Nearly half of the world’s population consumes rice as the basis of their diet. Different cultures have their favourite rice preparations, such as steamed rice in China, paella in Spain, risotto in Italy, curry rice in Pakistan, etc. There are different types of rice like white rice, brown rice, red rice, black rice etc. But you will be happy to know that brown rice is the most nutritious and packed with numerous health benefits. Continue reading the article to find out all about brown rice, its amazing perks and why it is better than white rice.
Eat Brown Rice. It’s Good For Your Health!
Personally, we all love this rice, and we eat it regularly; what is cargo rice? Well, it’s brown rice, also called cargo rice, that has been husked and stripped of its inedible outer husks. Brown rice has more than 70 antioxidants that can act as protectors of the body, and it is also a complete protein food containing the 12 essential amino acids.
Brown rice does not contain gluten and is, therefore, nutritionally more nutritious than white rice, which has undergone a refining process. Rich in fiber, it promotes weight loss and helps the body eliminate toxins. It is also one of the best foods for lowering cholesterol levels. The fibre in brown rice belongs to the category of insoluble fibre, and it is a real friend for your intestines. Filled with benefits; it does not contain purines (toxic waste), it brings you energy without making you fat, and it is full of vitamins and minerals, vitamin E antioxidant, B1, B2, B5, B6, B9, benefits for the skin, brain, muscles, magnesium to avoid stress, zinc and selenium for our immune defences.
Iron protects against fatigue and anemia, and it is also an interesting food for diabetics. It would lower cholesterol and blood pressure.
Brown rice takes longer to cook than white rice, but with all the virtues it has, it’s worth the wait. Cooking a cup of brown rice requires about 2 cups of water.
What Is The Difference Between Brown Rice And White Rice?
Although rice is technically a seed, it is worth mentioning as a grain that comes in white and brown, refined and wholegrain varieties. The difference between these varieties lies in the processing.
Whole grain rice, like brown rice, is made up of three distinct parts:
The Bran
The outer layer of the grain possesses antioxidants, Phytochemicals, fibre, B vitamins and the majority of minerals.
The Endosperm
It is the largest middle layer that contains carbohydrates, protein, and fewer amounts of B vitamins and minerals.
The Germ
This is the inner part that contains B vitamins, fats, phytochemicals, and antioxidants.
The Case of White Rice
White rice, on the contrary, is deprived of everything but the endosperm, which we are told is the heart of the problem.
While it’s normally a good idea to eat a diet that is high in unprocessed foods, this doesn’t mean you should totally avoid white rice.
Does White Rice Have Any Advantages?
Without doubt! Carbohydrates have been demonized, yet they hold an essential place in a healthy diet. They are the nutrient that provides energy, which allows us to function throughout the day. In addition, since it is almost always enriched, it contains certain nutrients.
The Role of Insoluble Fibre
The high content of insoluble fibre in brown rice promotes more regular bowel movements. It could actually exacerbate some issues with conditions like diverticulitis or irritable bowel syndrome, which require a low-fibre diet to calm the digestive system and prevent diarrhea.
Do Brown Rice And White Rice Have Different Effects On Glycemia?
When making white rice, parts of the grain are removed, but the process does not remove any of the carbohydrates. Thus, brown rice and white rice are equal in terms of carbohydrates but not in terms of their effect on blood sugar.
And At the Flavor Level?
Regarding flavour, whole wheat products and brown rice, in general, tend to have a good reputation.
In Terms Of Health
If you have prediabetes, type 2 diabetes, or blood sugar issues, you should favour brown rice. On the contrary, if you must follow a low-fibre diet, white rice is a better option.
How to Cook It?
Brown rice is cooked in the classic way, whether it is basmati brown rice or organic brown rice; it is advisable to rinse the rice to remove the excess starch which would have remained attached to its envelope.
In a second step, you can choose to go through the soaking of the rice: this is a technique not very widespread in the West which consists in letting the rice absorb water, to reduce its cooking time.
Indeed brown rice requires a significant cooking time because of its envelope. Therefore, leaving it to soak reduces this cooking time by about 20 minutes.
To finish, all you have to do is boil water, salt it, and pour the desired amount of rice into the pan. You will have to wait an hour for your rice to be well cooked, lowering your heat and stirring from time to time so that the rice does not stick.
Our Advice on Brown Rice in Your Diet
We, therefore, recommend brown rice because it is undoubtedly a complete food and fundamentally good for your body. That will provide you with everything you need while respecting your body because it is 100% natural.
Inexpensive and easy to cook, brown rice, through various recipes, fits very well with our Western eating habits. So you won’t have trouble finding it in stores or seasoning it as you like.
Ideal for Bodybuilding
Brown rice, for a diet, is therefore ideal in that it will force your body to absorb less food.
It is also a food that is ideal for bodybuilding, as it is very rich in protein and fibre. Brown rice, for bodybuilding, is ideal because it contains slow sugars, which promote a long-lasting energy boost, so it is ideal when you have to produce significant effects.
