The Choice is Yours
May 24, 2023Brown or White?
When you go to a restaurant and are offered a choice of brown rice or white rice, what do you choose? Do you go with the hardier, nuttier flavor of brown rice, or the sticky, neutral flavor of white rice?
I used to think white rice was altogether a different grain from brown rice. I thought there were Paddy fields of white rice and Paddy fields of brown rice. But did you know all rice begins as brown "Paddy Rice"? There are over 90,000 varieties of rice and none of these varieties grows white.
It's All the Same
Here is a little something you probable didn't know about rice:
Rice contains three main layers.
- The first layer is the outer hull which must be removed prior to cooking because it is not suitable for human consumption. All rice has this outer layer removed.
- The second layer contains the bran and germ which is where the bulk of the nutrients resides.
- And the third layer is the endosperm or kernel which is primarily carbohydrates.
Whole vs. Polished
In order to produce white rice, sometimes referred to as polished rice, the second layer containing the bran and germ are polished away. This layer that is removed to create white rice contains a fabulous amount of nutrients and fiber. To go from brown rice to white rice the kernels must go through processing which removes not only the bran, but 60% – 90% of the vitamin and mineral content (not to mention any yet unidentified beneficial components).
Turning brown rice into white rice strips the kernels of a host of beneficial nutrients leaving what is commonly referred to as empty carbohydrates. Rice has then become a refined grain. Without the bran and fiber needed to slow the breakdown of starch and glucose, blood sugar levels rise too quickly. Anything that raises blood glucose levels too fast can damage organ function and reek havoc on the body over time.
Naturally Synergistic
Whole grains contain nutrients that work synergistically together. They help each other out. It is how nature designed it. Choosing brown rice over white rice is always the healthier choice. If you want to boost the nutritional content even more, try germinating and sprouting your grains. This drastically increases the nutritional content. And here is a happy little tidbit. In general, the more whole grains you consumes, the lower your body weight.
Informed people produce informed choices. Why not be informed?
Kristi Taylor is a Master Herbalist, Clinical Herbalist and Natural healing Guide®. She endeavors to share her knowledge and passion of natural healing with whomever will listen – because nature’s wisdom never ceases to delight and amaze!
References
Babu, P. D., Subhasree, R., Bhakyaraj, R., & Vidhyalakshmi, R. (2009). Brown rice-beyond the color reviving a lost health food-a review. Magnesium, 187(13.10), 67-72.
Saleh, A. S., Wang, P., Wang, N., Yang, L., & Xiao, Z. (2019). Brown rice versus white rice: Nutritional quality, potential health benefits, development of food products, and preservation technologies. Comprehensive reviews in food science and food safety, 18(4), 1070-1096.
Upadhyay, A., & Karn, S. K. (2018). Brown rice: nutritional composition and health benefits. Journal of Food Science and Technology Nepal, 10, 47-52.
