The best kind of rice for weight loss

The first piece of advice that most people give when they come to know that you are trying to lose weight is to stop having rice. But why so? Is rice really bad for weight loss or is it just a myth? Let’s discover.

First things first, rice is not fattening or unhealthy. In fact, rice is a rich source of carbohydrates and fibre. But it gets its bad image because of its high glycemic index, which means it gets digested quickly and causes a spike in your blood sugar levels. Moreover, because it gets digested quickly, it makes you feel hungry soon, which leads to unnecessary calorie intake.

So, like any other food item, rice also has its pros and cons. But when it comes to weight loss, the type of rice you eat and the portion size are the two things that matter.

All types of rice have the same calorific value. Brown rice, red rice, unpolished rice and hand pounded rice have more fibre because they are not polished or processed and the outer layer is still there. These four varieties are more filling. From weight loss perspective, it is better to have the more filling variety and keep an eye on the portion size.

For weight loss, we need food that is high in minerals, fibre and vitamins, which commercial rice does not offer. Brown, red and the other coloured variety contain fibre and antioxidant, which makes them better for weight loss.

Different types of rice and calories they provide:

This is the unhealthiest type of rice because most of the minerals and nutrients are stripped off during the industrial processing. 100-gram white rice has 150 calories. White rice has a high glycemic index and thus diabetics should avoid it.

If you want to lose weight, switch to this variety of rice. It is full of dietary fibre and boosts your metabolism, both of which help in losing weight. 100 grams of brown rice contains 111 calories.

The rice gets it colour from the antioxidant called anthocyanin. This antioxidant is good for weight loss. Red rice also has manganese, which strengthens your metabolism too. One cup of red rice contains 216 calories.

The darker the colour of rice, the more antioxidants it has. Black rice is unpolished and contains micronutrients like vitamin B6, zinc, phosphorous, niacin and folate. It’s light on the stomach and one cup has about 280 calories.

- When eating out, opt for plain boiled rice instead of fried rice.

- Rice does not contain protein so it should be eaten with an animal or plant-based protein. For example dal-chawal or chicken rice.

- Soak rice before you cook it and wash it 3-4 times to remove starch. Boil rice with excess water to keep starch levels low.

- Add vegetables rich in fibre to your bowl of rice.

- To enhance the flavour of brown rice, cook it with coconut oil instead of just plain water.