Basmati Rice – Busting the Nutritional Myths

Rice has always been in question whenever there is a discussion of eating healthy. People face dilemma of whether to include rice in their diet or not, especially when they’re looking to live healthy and lose weight. Even when it comes to the absolutely delicious Indian Basmati Rice, there is always weighing of pros and cons before you include it to your shopping cart at the supermarket. But the questions still remain. Is rice really fattening? Should you avoid it completely?

Let’s look at the issue in detail to decide once and for all whether you should consume Basmati Rice or not as a regular diet. Basically there are numerous schools of thoughts which contradict one another while discussing Basmati Rice nutrition and calories content. One major group believes that the Indian Basmati is full of starch and has very little amount of nutrients to offer, hence they should be avoided especially by those who are looking to eat healthy and lose weight.

Contradicting them are those who believe that basmati is a rich source of carbohydrates and necessary minerals and hence must be consumed regularly. Both of them aren’t entirely wrong and neither entirely correct.

The Asian Heritage Argument

This argument mainly challenges those who claim rice is fattening. Basmati Rice is the staple food of many Asian countries who have been consuming it for generations after generations. Even then, they have managed to remain healthy and slim. Hence, it slightly proves that Basmati, in itself, is not entirely fattening.

Eating Rice in the Evening Makes you Fat

There are people who believe that consuming Rice in the evening causes the body to store excess fat. This fat is not burned off due to inactivity during sleep. But the truth is entirely different than that! The weight gain is not entirely due to the Rice you consume but it is an accumulation of all the calories you consume during the day. Rice Calories do add to that total but does not make the majority of it. If you consume more calories in total than the amount you burn off each day, you will gain weight irrespective of whether you consume Indian Basmati Rice or not.

Bad for Gluten-sensitivity

Another myth about Basmati Rice Nutrition is that it is a source of Gluten which causes health disorders. But the Indian Basmati Rice is inherently gluten-free. So if you’re suffering from celiac disease or NCGS (non-celiac gluten sensitivity); you can still consume Basmati without any fear. Rice does not need gluten protein unlike dough to make them stick together. Hence, even if you’re gluten-intolerant, Basmati Nutrition will not affect your health in any way.

The Bottom Line

The next time you go to the supermarket to buy Indian Basmati Rice, you can add them in your cart without any regret. If everything else is going great for you like insulin sensitivity, regular activity, absence of metabolic deranging foods like fructose, lectins and excessive linoleic acid etc., then Basmati Rice Nutrition and Calories are not going to affect your health drastically.

In conclusion, we would like to advise you to stop curbing your craving for delicious Indian Basmati Rice delicacies and add it to your diet without any regrets.