepshika Agarwal only to learn that eliminating it entirely from my diet wasn't a healthy idea. Here s why:

Firstly, white rice is a staple in most parts of East and South India. If you have been eating rice all your life, your body gets used to the white rice diet. Your body will take some time to switch to brown rice or other whole grains like quinoa, and it will also impact your metabolism.

Secondly, non-refined white rice is a good source of vitamin B12 and thus can be a good option for vegetarians and vegans who can t get their dose of vitamin B12 from meat, eggs, seafood and dairy.

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And third, white rice is very satiating and will prevent you from over eating helping you in portion control. It can also be an excellent option for those on a gluten-free diet.

Tips

  • Remember that eating white rice can be a good idea as long as you have it in moderation. If you are on a weight loss diet, you can eat rice thrice a week.
  • White rice is rich in complex carbohydrates like starch so ensure that you eat the non-refined options and skip the refined ones like Basmati rice. Parabolic rice which is mostly consumed in South India has higher nutrient content and also contains lesser starch.
  • Also, keep rice as an option for lunch as your metabolism is higher during that time of the day and you end up using the carbohydrates from rice as energy.
  • Make sure that you eat lentils and salad along with rice to make up for the fibre content. Try these healthy salads

Image source: Getty Images

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Tania Tarafdar

Tania Tarafdar

Strong-headed. Light-hearted. Free willed. Curious. Fitness enthusiast. Yoga addict. Travel ... Read More