Eating brown rice or whole wheat, is it really healthier than white rice?

Rice is the staple food of Indonesians in general, especially the type of white rice. However, there are many opinions that say white rice is not good for health. Therefore, white rice should be replaced with wheat or brown rice. Both of these food ingredients are considered healthier which should be a substitute for rice. So, is it true that if you eat brown rice or you want to be healthy, you have to replace the staple food that you eat everyday?

Of the three, which one is the healthiest?

White rice, brown rice, wheat, all three are sources of carbohydrates that the body needs. All three contain fat and protein, with different levels.

But all three of course have their own plus and minus points. Because there is no food that contains the most perfect nutritional value. Each food has its own advantages.

Fiber content

For example, if you need foods with the highest fiber value, whole grains might be an option. 100 grams of whole grains contain as much as 10.7 grams of fiber. Whereas 100 grams of brown and white rice only contains 0.3 and 0.2 grams.

However, if what you need is high-energy foods, white rice can be the right choice.

Glycemic index value

Well, if you have a history of diabetes and want a low glycemic index, brown rice can be an option. When compared, white rice and wheat have a higher glycemic index value than brown rice.

Gluten intolerance

If you have gluten intolerance, of course rice is safer, both eating brown and white rice may be your choice instead of wheat.

Vitamin and mineral levels

When talking about vitamins, the three of them have vitamins that are not much different in number, the rice and wheat groups both contain vitamin B, and only have a limited amount of vitamin E.

Likewise with mineral levels, the three foods both contain calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, and zinc.

So, do you have to eat wheat or brown rice to be healthy?

The answer is of course no. It all depends on individual needs. Choosing whichever one is not wrong, it is according to the conditions of each. All three are sources of carbohydrates which have different nutritional advantages.

You don't need to force yourself to eat wheat if you are not used to it every day. Maybe you can make wheat as a distraction. Because it's useless if you insist on eating brown rice or wheat every day but you don't like it. It's just torturing yourself and making your meal schedule the one you hate the most.

Everyone has different eating habits. So, if you are used to a food it may be annoying if that changes. Especially with foods that you don't normally consume.

You can also customize withbudget that you have. Of course, the price of each of these carbohydrate sources is different. For example, wheat is healthy and nutritious, but the price is quite expensive compared to the two "competitors".

Instead of having a headache, it's better to adjust the portions

One meal portion (source: Balanced Nutrition Guidelines 2014)

Regardless of the source of carbohydrates, what matters most is how much you eat them. If you want to take turns eating it is fine.

Reported in the Ministry of Health's Balanced Nutrition Guidance, it is advisable to consume 3-4 servings of carbohydrate sources a day.

If you compare it to one meal or one plate, the recommended portion for consuming carbohydrate sources is about 30 percent of your plate. This dose is the same as the number of vegetables, which should also be met as much as carbohydrates.

In addition to portions, the guidelines for balanced nutrition also encourage more varied meals. There are many sources of carbohydrates that you can eat. You don't have to always eat brown rice or eat wheat, there are many other sources.