Rice: A heavenly grain

Rice is the next best thing after mother's milk for a new born in Indian culture. Ground up rice is cooked with water, a pinch of salt and cumin powder - rice gruel/ kanji/ pej. From baby food to geriatric food to diarrhea/ jaundice food rice is a popular food choice for different conditions. The reason is that it is extremely light and easy to digest - no pressure on your guts to digest rice.

Lately, when the food industry announced carbs as our new enemy, rice went through a lot of carb- shaming! From being called an empty carb to white- nutrient stripped grain. Even today people carb shame rice. Poor fat was in carb's place until couple decades ago. But now, fat is the show stopper. Keto diet, healthy fats, MCTs and what not!

I think it is time we stop looking at food as carbs, fats or proteins. Instead make a wholesome meal combining the ancient wisdom and sensible ingredients.

Coming back to rice, rice has been a vital part of all ancient cultures who knew farming. Be it Mexican, Greek, Indian, South East Asian, Japanese, Egyptian, African. There are over a thousand varieties of rice only in India. I would guess over ten thousand varieties all over the world.

As of Indian culture, rice is a crucial part of funerals, weddings, naming ceremonies, festivals, pre and post natal care for mothers and more!

Let's look at some amazing things rice will help you do.

Myth:

Rice is an empty carb

Fact:

Rice has more than just carbs. The term 'empty carb' itself is redundant. Carbs are turned into glucose and then into energy. We need energy for every single activity. So carbs are never empty; if anything they support your system.

And besides carbs, rice contains essential amino acids- L- lysine. Lysines helps stronger bones, thick hair, fights wrinkles, fights acne, glowing skin, better sleep, reduces risk of diabetes.

Myth:

Brown rice is better than white rice

Fact:

Recent studies have proven that brown rice has pretty much the same nutritional constitution as white rice except it has more fiber. The fiber on brown rice is so thick that it take twice as much time to cook as compared to brown rice. So imagine how hard it would be on your guts to digest it. And as for fiber, if we eat enough fruits or vegetables or beans/ pulses/ dal, we meet the daily fiber requirement easily. Too much fiber can cause constipation. The job of rice is to help bowel movement.

Another issue is phytic acid- antinutrient- that is present in the bran. It bind minerals in the intestine preventing their assimilation into the blood. And finally excreted out of the body.

Myth:

White rice has nothing left on it, all nutrients wear off in the process of polishing

Fact:

There are single polished or hand pounded varieties of organic rice available which is how traditionally rice bran was always separated. Hand pounding removes the tough bran while keeping the nutrients in tact. Traditionally we prefer that variety of rice.

Myth:

Rice eaters show greater risk to type 2 diabetes

Fact:

Rice fights anxiety, rice promises a better sleep, rice has fat burning properties, rice make your feel lighter in the morning. Rice has inositol which helps all the above functions. All these help fight diabetes- anti anxiety, good sleep, fat burning etc. Besides, all the ancient cultures of the world thriving on rice as a staple should have diabetes in their genes if rice is really linked to type2 diabetes. In fact, these cultures show less diabesity than Americans. Therefore, if anything, rice will fight the risk of diabetes. "There is more to diabetes than just eating rice or carbs for that matter. "- Rujuta Diwekar.

Myth:

White rice is high in GI

Fact:

If you take a close look at how rice is consumed all over the world, you will realise that rice is eaten in accompaniment with something.

Mexican- Rice and peas, burrito etc

Indian- Dal, rice and ghee

Vietnamese/ Cambodian- Coconut curry and rice

Japanese- Fish and rice

You will see that rice is eaten with a protein and a healthy fat. When consumed with a healthy fat like ghee, for example, the GI of rice goes down making it fit for even diabetics.

Myth:

Rice is okay to eat but the quantity should be watched

Fact:

No diet, no nutritionist, no doctor will ever be able to tell you how much is right for you. You need to answer your own body needs. No one knows your body like you do. Listen to your body; some days you may feel more hungry. So eat.

Bon apetito!

Different ways rice is eaten all over the world.