Rice is the staple diet of the Indian household. Originally home to nearly a lakh varieties, the Indian farmer at present can grow only around 6000 varieties. History tells us that next to Bengal the institute for rice research was established in Madras province. Commonly every household in Tamilnadu has the parboiled rice and the polished white rice varieties. In Kerala it is the iconic red matta rice. The brown rice or the kaikuthal rice or the hand pounded rice. The Jeeraga samba is a greatly flavoured small sized variety. There is the super long grain basmati rice. Finally is the rare black rice which is the Burmese variety grown in pockets in tamilnadu.
Rice has been the favourite food and could be modelled into variety of pan Indian dishes suitable to all the states of India. As far as Indian diet is concerned there is a staple food in every area and there are numerous add-ons. In southern India it is rice and a few agricultural states use millets like Ragi. In the north it is wheat. All these diets are rich in carbs and there are benefits attributed to each one. The whole grain variety is to be consumed in order that the added benefit of fibre and vitamins present in the outer layers is also obtained.
The nutritive value of rice is often not discussed as it has been a point of contention among people who wrongly attribute all their woes to rice. Rice is composed of starch, namely amylose and amylopectin which accounts for approximately 87% of its calorific value. The greater the amylose in rice the more preferred, because it slows the digestion of the carb and gives a desirable sugar level over a period of time. This is a feature of basmati rice.
Fibre is negligible in white rice .3 % as compared to brown rice 1.8%. This again helps with preventing undesirable blood glucose spikes, prevents constipation, prevents colon cancers, helps maintaining cholesterol levels. Resistant starch present in all varieties of rice feed colonic bacterial flora and maintains colon health. In tamilnadu the commonest rice used are the parboiled rice, the polished rice and the basmati rice. By parboiling all the layers of the whole rice are intact and they are boiled and dried and sold in the market. When only the husk is removed brown rice is obtained. In polished rice, all the layers including bran and germ are also removed. Vitamins and minerals such as calcium, potassium and vit B6 are components of the parboiled rice but are not present in white polished rice. Red rice is a pigmented variety and is an impressive source of antioxidants. Lignans which are found in rice bran are converted by colonic bacteria into enterolactone, a isoflavone (phytoestrogen)which can mimic the hormone estrogen and help in allaying the symptoms of menopause. Another antioxidant is ferrulic acid found in parboiled rice and brown rice which may have anti cancer properties.
Glycemic index is a number that relates to the ability of a food to increase the blood sugar levels. Rice has been painted villain because of this aspect, citing spiking blood sugar levels after consumption of a serving of cooked rice as the reason. More importantly the spike is followed by a sharp fall in blood sugar with symptoms of hypoglycaemia that prompts further indulgences. The glycemic index for sugar is around 80 and in comparison that for parboiled rice is 38, that for polished white rice 79, brown rice 55 and basmati rice is 52. The point of great importance is not the rice itself but the preparation. Addition of meats, veggies and eggs to the meal further lowers the glycemic index. In fact rice is one staple food which can be assorted into awesome cuisines with a net low glycemic index.
This is exactly why our Indian dishes of rice, dal, veggies and ghee are an excellent combo for even the diabetic population. Even better for the non vegetarians who can combine rice with meats, veggies and eggs and get an exquisite balanced diet. Rice is the base to which anything can be added to cater to the taste of the whole universe
That rice is an instant source of energy is excellent news for the fitness freaks. For those who want an initial kick starter for their exercise, it would be good to have the cooked rice soaked in water overnight and eaten just 1/2 an hour before exercise. It is not expensive and is within everyone’s reach. Even after weight training, food rich in proteins and carbs should be consumed within 30 minutes of workout. This helps in repairing the microtears in the muscle as a result of weight training. Whole grain rice along with fish, chicken, eggs and vegetables are excellent post workout specials
Rice is too precious to do away with. Relish it.