Which should you eat as you advance in age? Red rice or white rice?
It is one switch that people who want to stay healthy as they age often consider and then act upon.
Basically, we have put together here, all you need to know. From when you should make that choice of red rice or white rice meal.
We know your regular rice is white rice. Rice is arguably the most consumed grain in the world, but not everyone is aware there is a reason the creator made rice come in different species.
Also, not many persons know that red rice is one of these species.
White Rice, How Healthy?
Your regular white rice, no doubt, is a great grain to have, but it is not an amazing food for all ages.
White rice is a specie that has had the husk, bran, and germ removed.
This removal happens during processing.
Unfortunately, processing does not just remove these things above.
As these parts of the grain go with processing, compounds that are beneficial in that part of the grain are lost.
This means, in white rice you get less fiber, protein, antioxidants and certain vitamins and minerals.
Also, this low fibre and protein makes white rice less filling. It is a reason you get hungry soon after eating it.
Furthermore, this affects your blood sugar level more than every other specie (1).
Another issue with white rice is that the low fibre makes you eat more in a desire to get satisfied and to ensure you do not get hungry soon after.
But your digestive system ages and slows down in function. in fact, this is a reason to consider a specie of rice that is rich in fibre. You eat less, stay full and your digestive system ensures all the meal digests (2).
Sadly, your ageing digestive system further makes a large amount of the white rice you eat stay undigested and stored as fat.
Another thing about white rice is that it is low in antioxidants. You need antioxidants to help lower the effect of free radicals that could cause chronic diseases (3).
Why Red Rice Beats White Rice
Why did God make the different species?
Truly, have you thought about it? But the truth is that they are available for a reason.
You see, as you age, your food is supposed to change. Let’s take rice for instance; it should move from white rice to brown rice then red rice and even black rice.
The darker the colour of this grain, the higher the amount of nutrient in it.
As a child, you may not be able to enjoy chewing red rice because of the fibre. But as your age, and should eat less, you need a food that is filling.
Really, it is this point you should consider whether it should be red rice or white rice still.
Remember that middle age comes with weight gain and other issues, but a great diet and lifestyle will keep you strong and slow ageing.
Red rice is far more nutritious than white rice because it contains great amount of nutrients and beneficial plant compounds.
Though it does not contain so much of protein, its fibre content is higher than that in white rice.
It is also rich in antioxidants. Remember the colour principle of food items.
Also, it is rich in flavonoid antioxidants, including the anthocyanins apigenin, myricetin, and quercetin.
According to a study, red rice has a more significant potential to fight free radicals. It contains higher concentrations of flavonoid antioxidants than brown rice (4).
Benefits Of Flavonoids In Red Rice
Flavonoids are antioxidants that can help lower inflammation in your body.
They help keep free radical levels in check, and may reduce your risk of chronic conditions, like heart disease and type 2 diabetes (5).
Here is a collated nutrient level of these two species
1 CUP OF RAW RED RICE OR WHITE RICE
| RED RICE | WHITE RICE | |
| Calories 218 196g | Calories 675 185g | |
| % Daily Value | % Daily Value | |
| Total Fat | 0.8g 2% | 1.2g 1% |
| Saturated Fat | 0.2g 2% | 0.3g 1% |
| Polyunsaturated | 0.3g | |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 0.3g | |
| Cholesterol | 0mg 0% | 0mg 0% |
| Sodium | 1mg 0% | 9.3mg 0% |
| Potassium | 154mg 4% | 212.8mg 6% |
| Total Carbohydrates | 130g 45% | 150g 50% |
| Dietary Fiber | 3.6g 14% | 2.4g 9% |
| Sugar | 0.2g | |
| Protein | 11.6g | 13g 26% |
| Vitamin A | 0% | |
| Vitamin C | 0% | 0% |
| Calcium | 2% | 5% |
| Iron | 68.75% | 44% |
| Vitamin D | 0% | |
| Vitamin B6 | 15% | |
| Magnesium | 11% | |
| Cobalamin | 0% | |
| Zinc | 30% |
| * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet. |
Sadly, most white rice you eat are refined and they lack most beneficial nutrients.
The red rice that is in Nigeria is whole grain and organic. It also does not have preservative.
Replacing Your White Rice
Interestingly, replacing your white rice with red rice could lower risk of type-2 diabetes, obesity, certain cancers and heart disease (6).
Again, some studies have also shown that people who consume more dietary antioxidants, the type in red rice, are less susceptible to conditions like metabolic syndrome, depression, certain cancers, and heart disease (7, 8, 9, 10).
We are not saying you should eliminate white rice once from your diet, and this is because we know you have a habit of eating it often.
However, each time you eat it, remember that you are ageing and need healthier diets that your digestive system can handle.
Therefore, a good way to switch is to gradually introduce red rice into your rice grain by adding a cup or half into your white rice.
As you prepare your rice, boil them together. Also ensure that you add enough vegetables to your white rice each time you are eating it alone.
If you find this article helpful, kindly share with your friends and loved ones in their middle age and above.