Rice is a staple food for billions of people around the world.
It is also sometimes treated as a food that should be avoided because it is rich in carbohydrates.
The reality is more nuanced.
Rice can be part of a healthy diet. The type of rice, portion size, preparation and the foods eaten with it all matter.
White or brown rice?
Brown rice is a whole grain. It retains the bran and germ that are removed when brown rice is processed into white rice.
As a result, brown rice generally provides more fiber, magnesium and other nutrients than white rice.
For most healthy adults, choosing whole-grain rice more often is a simple way to increase whole-grain and fiber intake.
White rice can still be part of a healthy diet. What matters is how often it is eaten, how much is eaten and what the overall diet looks like.
What about basmati, long-grain and parboiled rice?
The effect of rice on blood glucose varies considerably between varieties.
The structure of the starch, particularly its amylose content, as well as processing and cooking can influence how quickly rice is digested.
Some basmati, long-grain and parboiled varieties produce a lower blood-glucose response than some short-grain white varieties.
But “basmati” does not automatically mean low glycemic, and there is no single variety of rice that is always metabolically superior.
For everyday eating, whole-grain varieties are a good starting point, but the entire meal matters more than the name on the rice package.
What should you eat with rice?
A bowl of white rice eaten alone is very different from a balanced meal containing rice.
Combine rice with plenty of vegetables and a source of protein, such as legumes, tofu, fish, eggs or other appropriate protein-rich foods.
Fiber, protein and fat in a mixed meal can influence digestion and the rise in blood glucose after eating.
Portion size matters too, particularly for people managing body weight or blood glucose.
Does cooling cooked rice make a difference?
It can make a small difference.
When cooked rice is cooled, some of its digestible starch changes into resistant starch. Resistant starch is less readily digested in the small intestine and reaches the large intestine, where it can be used by gut microorganisms.
Cooling and then reheating rice may therefore modestly change its effect on blood glucose.
But this should be kept in perspective.
Cooling rice does not transform a large portion of refined rice into a high-fiber whole grain. The type of rice, portion size and overall meal remain more important.
Cooked rice should also be cooled promptly and stored safely in the refrigerator before reheating.
Can rice be part of a longevity diet?
Yes.
Long-term research from Japan has found lower all-cause and cardiovascular mortality among people who more closely followed Japanese dietary patterns that included rice together with vegetables, seafood, soy foods, fruit and other traditional foods.
This does not mean that rice itself makes people live longer.
It shows something more useful: a healthy dietary pattern does not have to eliminate rice or other carbohydrate-rich staple foods.
