Rice Diet & Weight Loss: Can You Lose Weight By Eating Rice?

Weight loss is not as complicated an affair as is often perceived to be. Shedding those excess pounds can be as simple as eating right and getting active. Although cutting down on calorie is a vital component of almost all effective weight-loss programs, but choosing to eat the right type of food is also equally important. Rice is a gluten-free, easily digestible grain which is commonly available, relatively inexpensive, and versatile in recipes. So, choosing the right kind of rice can be the ideal thing to do when trying to lose weight. Rice is certainly not a fattening food.

Whether wanting to lose some extra pounds or prevent weight gain, white rice is never a good choice for the daily diet. This is because white rice is a refined grain, stripped of its endosperm, bran, and kernel. The effects which the white rice has on the body are similar to that of white bread, pasta, or a cookie, that get digested and absorbed quickly, cause a rapid rise in blood sugar levels, and trigger a proportionate insulin response. It is because of this reason that compared to whole grains, refined grains are less satiating and the appetite increases by eating refined grains.

The hunger spikes make controlling the caloric intake very difficult and can even increase the risk of weight gain. A study conducted in 2010 proves that adults consuming a diet rich in refined grains are more likely to carry excess fat on their abdomen, the type which is linked to increased risk of type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and other major health problems. By consuming 1 cup serving of medium-grain white rice, a person gets around 240 calories and no dietary fiber. Only traces of the vitamins and minerals found in brown rice are present in refined grains.

Regardless of its benefits, rice can easily cause problems in the diet since it is relatively easy to eat too much of this grain. Whether eating brown rice as a whole-grain side dish or having grain-based dishes, one should always remember to practice portion control with rice diet in order to lose weight since excess of rice can significantly boost the caloric intake. The standard single serving size of brown rice is 1 cup. A plate full of rice offers as much as 440 calories in a single meal. If a diet plan calls for consuming about 1600 calories a day, a double serving of rice can account for nearly 30 % of the day’s calories.

People, who do not like eating plain brown rice, should ensure that their way of preparing their rice does not sabotage their weight-loss plans. For instance, the creamy Italian rice dish, Risotto, can be very high in calories and fats since it is made of rich ingredients like butter, wine, and cheese. Fried rice, a staple Chinese dish, can be substantially high in calories and fat, and sodium, too. Rather than having these fattening rice dishes, plain brown rice can simply be jazzed up by using lemon or lime juice. Also, some chopped fresh herbs or greens like basil, cilantro, and arugula can be add in to make the brown rice more flavourful, nutritious and healthy which can trigger weight loss. Nutrient-rich, healthy ingredients can be used when making multi-ingredient rice-based salads.

However, it should be remembered that even healthy ingredients can considerably boost the caloric content of a dish. A cold brown rice salad made with pine nuts, avocado, salmon and olive oil is a healthy appetizer, but it is also a calorically intense meal which should be portioned out mindfully if losing weight is your goal along with consuming rice.

Also Read:

• Rice Water Benefits: Know Its Beauty & Health Secrets
• Health Benefits of Rice Bran Oil & Its Side Effects
• Brown Rice Vs White Rice: Differences Worth Knowing
• Is It OK to Eat Rice with IBS?
• 4 Types Of Brown Rice & Its 4 Common Associated Dangers
• How Does Brown Rice Affect A Diabetic?
• Which is the Healthiest Rice to Consume Among the 5 Primary Variants of Rice?
• Nutritional Differences In Black Rice Vs. Brown Rice
• White Rice & Cholesterol