What are the benefits of rice in your fitness regime?

Find out more about one of the most popular sources of carbohydrates among exercisers.

The diet of exercisers usually includes chicken, beef, protein, some superfoods, fruits, and vegetables. But when the body is intensely loaded, it needs to be supplied with energy quickly, and for this, it is important to take good carbohydrates.

It is no coincidence that rice is called the “grain diamond”. It is a great source of carbohydrates and has been consumed worldwide for millennia. For more than half of the world’s population, rice is a staple food and provides 20% of a person’s daily calories.

However, whether it is good food for training people and whether it matters whether we choose (such as https://mahatmarice.com/products/jasmine-white-rice/) white or brown rice, are the main questions, the answers to which we will give in this article.

Which rice to choose – brown or white?

Both white and brown rice is available in several varieties, which depend on the length of the grains – they are divided into:

• short
• medium
• long-grained

The difference between white and brown rice is in the way they are processed. In both species, the outer husk is removed from the grain. At this stage, brown rice is obtained. And for white, additional processing is needed – the bran and germ are removed and only the carbohydrate-rich endosperm is left.

Removing bran and germ makes rice more durable, but at the same time reduces the content of fiber and nutrients, including vitamin B1, B3, and iron. In some countries, legislation requires all of them to be added back to rice, creating “enriched rice”.

Brown rice, unlike white rice, contains manganese, phosphorus, magnesium, and zinc. This makes it richer in nutrients and is considered to be the better choice to include in the daily menu.

Nutritional values ​​of rice

One cup of white rice contains:

• 242 calories
• 53.2 g of carbohydrates
• 0.6 g of fiber
• 4.4 g of protein
• 0.4 g of fat

For comparison, a cup of brown rice contains:

• 218 calories
• 45.8 g of carbohydrates
• 3.5 g of fiber
• 4.5 g of protein
• 1.6 g of fat

Protein content

Rice is not a complete source of protein, but it still contains a small amount of it, and when we try to get the required daily dose, every gram counts. With 1 cup of rice, divided into 4 meals a day, you will get about 18 grams of protein, which is more than some protein bars.

Rice protein contains a large amount of the amino acids cysteine ​​and methionine, but a very low amount of lysine. However, for the proper course of protein synthesis, it is necessary to take certain proportions and amounts of these amino acids.

For this reason, different types of vegetables are often present in rice recipes. They are high in lysine and low in cysteine ​​and methionine and perfectly complement the amino acid profile of rice.

Glycemic index of rice

White and brown rice differ mainly in their glycemic index. This is a quantity that shows the immediate effect of food on blood sugar levels. The glycemic index of white rice is 89, which is considered high, and brown – 50, which is considered low. however, these figures change when rice is combined with other foods.