Why Brown Rice Is Better Than White Rice When Fending Off Diabetes

According to a recent study, consuming brown rice in place of white rice can significantly help in the prevention of type 2 diabetes.

The study, which was published in the June 14, 2010 issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine, suggests that eating five or more servings of white rice per week can increase the chances of getting the disease by 17%. However, consuming brown rice can lower type 2 diabetes risk by 16%.

As stated by Dr. Qi Sun, the report’s lead author, the study is important as far as public health is concerned for white rice has been found to be potentially dangerous.

Dr. Qi Sun added that the consumption of rice has drastically increased over the last couple of years in the US. More importantly, over 70% of the rice being eaten is white rice. Thus, it is important to consider brown rice over white rice.

Brown rice is partly milled or un-milled rice. It usually has a mild nutty taste and is chewier. The reason why the brown kind is more nutritious lies in the substances that are removed during the production of white rice. During the milling and refining of white rice, the grains lose a considerable amount of fiber, vitamins and minerals.