Statistics confirm that over fifty per cent of the world consumes rice daily. In some countries, rice is the staple food for all three meals of the day. While the whole grain can provide the necessary calories and carbohydrates, it lacks other vitamins and nutrients. There have been debates surrounding the pros and cons of polished and unpolished rice.
Before understanding their benefits, it is essential to understand what sets both apart.
The main factor differentiating brown rice, otherwise known as unpolished rice, from white rice or polished rice is the “milling” process. Milling is a process that transforms unpolished rice into polished. The process is popularly called “whitening” and involves scraping the first bran layer of unpolished rice. Striping off the layer changes the grain game and decreases its nutritional value to a significant level. The result of polishing rice leaves you with lots of carbohydrates but little to zero levels of other minerals required for the body.
The stripped off layer contains all the nutrients that can aid in fibre, oils, and other vitamins. It is important to note that rice is already low in overall nutritional value. Therefore, white rice has the lowest amount of nutrients after milling.
Health Benefits of Unpolished Rice
Unpolished rice comes with many nutritional benefits that white rice ceases to meet. Most of the nutrients present in the bran layer cannot be found in white rice. Unpolished rice, however, is a whole grain that is proven to be better than white rice.
Brown rice or unpolished rice contains immeasurable amounts of fibre that lacks in white rice.
- The fibre present in brown rice can prevent many diseases surrounding the heart and intestinal problems.
- Brown rice is also more filling in terms of quantity compared to white rice.
- Research shows an increase in health if unpolished rice is added to daily foods. The nutritional value of twenty-five grams of brown rice is equivalent to nearly a kilo of white rice.
- The whole grain contains three nutrients; brain, germ and endosperm, which makes up eighty per cent of the health value.
- Unpolished rice also contains vitamin E, essential oils and acts as an antioxidant for the body.
- Brown rice has also proven to be more effective for those with health concerns. Just like brown bread, brown rice also brings in more health benefits compared to its white variants.
- Brown rice is also suitable for people with high cholesterol levels and balances the same for all. Cholesterol can be fatal for the heart and can lead to many diseases.
- Unpolished rice aids digestion. Therefore, it promotes healthy weight loss alongside high bowel functionality.