Nutritionist Explains How Rice Can Help In Weight Loss, How To Use It

When we discuss weight loss, mainly 2 words are focused on and that is carbs and proteins. What we eat is classified into different categories as per calories and what they do or do not do for our body. One majorly misunderstood source of food is rice. Many believe and give free advice that you must quit rice. The debate here is that India has rice eaters and wheat eaters. Those from the hills, South Indians, Bengalis, all have rice as staple food so how is it fattening? We got in touch with an expert to clear the myth for our readers and here are some tips that she shared on how rice can be utilised for weight loss.

Karishma Shah, Health Nutritionist & Holistic Wellness Coach, told HerZindagi, that "Rice is the most ancient grain and has been a staple food through centuries across many cultures and societies. Today, with the modern trend and eating habits rice is seen to have been diminishing from our plates gradually due to the myth of gaining weight by eating rice because they want to curb the intake of carbohydrates. Let’s break this perception and talk about how rice aids in weight loss. It is indeed a versatile grain and is lighter on the stomach, easily digestible."

How Is Rice Good For Weight Loss

1. It contains amino acids which help break down fat.
2. When rice is soaked before preparing it generates a lot of b vitamins. B vitamins are essential for fat metabolism and also helps to keep bloating, PMS and mood swings at bay.
3. Eating rice helps in hormone balancing which is key to burning belly fat as hormones are the chemical messengers in the body which can make or break the body.
4. It also helps to regulate leptin resistance so we don't overeat and gain weight and stop when we are full.
5. You would be surprised to know that rice is prebiotic. Prebiotic are food for good gut bacteria and maintaining a healthy level of good bacteria helps in achieving optimal health in terms of shape, size, and immunity.

How To Make It A Part Of Your Diet

Shah shared that "our ancestors' wisdom of eating was quite logical and by using common sense so going back to our basics and eating traditional and cultural varieties of incorporating rice into our meals are the best options".

1. They can be had as Idlis, dosas, dumplings, rice with kadhi, and khichadi to name a few.
2. When making a choice to add rice into your diet we can use a variety of them especially local and unpolished rice are the best as they are nutrient-dense and contain fibre, they make us feel full faster and we tend to eat them in fewer portions which can help to maintain optimal weight.
3. Rice can be best accompanied with a large portion of vegetables, with lentils.
4. If you are looking for more variations you can include rice in snacking options such as puffed rice, parched rice, and rice energy balls can be an excellent way to incorporate rice during weight loss regime.

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So don't fear away from eating rice during a weight loss diet as it has numerous benefits and also we need to be mindful about the quality, quantity and moderation is key.

Have seasonal food and the staple food of your hometown but always have it n moderation instead of going overboard.

Stay tuned to HerZindagi for more on diet and nutrition with expert inputs.