Why is brown rice better?

Here's a simple tip to lower your risk of diabetes: Eat brown rice instead of white. Barbara Ficarra, RN, explains why people who consume lots of white rice each week may increase their diabetes risk and how switching can help.

Transcript

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Brown rice gives you more B vitamins, minerals, and fiber, which helps keep your blood sugar steady. Most of the diabetes-fighting nutrients in brown rice

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are found at the bran and germ layers of the grain. [ELECTRONIC MUSIC]

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I'm Barbara Ficarra with a simple tip that can lower your risk of diabetes by 16%. Eat brown rice instead of white.

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Research shows that people who consume lots of white rice each week may increase their risk of diabetes.

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In one study, people who consumed five or more servings of white rice each week had a 17% higher risk of diabetes

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compared to people who ate less than a serving of white rice each month. In contrast, people who had brown rice at least

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twice a week fared better than those who rarely ate it. Brown rice gives you more B vitamins, minerals, and fiber, which helps keep your blood sugar steady.

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Most of the diabetes-fighting nutrients in brown rice are found at the bran and germ layers of the grain. These are two layers that are stripped from white rice

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during processing. White rice can also make your blood sugar and insulin levels spike. Most Americans consume about 20 pounds of rice a year.

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So swapping a daily serving of white rice for an equal amount of brown rice could result in big nutritional benefits.