Since I get a lot of questions from family and friends about why we're making certain changes and
"what's the harm" in eating this and that, I figured ever so often I'd give a "lesson", if you will, on why we've switched or are now incorporating (or no longer eating) certain things.
First up - Rice!
It's one of those foods that has a "high GI" (Glycemic Index) which is a fancy way of saying that it can fluctuate your blood-sugar levels due to the fact that it is easily digested and absorbed by the body. Let's think in terms of potentially developing or managing diabetes. Since I am at risk for Type II diabetes (due to gestational diabetes during pregnancy) I need to choose foods that have a low GI. Since all forms of rice are rated as high GI I'd better choose one that is rated the lowest or not eat it at all.
"what's the harm" in eating this and that, I figured ever so often I'd give a "lesson", if you will, on why we've switched or are now incorporating (or no longer eating) certain things.
First up - Rice!
It's one of those foods that has a "high GI" (Glycemic Index) which is a fancy way of saying that it can fluctuate your blood-sugar levels due to the fact that it is easily digested and absorbed by the body. Let's think in terms of potentially developing or managing diabetes. Since I am at risk for Type II diabetes (due to gestational diabetes during pregnancy) I need to choose foods that have a low GI. Since all forms of rice are rated as high GI I'd better choose one that is rated the lowest or not eat it at all.
This, my friends, is why we've made the switch to brown rice! Now, I've tried brown rice in the past and it totally sucked! I probably wasn't cooking it correctly or seasoning it properly but I pretty much made one cup of it and that lonely bag sat in the pantry until I moved.
Fast forward to 2013 and I decided to give Uncle Ben's Brown Rice a try. It's parboiled brown rice and supposedly it's the most nutritious rice you can eat. Basically the rice is soaked and steamed before being dried which allows some nutrients (particularly B vitamins niacin, thiamine and riboflavin = energy) to transfer from the hull into the grain, giving a more nutritious product than untreated rice.
To me it sort of has the same consistency as white rice and looks a bit like brown and white rice mixed together. The taste is actually great, in my opinion, and my husband's, which is a major plus. The only issue we have (or should I say my husband has) is that it has a somewhat gritty texture (he says gritty, I say sticky) as if the rice hasn't been cooked long enough. I did a small experiment where I cooked it 15 minutes longer than recommended and guess what, the texture was still the same. A few Google searches later I found out that that's just the way it is and cooking it all day probably wouldn't change that. So it's something to get use to, but we'll live (literally)!
Hopefully, I haven't bored you with my rice talk and if you've learned something, great! If you didn't, great ;)! I'd love to hear your thoughts on white rice vs. brown rice and whether or not you think it matters!
Source(s) : Livestrong.com, Science Daily
Fast forward to 2013 and I decided to give Uncle Ben's Brown Rice a try. It's parboiled brown rice and supposedly it's the most nutritious rice you can eat. Basically the rice is soaked and steamed before being dried which allows some nutrients (particularly B vitamins niacin, thiamine and riboflavin = energy) to transfer from the hull into the grain, giving a more nutritious product than untreated rice.
To me it sort of has the same consistency as white rice and looks a bit like brown and white rice mixed together. The taste is actually great, in my opinion, and my husband's, which is a major plus. The only issue we have (or should I say my husband has) is that it has a somewhat gritty texture (he says gritty, I say sticky) as if the rice hasn't been cooked long enough. I did a small experiment where I cooked it 15 minutes longer than recommended and guess what, the texture was still the same. A few Google searches later I found out that that's just the way it is and cooking it all day probably wouldn't change that. So it's something to get use to, but we'll live (literally)!
Hopefully, I haven't bored you with my rice talk and if you've learned something, great! If you didn't, great ;)! I'd love to hear your thoughts on white rice vs. brown rice and whether or not you think it matters!
Source(s) : Livestrong.com, Science Daily
Also, check out my Cheesy Cauliflower Recipe it's super delicious and tastes like baked macaroni and cheese (without the guilt)!!!
Oh and this is as good a time as any to throw out a disclaimer! I’m not a doctor, registered dietitian, or fitness expert! I know, you're like: Say what?!? I plan to share what has worked for me and my family and my experiences with food, fitness, and life through this platform—not to dole out advice. When it comes to your health and fitness your best bet is to do your own research. Recipes that I post are ones that I have come up with or have personally tried and / or adapted. Sometimes I screw up when I cook so I'm not responsible if you do too :)! Besides, every recipe is not for everyone!
