Is eating rice good or bad for health?

Rice is predominantly a staple food for most Asian countries, and it happens to be one of the most consumed cereal grains across the world. Right from white rice to brown rice to the nutrient-dense black rice and red rice, there are several variants of rice, and each one has something good or bad about it. However, there are several myths floating all around social media that eating rice is not good for health, whereas, according to some studies, rice is a rich source of nutrients. Thus, we thought of sharing more insight into the matter and whether eating rice is good or bad. Read on!


Here’s why eating rice daily is good or bad for health:
Natural dose of energy
Yes! You read it right; we often blame rice for being the sole reason for our after-meal dizziness. Well, you will be amazed to know that rice is naturally loaded with carbohydrates, which help in boosting the energy levels. Rice has a long chain of complex carbohydrates that take quite some time to break down. Thus, it keeps you satiated for a longer duration of time. However, too much starchy food can be harmful for people suffering from diabetes. Hence, keeping in check the quantity becomes important to derive the benefits of this nutrient-dense cereal.

Nutrient-rich
Rice is a powerhouse of various nutrients. In fact, all varieties of rice are a great source of minerals such as calcium and iron; they are also rich in vitamins, such as niacin, vitamin D, thiamine, fiber and riboflavin. Rice is easy to digest, has less saturated fat, and has good cholesterol as compared to other foods. Hence, it is good for heart health.


Good for digestion
Suffering from stomach ailments? Then rice can be the best healthy alternative to go for. It is light and easy to digest, and the presence of fibers makes it a great thing to go for. In fact, the fiber content in rice helps in reducing constipation and other stomach-related ailments.


Glycemic index
Rice has several nutrients and minerals, but despite all the good things it has, it has a high glycemic index, which can actually lead to diabetes. The presence of starch takes too much time to break down the carbs. Hence, too much rice, especially white rice, must be avoided to stay away from various lifestyle diseases.


Weight loss or weight gain
There are various studies that suggest that going for a rice-based diet can actually help in losing weight, as it has more fiber and less saturated fat. On the other hand, some studies suggest that rich,