Brown Rice vs White Rice: Is Brown Really Better?

You thought you had the brown rice vs white rice argument put to bed already. You’ve been told to eat whole grains and you’ve even made the big switch to brown rice when treating yourself to sushi and Chinese. But, you’re not really loving it and you’re wondering what the real deal is with it. Let’s put it to bed for good this time. The Low Down on White Rice White rice is uber processed. When you hear that you should be avoiding all “processed and refined grains”, well, white rice is at the top of that list. A grain is considered a whole grain when it includes 3 parts: the bran, germ, and endosperm. The bran is the outer skin of the edible kernel. It contains antioxidants, B vitamins, and fiber. The germ also contains B vitamins, some protein, minerals, and healthy fats. The endosperm contains mostly carbohydrate, protein and some vitamins and minerals. White rice has both the bran and germ removed, leaving only the endosperm, which is the nutritionally almost void part of the grain. When you’re downing that bowl of rice with your General Tso’s chicken, you’re not consuming any fiber and you’re getting less B vitamins, folate, potassium and protein than brown rice. Science has even shown a potential connection between a diet high in white rice and an increased risk of Type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome, and cardiovascular disease. Side note: Most white rice produced in the US is enriched to add thiamin (vitamin B1), iron, and folate back into it, leaving it nutritionally greater in these vitamins compared to brown rice. So Is Brown Rice Really the Better Option? Though white rice is enriched, it’s still missing the added benefits that brown rice has including protein, fiber, potassium, selenium, choline, phosphorus, and magnesium. The higher amounts of fiber in brown rice will also work to keep you fuller longer, potentially making you consume less calories over time. It also improves the good gut bacteria of your microbiome. Studies have shown that regular consumption of whole grains is associated with a lower risk of Type 2 diabetes. Makes sense because brown rice is lower on the glycemic index. This study in particular shows that a group of overweight people who ate more brown rice than white were successful in reducing their glucose levels as well as their resistance to insulin. Brown rice has almost 4 times as much of the mineral magnesium compared to white, important for healthy bones and teeth and also helping regulate blood glucose levels and blood pressure. You get a whopping 88% of your daily requirements of manganese from brown rice, a mineral involved in collagen production (making it super important for skin health.) Brown Rice vs White Rice: The Verdict Still weighing your rice options? Generally, it’s always best to go whole. Whole real food wins again. Yes, you may get a little less B vitamins and iron but you’ll win in all other ways. Want to take it up a notch? Go for germinated brown rice. Nutrients are more bioavailable when consuming sprouted brown rice. Put in a request at your local sushi joint. And if you wanna add even more color to your rice bowl, check out black rice.

4 Superfoods You Should Definitely Be Eating

When you hear the word superfoods, your mind probably goes right to kale and blueberries, right? Well it’s time for some other “new” superfoods to make it to your Instagram feed. I recently shared four of my faves with Rachael Ray, and you may want to add them to your repertoire of nutritional superheros in place of your old worn out go-tos. Because let’s face it, you can never have enough superfoods on your plate! 4 Superfoods You Should Definitely Be Eating Matcha: Use this bright green powder to replace your morning coffee. Matcha is made from whole tea leaves that are ground into powder form. Since you’re consuming the whole tea leaf (versus steeping and dumping a tea bag) matcha provides you with a super dose of antioxidants  – 10 times the amount of traditional green tea. The high levels of both ECGC (a type of catechin) and polyphenols will provide you with anti inflammatory benefits, may improve your blood pressure and play a role in cardiovascular health. Matcha contains caffeine as well the amino acid known as l-theanine. This combination will help to improve your mental alertness and help you focus without the 3:00 p.m. crash you usually get from downing your daily dose of java. Add this powder to warm almond milk to replace your morning latte, blend with Greek yogurt, add to smoothies or even sprinkle on popcorn. Ghee: Use this to replace traditional butter. Ghee is a type of clarified butter that you’re definitely going to want to add to your grocery list. This creamy spread has more short and medium chain fatty acids than traditional butter. What does this mean for your bod? The calories from these fats are burned faster so the energy the ghee provides is more quickly utilized. These healthy fats also benefit your gastrointestinal health and ghee also has more vitamin A, D, and E than the traditional stuff, meaning it can help repair damaged skin, improve your vision, and even help balance your hormones. Use ghee anywhere you would typically use butter. Swipe a teaspoon on a slice of Ezekial toast in the morning, or drizzle a tablespoon over veggies before roasting. The higher smoke point makes it safe to cook at high temps, too. Black Rice: Toss the white stuff, and go for this instead. Slightly lower in calories and higher in protein, white rice pales in nutritional value (and color) compared to its darker rice counterpart. It’s packed with antioxidants called anthocyanins (this is what gives it the dark color) that have been shown to reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease and can improve cognitive function and mental decline. Use black rice to replace white or brown rice. Top a cup of black rice with beans, diced tomatoes, roasted corn, avocado, and grilled peppers to make a super fast and nutrient-packed burrito bowl. Chickpea Flour: This flour could be the new whole wheat. Made of nothing more than simply ground chickpeas, this flour is versatile, wheat free, gluten-free, high in protein, and a wallet friendly option compared to other gluten free flours (I’m looking at you, almond flour). So you can try chickpea flour if gluten makes your stomach turn, or even simply to keep you fuller longer after meals, thanks to its high protein content. Commonly known as ‘socca,’ this chickpea flour crepe recipe is simple, healthy and delicious and the perfect vehicle to be topped with veggies and enjoyed (or try it sweet by adding a little vanilla and cinnamon to your batter).