White rice is a food that many see as unhealthy, despite being one of the most popular and widely consumed foods in the world. However, in fact it can be healthy by making a few changes in its handling and recipe preparation.
Therefore, in this post we want to present to you some useful information and benefits this type of rice can provide you. Then, we will give you an easy and exquisite recipe using white rice.
About white rice
As said, rice is one of the most widely consumed cereals worldwide. It is very versatile and can be adapted to a wide range of flavors and dishes.
White rice, also known as enriched rice, is a type of refined grain that has been milled and processed to remove outer husk, bran layers and germ from the grain. This is done to lower the cost for manufacturers and extend the shelf life of the products.
During the milling process, however, many nutrients are lost, and the rice is typically stripped of its fiber, manganese, magnesium, selenium and phosphorus.
Indeed, white rice offers fewer calories, less carbohydrates, fat and fiber, and less of the mineral phosphorus than brown rice. Nevertheless, it contains comparable protein as well as selenium, but is richer in the B vitamin niacin.
Moreover, some types of white rice have to be fortified, meaning that certain vitamins and minerals are added during processing to increase its nutritional value. In particular, manufacturers most often enrich rice with iron and B vitamins such as thiamine and folic acid.
Benefits
Despite those facts, white rice can provide some benefits to your body and contribute to some essential bodily functions.
Provides the body with more energy
White rice is a source of some sort of carbohydrate, which is the main fuel for the human body. As white rice is abundant in these carbohydrates, it acts as “fuel” for your body and helps in the proper functioning of the brain.
Carbohydrates are metabolized by the body and converted into functional and usable energy. The vitamins, minerals and organic compounds found in it increase the functioning and metabolic activity of all organs, which further increases energy levels.
Can be combined in a healthy way
There are several ways to incorporate white rice into daily meals to bring out the healthy benefits. It is a versatile grain which is easy to prepare and goes well with most vegetables and meat.
If properly combined as a side dish of diverse meals, its health benefits will be increased. For example, you can combine white rice with peas or beans, which are rich in fiber, antioxidants. They have also been shown to improve blood sugar and cholesterol levels as well as blood pressure. When combined with white rice, they make a complete protein, which is especially beneficial to the health.
Contributes to colon health
This is because rice contains higher levels of resistant starch when cooked and cooled. Studies have suggested that resistant starch can form specific fatty acids that help the colon stay healthy. These fatty acids may also lower the risk of colorectal cancer.
Has less arsenic content than other rices
Rice is a staple of the global diet, and it is also a major dietary source of inorganic arsenic, both because of the way it is commonly consumed and because as rice plants grow, the plant and grain tend to absorb arsenic more readily than other food crops.
Although white rice is lower in arsenic than brown rice, as the outer layers are removed in manufacturing, it is still important to avoid excessive consumption and to vary grains.
Contains vitamins of the B-group
The B vitamins it contains benefit skin health, nerves function and metabolism. In addition, rice is a source of magnesium, low in cholesterol as well as easily digestible. This means valuable nutritional benefits.
Helps strengthen bones
White rice has high amounts of phosphorus, which helps maintain bone health, positively intervening in bone formation as well as in the formation of muscle tissue and cell division. In addition, white rice contains manganese, which is one of the main components for good bone health.
A simple white rice recipe
This recipe for white rice with sausages may be one of the most flavorful of all.
Ingredients
The few ingredients you will require are:
- 350 g of rice.
- 4 frankfurters or ground beef sausages.
- Olive oil.
How to make it
To prepare this simple but tasty recipe follow the steps below:
- Start the recipe by washing the rice under running water.
- Then put it to cook in a saucepan, half full of water, along with a teaspoon of salt and a little olive oil for about 15 minutes.
- Take the four sausages and cut them into small circular pieces, which you can then cut into smaller ones if you prefer.
- Put a frying pan on the fire, with a good splash of oil, and start frying them.
- Once the rice is ready, strain it, drain it well and add it to the pan.
- Stir and let everything cook together for a couple of minutes.
- Ready to eat!
In this dish you have carbohydrates, proteins and vitamins. You can serve it with a fresh salad to have a complete meal, preferably one that has lettuce and/or spinach.
If you want to give it an extra touch of flavor, you can accompany it with some aioli sauce, in the style of Valencian rice dishes.
For more information about white rice check this link. There you will get some more details about white rice. This information will be very useful when you prepare your meals using white rice.
Besides in that link you will have some information about how to better cook white rice. Also, it refers to the ways of cooking this rice, either on the stove or in the microwave. It also gives you recipe suggestions, as well as tips for you to prepare your white rice dishes, and other useful data.