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  • Dietary trends will always exist, continuously changing our beliefs and food choices in its

  • most minute manner.

  • And one of the staple foods in the entire world, rice, has been subjugated to such a

  • change.

  • In this case, the popularity of brown rice has risen over the years, possibly replacing

  • its traditional white rice counterpart.

  • Touted for its health benefits and supposed aid in weight loss versus white rice, brown

  • rice's claim for fame isn't much different from the usual trendy superfood that pops

  • up from time to time.

  • But is it truly a worthy replacement, or like most of the time, is it just an unnecessary

  • change?

  • First, in a structural sense, the difference between white and brown rice is its refinement.

  • Rice is actually the seed of the grass species Oryza sativa, and it contains multiple pieces

  • and layers.

  • When refined, white rice removes all but one part of the seed, the endosperm.

  • Brown rice, however, only removes the outermost layer of the seed, the hull, leaving behind

  • the endosperm, along with part of the awn, the bran, and the germ.

  • And it's these remaining pieces that supposedly provide beneficial sustenance that is non-existent

  • in white rice.

  • In a macronutrient standpoint, the extra pieces provide brown rice 40% more protein and twice

  • as much fiber.

  • However, it's still not that much overall at only 5 grams of protein and 3.5 grams of

  • fiber per cup.

  • When it comes to micronutrients, though, then brown rice certainly seems superior to its

  • white counterpart.

  • But, brown rice also contains the antinutrient phytic acid.

  • Phytic acid is considered an antinutrient because it binds to minerals in the digestive

  • tract, which greatly reduces its absorption rate.

  • Research has shown that this can affect absorption of crucial minerals such as zinc, iron, and

  • magnesium.

  • One research even found that a diet consisting of brown rice reduced protein digestion more

  • so than white rice.

  • And, even though brown rice contains more minerals, the study also found that mineral

  • levels were the same in both brown and white rice diets.

  • On top of this, it's quite common in the market to find white rice that is enriched

  • with the nutrients that were removed during processing, which negates the potential nutrient

  • benefit of brown rice.

  • One thing you should keep in mind though, is that both white and brown rice contains

  • high levels of inorganic arsenic, a compound toxic to the body, especially for children

  • and pregnant woman.

  • Regular high consumption of inorganic arsenic can increase risks of bladder, lung, and skin

  • cancer, as well as heart disease.

  • Ironically, the quote, “healthierbrown rice contains roughly 80% more arsenic than

  • white rice.

  • Fortunately, you can reduce arsenic levels dramatically by thoroughly washing your rice

  • before cooking and cooking it in a 6 to 1 water to rice ratio.

  • So far, it might sound pretty bad for brown rice, even though we're told it's supposed

  • to be dramatically healthier.

  • But, there is one thing that brown rice might hold over white rice, and that is its effect

  • on diabetes.

  • In one meta-analysis, white rice was associated to increasing risks of diabetes by 11% for

  • each daily serving consumed.

  • Conversely, brown rice was associated with a 16% decreased risk of diabetes, especially

  • when replacing white rice consumption.

  • Much of this is believed to be explained by the difference in glycemic loads, the effect

  • a food has in increasing blood sugar levels.

  • White rice sits at a moderately heavy 29 on the GL while brown rice is at a respectable

  • 16.

  • If you're already at risk of diabetes, then switching to brown rice does make a bit of

  • sense.

  • Finally, when it comes to fitness goals, you simply have to look at its macronutrient breakdown.

  • As discussed, neither are great sources of protein, which means it probably wouldn't

  • be the first thing to consider when building muscle or strength.

  • However, they are high in carbohydrates, which can provide you energy.

  • Also, as like most carb foods, they are extremely calorie dense and simple to eat a high amount.

  • That means neither are great for weight loss, but can be beneficial for bulking.

  • So, after all this discussion, who wins the overall battle?

  • And, fighting against my urge to say, “it depends”, quite honestly, the answer is

  • more closely defined as a draw.

  • Undoubtedly, the differences between the two exists, but much of it has little impact,

  • especially on healthy populations.

  • Unless you're at risk of certain ailments, like diabetes, then looking at the big picture

  • of your entire diet, along with exercise, is much more important than choosing the color

  • of your rice.

  • Perhaps the best option for you is to choose the one that you simply enjoy eating the most,

  • then consider their benefits and drawbacks.

  • Sorry food fad lovers, there's nothing to see here.

  • Share your thoughts on the rice race below.

  • Was I rice about the results?

  • Or does one actually rice above the other?

  • Let me know!

  • As always, thank you for watching!

Dietary trends will always exist, continuously changing our beliefs and food choices in its

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