Does the rice have gluten? This is a question that has become very recurrent. Especially nowadays, when we pay more attention to our daily diet, here you will find out if the rice has gluten if it is terrible for you, and other questions about the topic.
Every day on the table of Americans, rice is one of the essential elements of the diet in the USA. Along with beans, the two make up the basis of regular food in the country, with the addition of some meat or protein.
Thus, it is essential to know what we consume daily. Therefore, more and more attention is paid to rice, beans, meat, and fruits and vegetables in our daily dishes.
In particular, let’s talk about rice! Do you have any questions about this food’s properties, benefits, and types? We will answer them all below.
Table of Contents
Is rice a gluten-free food?
Yes, indeed! Rice in its natural form is gluten-free, making it a suitable option for individuals with gluten intolerance or celiac disease. This includes different brown, white, wild, and rice flour varieties. Contrary to its name, even glutinous or sticky rice is gluten-free.
The term “glutinous” in this context refers to the rice’s sticky texture and not the presence of gluten. Knowing that rice is gluten-free, it can be used as a substitute for gluten-containing grains in various recipes.
In Japanese culture and diet, for example, rice flour is widely used to produce foods that, in the West, are generally made with wheat. We are talking about cookies, biscuits, bread, and even noodles. In this case, they are foods without gluten or with little presence of this compound.
In Oriental cuisine, there are also alcoholic drinks made from rice, such as sake, a gluten-free drink. For those who don’t know, beer (the most consumed alcoholic beverage in the USA) is made from barley, a rich source of gluten. [See also:Â Parboiled or brown rice: Which is better?
What is gluten?
According to an American cardiologist from The South Beach Diet, Arthur Agatston, M.D., “gluten is a protein compound used in the food industry to give volume and elasticity to food.”
The expert explains that this compound is formed by gliadin, glutenin, hordein, and scaling, proteins found in three bowls of cereal: wheat, rye, and barley. Traces of gluten can also be found in oats due to cross-contamination.
Is gluten harmful?
According to the nutritionist, gluten itself is okay. However, this compound is usually found in foods not very good for your health, such as pasta and wheat derivatives.
Gluten can be harmful only to people who suffer from protein intolerance or celiac disease, an autoimmune disease characterized by an immune reaction to ingesting gluten in food.
“In these people, gluten ingestion can cause symptoms such as diarrhea, gas, irritability, and weight loss,” explains the nutritionist. He adds that, in these individuals, diet therapy is characterized by removing gluten from the diet.
What is the healthiest type of rice?
Many believe white rice is the best (and healthiest) rice. This food doesn’t need much elaboration and additions to its preparation. According to nutritionist Sidrack, “White rice is a food that, due to its processing, ends up being refined and losing many of its nutrients,” he explains.
He claims that the healthiest type of rice is brown rice. Parboiled rice is also a healthier option than regular rice.
He explains: “Brown rice is the least processed rice, being only husked. In this way, it maintains a large part of its nutrients and fibres, which help in the functioning and intestinal transit and decrease rice’s glycemic index.
Parboiled rice, in its processing, undergoes arborization. This pre-cooking step involves immersing the husked rice in drinking water above 58ºC, gelatinizing the starch, and drying.
The expert explains that this process causes a large part of the rice’s nutrients to be concentrated in its interior, and so, even if it loses its husk, its nutrients are maintained. Thus, the process makes rice richer in vitamins and minerals.
What are the other types?
In addition to white, brown, and parboiled rice, other types of rice have become famous in fit and healthy diets. Let’s talk a little about them, but first, it is necessary to emphasize that all types’ caloric values are very similar.
On a broad scale, 100 g of cooked rice is 100 to 130 calories. However, the benefits of each type are different. Understand:
Black rice
This type is quite beneficial. A source of antioxidant properties, black rice helps prevent diabetes, cancer, and heart problems.
It can be an even healthier option than brown rice, but it’s not easy to find or cheap. Black rice has more protein and almost double fibre than brown rice.
Red rice
This variety is excellent for aiding digestion as it contains monocline, a digestive substance. Red rice is also indicated to reduce cholesterol levels and prevent heart disease.
Wild rice
This type is not authentic rice but a grain similar to cereal. Wild rice is rich in protein, amino acids, and fibre and has less fat than rice.
Benefits of Rice
Now learn a little more about the benefits of rice consumption in general. There are several types of cereal, some healthier than others, but in short, they all contribute to the good of the body. Look:
Nutrient-rich
Rice is rich in minerals and vitamins essential for the body that help the body to work harder and better. A source of iron, potassium, and magnesium, rice is not far behind beans when it comes to being a source of nutrients.
Among the main vitamins present in rice are vitamins A, B1, B2, B3, B6, and E. They contribute to the formation of red blood cells and stimulate cell regeneration.
Balances blood pressure
Daily rice consumption (especially wholegrain or black rice) balances blood pressure well. But to achieve this benefit, paying attention to complete feeding is necessary.
It’s no use betting on rice to reduce high blood pressure and to eat it with super fatty meat, for example.
Controls cholesterol levels
As well as balancing high blood pressure, rice can also control the body’s cholesterol level. This is due to its composition, which is based on carbohydrates, fibre, and proteins.
I prevented diabetes
Rice helps prevent type 2 diabetes. This is due to the starch present in the cereal’s composition, which provides energy for the body and helps control glucose.
Does a gluten-free diet lose weight?
In this article, you saw that rice has no gluten and learned more about the types and benefits of this popular cereal in the USA. But you may still wonder about gluten consumption and whether or not to do so. Now let’s talk more about the gluten-free diet.
The gluten-free diet has become a fad among many people in the last five years. This is because it is a restrictive diet made by famous people who end up losing weight effectively.
However, according to the nutritionist, weight loss does not occur through completely removing gluten. It’s by removing foods from your diet, such as cookies, cakes, pizza, etc. (high-calorie foods that contain gluten).
The removal of gluten by itself does not make you lose weight or harm your health. This restriction is recommended for celiac patients only. Therefore, removing gluten from the diet, thinking it will lose weight, is a mistake. In the end, what makes you fat or slim is the calories, not the properties of the food.
A healthy and balanced diet is always the best option to lose weight healthily and quickly.
My name is Ellie Lauderdale, MD and I am USA based professional Nutritionist .
I am a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist and board certified specialist in sports dietetics who is trained in integrative medicine. I have worked with hundreds of clients, from those suffering with chronic disease to professional and olympian athletes. My goal is to help optimize you from the inside so that you can feel, perform, and look your best on the outside.