Can Eating Rice Help You Shed Pounds? The Truth Unveiled

Rice is a staple food for people in many countries. People have been consuming rice on a regular basis to maintain their energy. But recent trends popularize diets that restrict foods with carbohydrate content, including rice. While people shift to low-carb diets for weight loss, they begin to avoid consuming rice with a concern that it can cause weight gain.

At the same time, experts are researching the effects of rice on weight loss. Several rice varieties are purported to have weight loss benefits. We shall look in detail at the nutritional benefits of rice and its impact on weight loss.

Nutrition Facts About Rice

The nutrition facts of rice vary based on its variety. Rice has a small amount of fat, which is low in comparison to other foods. Medium-grain brown rice contains 45 grams of carbohydrates, 3.5 grams of fiber, 4.5 grams of protein, and 220 calories per cup when cooked.

There are also sufficient amounts of vitamins and minerals in brown rice. White rice has 240 calories, 4.5 g of protein, 1 g of fat, 55 g of carbohydrates, and 1 g of fiber per cup.

White rice has fewer amounts of nutrients than brown rice since it is processed. The starch found in rice promotes weight loss by reducing appetite, preserving lean body mass, and modulating hormones. Lean body mass in your body improves your metabolism, thereby enhancing weight loss.

Does The Type of Rice Affect Weight Loss?

The type of rice you consume has an impact on weight. There are different types of rice, like brown rice, black rice, wild rice, and red rice, that can support your weight loss. Brown rice is rich in fiber that helps you have a fuller feeling, which controls your appetite. Anthocyanins in red rice can reduce your cholesterol levels, thereby managing your weight. Red rice also contains protein and starch, which promote weight loss.

Additionally, there are many sizes of rice, including short, medium, and long grains. Because short and medium-grain rice is starchier and sweet, long-grain rice, such as jasmine rice, is better for weight loss. Moreover, the processing of rice has an impact on factors that affect weight loss. Thus, less processed rice varieties like brown rice can be a better option for weight loss.

Is Rice Good for Weight Loss?

Rice contains nutrients that can promote weight loss. The fiber in rice improves your digestion and helps you have a feeling of satiety, which prevents weight gain. Whole grains are composed of bran, germ, and endosperm, which are packed with nutrients like protein, antioxidants, B vitamins, and trace minerals. So, consuming whole grains can help you lose weight effectively in comparison with white rice.

Consume Whole Grains

When you consume whole grains, you need to practice portion control. Even though whole grain is loaded with nutrients that offer health benefits, it still contains calories, which can affect your weight loss. Therefore, it is best to regulate your portions of taking whole grains to support weight loss. It will help if you consume a cup of rice a day. This one cup of rice measurement is the standard size for weight loss. Prior measurement of rice helps you to stay on track with your calories.

Include Veggies in Your Rice

Vegetables provide you with essential vitamins, minerals, and fiber. You can add veggies to your rice to manage its calorie content. Based on your preference, you can include a cooked nutritious veggie in your rice. It is easy to prepare recipes with veggies in rice, but it promotes your overall health. Vegetables like cauliflower, cabbage, zucchini, and avocado are good for weight loss. So, including these veggies can be more beneficial in losing weight.

Cooking Rice for Weight Loss

When you cook rice for weight loss, you have to steam or boil your rice with water. You can also use broth for cooking your rice since it has high nutritional value. It is best to avoid using oil or butter, or any calorie-rich compounds in cooking rice for weight loss.

Cooking in this way increases the level of resistant starch in the rice, which feeds gut-friendly bacteria. There are many studies that associate probiotics with weight loss. It would be best if you consumed rice after cooling it since the cooling process increases its levels of resistant starch.

Besides these, you have to pay attention to the additions of rice. Because these additions alter the nutritional benefits of rice and can affect your weight loss, it would help if your additions to rice included fewer calorie options.  

Research Behind the Effect of Rice On Weight Loss

Brown grain is recommended by the American Heart Association because it is high in fiber and filled with vital nutrients. A 2019 study demonstrates that people who consume whole grains, including brown rice, have consistently weighed less. This study also found that they have a lower risk of weight gain than those who do not consume whole grains.

Health Benefits of Rice

Rice provides you with various health benefits. But these benefits vary based on the rice variety you consume.

Enhances Metabolism

When you consume brown rice, your metabolism improves. This is due to the presence of manganese in the rice. Manganese is a necessary element that is involved in the synthesis and activation of several enzymes as well as the control of the metabolism of lipids and glucose.

B vitamins, which are crucial for cell function and energy metabolism, are also abundant in rice. In addition to assisting in the conversion of food energy into fuel, B vitamins also aid in getting oxygen to the body’s cells.

Support Your Heart Health

Consuming whole grains like brown rice can improve your heart health. The lignans and antioxidants in brown rice reduce the risk of heart-related conditions. Brown rice also helps to regulate your blood cholesterol levels, which improves your cardiovascular health.

Improves Your Gut Health

Parboiled rice contains starch, which acts as a prebiotic and boosts the growth of gut-friendly bacteria. The gut-friendly bacteria help to balance your gut microbiota. Your gut health is essential for losing weight since an imbalance in the gut microbiome.   

Support Your Immunity

Jasmine rice is packed with phytonutrients that protect your body cells, thereby supporting your immunity. When you eat foods that boost immunity, your general health improves because you are more protected against germs, bacteria, and other health risk factors.

Is Rice Fattening?

Some varieties of rice have a high glycemic index. A high glycemic index can produce blood glucose surges, promoting weight gain. But this is a problem associated with consuming refined rice. Consuming whole grains that have a low glycemic index regulates your blood glucose and insulin levels. So, it prevents weight gain.

Moreover, any food can cause weight gain if you over consume it. Rice contains calories along with other essential nutrients. Therefore, overeating rice can cause weight gain. From analyzing its nutritional benefits, it is clear that the type of rice you consume has an impact on your weight. Consuming whole grains in smaller portions is a better choice since it can aid in weight loss.

The Bottom Line

Rice is a food that can support your weight loss. But it is best to consume whole grains in limited portions to lose weight. When consumed in optimal quantities, rice can aid in your weight loss. You can achieve effective weight loss by engaging in regular exercising in addition to consuming moderate quantities of whole grains.

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