As a supplement to a balanced diet, brown rice is, therefore, suitable when you want to lose weight or gain muscle mass because it is really a very rich food.
Some Recipe Ideas for Cooking Brown Rice
You can cook various recipes with brown rice. We are going to discuss some of them.
Brown Rice Salad with Tuna & Black Olives
Brown rice is higher in fibre and protein than white rice, and it also contains fewer carbs, making it a preferred option. It is important to remember to diversify! Thus, it is possible to mix two types of rice, such as wild rice and white rice, to achieve an interesting result!
Ingredients
- 1 cup long-grain brown rice
- 2 1/4 cups of water
- Two cans (170 g each) of tuna
- 1 C. tablespoon chives, finely chopped
- 1/4 cup black olives, finely chopped
- 2 tbsp. tablespoons olive oil mayonnaise
- 2 tbsp. sour cream
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Steps
- In a saucepan, pour the rice and water, then bring to a boil.
- Lower the heat, cover, then simmer for 35 minutes or until the rice has completely absorbed the water.
- Transfer to a large salad bowl with the rest of the ingredients.
- Mix well, adjust the seasoning, then enjoy.
Brown Rice with Vegetables & Peruvian Chorizo
Chorizo is a Spanish sausage that owes its taste and red colour to powdered paprika. Our Calorie Smart recipes contain more than 250 g of vegetables and less than 700 calories.
For the rice, bring a good volume of water to a boil in the pan and add 1/4 of the stock cube per person. Cook the rice for 10 minutes covered. Then, drain it and reserve it without a lid.
Tip: Did you know? Compared to unrefined grain products, whole grains contain more fibre but also 3 to 5 times more vitamins and minerals, such as potassium, magnesium, iron and vitamins B1, B2 and E.
Prepare
Crush or mince the garlic. Chop the shallot. Grate the ginger with a fine grater. Cut the spring onion into thin rings. Separate the white from the green. Cut the pointed red pepper into thin strips. Let the peas drain. Beat the eggs with a fork in the bowl. Season with salt and pepper.
Tip: You don’t have to peel the ginger before grating it. It saves you time!
Cook While Stirring
Heat 1/4 tbsp of butter per person in the pan. Pour in the beaten eggs and cook one omelet for two people. Remove it from the pan and cut it into strips. Heat 1/4 sunflower oil per person in the sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the chorizo, garlic, shallot, white of the spring onion, and ginger and cook for 1 minute. Add the bell pepper, peas and cook for 1 minute. Add the omelet strips, soy sauce, and sesame oil and continue cooking for 1 minute.
Method
Remove the pan from the heat and mix in the rice with the vegetables and the chorizo. Take the zest from the lemon and squeeze 1/4 per person over a bowl. Mix in the tomato, the green of the spring onion and 1/2 tsp of lemon zest per person. Season with salt, pepper and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil to taste. Serve the rice with vegetables on deep plates. Top with tomato & spring onion salsa.
Brown Rice Pilaf
Heat the olive oil in a saucepan and sweat the onion in it without browning it. Add the brown rice, stirring constantly for 2 minutes. Pour in the water or chicken broth, salt, and pepper, then add the bouquet garni and bring to a boil.
Cover with aluminum foil and bake in the oven at 190°C (375°F) for 15 to 20 minutes. When cooked, the rice should flake easily with a fork.
Brown Rice Risotto with Mushrooms
This is a mushroom risotto recipe that we offer you today. For this risotto, we used brown rice, richer in flavour. The addition of a few diced pumpkins is optional, but the aroma goes perfectly with the mushrooms.
Brown Rice Risotto for Four People
- 200g brown rice for risotto
- 300 g of mushrooms of your choice
- One onion
- One clove of garlic
- 2 tbsp. olive oil
- 100g pumpkin (optional)
- 100g parmesan
- One vegetable stock cube
- 20 cl of white wine
- 20 cl liquid full cream
- A few sprigs of parsley
- Salt and pepper
How to Prepare
- Prepare the broth by dissolving the cube in 1 litre of hot water.
- Clean the mushrooms and cut them in 4. Dice the piece of pumpkin (optional). Chop the garlic clove, peel and cut the onion into small dice, then chop the parsley.
- Melt a knob of butter and a little olive oil in a sauté pan over medium heat. Brown the diced onions, then add the minced garlic. Add the rice and cook until it becomes translucent (about 2 minutes).
- Pour in the white wine and let reduce until completely absorbed.
- Add a ladle of hot broth and cook over low heat. As soon as there is no more liquid, repeat the operation. Pour in all the broth ladle by ladle (allow 15 to 20 minutes).
- Fry the mushrooms and diced pumpkin 3 to 4 in a skillet over high heat with 1 tbsp. At the end of cooking, reduce the heat to low, add the chopped parsley and the liquid cream. Mix well, salt and pepper.
- Off the heat, add this preparation to the risotto. Mix gently and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper if necessary.
- Serve the brown rice risotto with mushrooms immediately with a bowl of grated parmesan.
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