Many people enjoy eating mixed-grain rice for their health. Eating mixed-grain rice regularly can effectively reduce visceral fat and lower the risk of breast cancer. However, overeating or consuming 100% mixed grain rice for an extended period may not benefit your health. Let’s look at mixed-grain rice, which can be harmful if consumed incorrectly.
Is it always good to add a lot of grains?
With the rising popularity of mixed-grain rice, there are now varieties with 20, even 30 different grains. While it’s beneficial to consume a variety of grains when eating mixed-grain rice, excessive consumption can lead to an over-intake of dietary fiber, making nutrient absorption difficult. Additionally, dietary fiber absorbs water, which can cause constipation, so adequate water intake is also necessary.
Effective for blood sugar control
Although mixed grain rice is harder to chew and digest than white rice, many people consume it for its health benefits. It has the advantage of suppressing and stabilizing blood sugar levels. It also contains a rich amount of a component called beta-glucan, which is known to lower cholesterol levels.
What is the most essential ingredient?
What’s the most important and precious ingredient in mixed-grain rice? It’s dietary fiber. Eating mixed grain rice rich in dietary fiber digests slowly, so even a tiny amount keeps you full for a long time. Also, mixed grain rice contains more vitamin B2 and niacin, part of the vitamin B group, than white rice. These vitamins help generate energy quickly in the body. That’s why you feel energized rapidly when you eat rice with beans or red beans when you’re tired.
How many grains should be mixed?
Limiting the number of grains is better than adding too many when cooking mixed-grain rice. Studies show that 5-grain rice, cooked by mixing a moderate variety of grains, is nutritionally superior to 10-grain or 16-grain rice. As the number of grains in the rice increases, the mixing ratio of each grain decreases. Therefore, it has been found that mixing too many grains may not fully preserve their nutritional components.
Which grains are good?
Brown rice helps control blood sugar but can cause hyperkalemia due to excessive potassium intake in people with weak kidneys. Also, brown rice contains a lot of inorganic arsenic, which is highly toxic, so it needs to be washed thoroughly. Barley is rich in pantothenic acid, which is related to brain function, but overeating can cause indigestion or diarrhea. Old barley can produce a toxic substance called aflatoxin, which should also be noted. Black beans are rich in anthocyanins, which have cancer-prevention effects, but if you have breast cancer or anemia, you should be careful with consumption.
Avoid if you have a weak digestive system
You should avoid mixed-grain rice if you have poor teeth or weak digestion. Since it needs to be chewed thoroughly for proper digestion, it can be difficult to consume. As you age, eating brown rice can become increasingly difficult, and this can even lead to digestive disorders, causing discomfort.
What happens with excessive fiber intake?
Dietary fiber is good for the body, but if you consume too much, nutrients may not be absorbed in the small intestine and may be excreted. This can lead to osteoporosis or anemia, lower nutrient absorption rates, and negatively impact a child’s growth.
If you have low physical strength and immunity, choose white rice
White rice is often misunderstood as being less of a healthy food compared to mixed-grain rice. However, cancer specialists and nutritionists frequently recommend white rice to cancer patients whose physical strength and immunity have weakened. Why is that? As mentioned earlier, white rice consumption is recommended due to the difficulty digesting mixed-grain rice. Also, rice is the primary energy source for patients, so it’s good to eat it often in small amounts. Research shows that moderate carbohydrate intake benefits health, making consuming an appropriate amount of white rice necessary.
If mixed grain rice is difficult to eat and white rice feels too much, use a low-carb rice cooker
Recently, low-sugar rice cookers designed to reduce the sugar content of rice have gained popularity. These cookers work by releasing starch during the cooking process. Since sugars, which serve as energy, form part of carbohydrates and starch and are calorie-rich and abundant in grains, reducing starch with a low-sugar rice cooker can decrease the calorie content of rice. White rice, which has a higher starch content, sees a more significant calorie reduction than brown rice. A low-sugar rice cooker could be a helpful alternative for those who find it challenging to switch to mixed-grain rice.
Side dishes that go well with mixed-grain rice
Pairing mixed-grain rice with foods rich in protein, calcium, and unsaturated fats makes for a more nutritious meal. For example, a bowl of mixed-grain rice with tofu soybean paste soup, grilled mackerel, sautéed mushrooms, and kimchi can be considered a perfectly balanced meal nutritionally. Drinking a beverage rich in vitamin C is also great as a dessert after the meal.
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