Rice is a primary food consumed daily by more than 60% of the world’s population, and it’s a global crop with significant economic importance. There are two major types of rice, white and brown rice.
White rice has fewer nutrients and significantly lacks minerals, vitamins, and dietary fiber. This vast disparity has led to the vilification of white rice in the West, with claims that white rice offers no health benefits to the body. Yet, white rice’s negative criticisms have not diminished its popularity, as it remains a favorite among many cultures. Reasons for this include the cultural significance ascribed to white rice, how fast it cooks, its softer texture, and even its cost-effectiveness.
In this article, we will look at ways to enjoy white rice in a balanced diet and effectively add to this starch.
Ways to Enjoy Rice in a Balanced Diet
Eat your rice with peas and beans
Beans and peas have a healthy mix of fiber, antioxidants, and other beneficial compounds that have been indicated to significantly improve blood sugar, blood pressure, and even cholesterol levels in the body. Finally, a complete protein is formed when you combine beans and peas with white rice. That’s because your body identifies a complete protein when all nine essential amino acids are in sufficient amounts.
Vegetable rice
Additionally, incorporating vegetables into your diet can compensate for the low fiber content in white rice. Vegetables bring calcium, vitamin C, and iron to the table, lowering cholesterol and blood sugar levels in the body.
Eat rice with veggies and meat
Further, ensuring that your plate of rice encompasses fruits, protein, and grains is the best way to eat your starchy foods. This dietary style also encourages flexibility, allowing you to enjoy a wide range of nutrients in one plate.
Vegetarian Rice Bowls
Rice bowls are popular in many cultures. These rice bowls include beans, vegetables, olives, avocados, and sauces that ensure the rice bowl’s flavor.
Eat your rice with fish
Eating fish twice a week has many benefits for the various parts of your body. Being a source of protein, antioxidants, and other anti-inflammatory nutrients, you can incorporate fish into your white rice to give you the needed nutrients.
Make air-fried croquettes
Finally, you can make croquettes —a distinct type of dumpling— with white rice. You need a cup of cooked white rice, low-fat turkey, cheese, breadcrumbs, and eggs. Then, you mix all ingredients properly and form them into balls or cylindrical shapes. Finally, you air fry for 10-15 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit.