difference between white and brown rice/pasta?

Pauleeeeeeee

I was just looking at the back of a packet of white rice and the back of a pack of brown.

The differences in protein, fat and carbs between the two is very minimal.

So what's the deal with everyone insisting on brown rice and pasta over white rice and pasta?

g'em

Well in a word, fibre. And brown rice will contain more of the micronutrients (vitaminsa and minerals) beneficial to human health than white will, as many are contained in the part of the rice that gets stripped away to polish it or make it white. There's actually quite a good explanation of the whole thing here if you want to have a read.

If you don't, here's the copied and pasted important bits...

When you weigh the differences of White rice to Brown rice the health benefits are extremely in the favor of brown rice for these reasons. When rice is milled and polished the bran portion of the grain is removed.

Researchers at the USDA have found that rice bran lowers blood cholesterol in animals just as much as oat bran. Moreover, brown rice is the only form of the grain that contains vitamin E.

Cancer risk is some 50 times lower in equally deprived people not using primarily modern types of corn, wheat, or polished rice.

Brown rice has a higher nutritional value when compared to the milled and polished rice (white rice). While the GI of the white and brown rice were similar the insulin response for brown rice was significantly lower than for white rice.

Now, obviously thats jsut about rice, and while the difference between quite vs brown is less significant for rice than it is for pasta and breads, but the same principals still apply- brown has more vitamins and/ or minerals, keeps you fuller for longer and contains more fibre.

Pauleeeeeeee

ah now I see.

Pity it takes all bloody day to cook.

Michael O Leary

To expand on something in the last post, namely insulin levels. According the the book, "Optimum Nutrition Bible", brown rice increases your blood suger levels more slowly so that it drops off to a lesser degree also. I think it is the same for brown pasta.

Regards,

Michael O'Leary
www.wingtsun-escrima.ie

Pauleeeeeeee

so basically...all of the energy with a less harsh energy drop off?