Brown Rice and Type Il Diabetes: What Can Rice Do for You?

A recent study reports that brown rice may actually lower the risk for developing Type ll diabetes, while white rice may actually increase the risk for the condition. A nutrition researcher, Dr. Qi Sun, M.D. from Harvard School of Public Health, reports that people who are at an increased risk of developing diabetes need to make a conscious choice to switch from refined carbohydrates to whole grains, such as brown rice. Dr. Sun, who was part of the recent study, indicates a person can lower their risk of developing type ll diabetes by as much as 16 to 36 percent when consuming 12 ounces of brown rice per week.

How is it possible?

It's believed brown rice lowers the risk for type ll diabetes because it contains added nutrients that white rice does not. To produce white rice, the outer layers of brown rice are removed. The outer layers of the rice contain important nutrients, such as insoluble fiber and magnesium. These discarded nutrients have shown to lower the risk for diabetes.

While brown rice is believed to lower the diabetes risk, white rice is believed to increase the risk. White rice is known to cause blood sugar levels to rise rapidly, known as a high glycemic index. This is because white rice digests much quicker than brown rice. Brown rice does not cause this rapid increase in blood sugar levels. During the study, results indicated people who consumed at least five servings of white rice per week had an increased risk of developing diabetes by as much as 17 percent.

What does it all mean?

While the study clearly indicates brown rice is the smarter choice if you are trying to ward of diabetes, other factors may contribute to the lowered risk. In general, people that choose brown rice over white rice are more health conscious. Because they are more health conscious, they are also more likely to be more physically fit than those that consume white rice. People that consume brown rice probably make other healthier nutrition and lifestyle decisions that those consuming white rice do not.

Although it is not clearly known just how effective brown rice is at decreasing the risk for diabetes, there clearly is an impact brown rice has over white rice. Brown rice is always the smarter choice because whole grains are much healthier. Whole grains can ward of a wide variety of health conditions and even aid in weight loss. Next time you are in the kitchen, reach for the brown rice instead of the white.

References:

"Brown rice instead of white may lower diabetes risk" By Denise Mann Health.com

"Brown Rice" The Worlds Healthiest Foods

"Can Brown Rice Lower Diabetes Risk" Daily Diabetic