Whether you’re mixing vegetables with rice or pasta, it’s a budget stretcher. Both provide extra calories and bulk to make vegetables and meat go further. They’re also both good side dishes and have a variety of uses. Rice is a natural whole grain, while pasta is made from flour, water, and sometimes eggs or salt. There’s not just one type of rice or pasta. Rice can be long grain, medium grain or short grain. It can be brown, red, purple, parboiled or instant. Pasta comes in many shapes, from thin angel hair to large lasagna noodles. It can be made from a variety of flours, some of which are quite healthy, but is normally made from durum wheat and flour.
The type of rice you choose makes a difference.
If you choose long-grain rice, you’ll get more protein and fiber than you would in short grain. Choosing whole grain rice like brown rice provides all the nutrients of the bran and germ. Brown rice has antioxidants that lower the risk of serious conditions, but the same amount of calories and carbs as white rice, so you get a boost in nutrition with brown rice. Brown rice also has three times as much fiber, which can also help with blood sugar regulation. It is also higher in protein. Red rice is high in antioxidants. Black rice starts black and turns to blue/purple when cooked. It was once called the forbidden rice, reserved for the ruling class, and is the highest in antioxidants.
Pasta from white flour isn’t as healthy as pasta from whole grain flour.
Pasta from white refined flour is often enriched, but those extra vitamins don’t prevent it from spiking blood sugar levels. It doesn’t contain as much fiber as whole wheat flour does. Whole wheat flour contains both the bran and the germ. The bran and germ provide additional nutritional benefits. It’s lower in carbs and calories due to the extra fiber. It also has more protein and more potassium, phosphorus and magnesium. Other unique types of pasta are also available. Pasta made from lentils, chickpeas or black beans is more nutritious with more fiber, fewer carbs and more protein.
Diabetics will find brown rice a superior choice.
Unless you eat only rice or pasta, both could make healthy options. It all depends on the type of rice or pasta you choose. If you have diabetes, choosing brown rice is superior to white rice. In one study, brown rice lowered fasting blood sugar and insulin levels by significant amounts compared to white rice. Fasting insulin was 57% lower than those of the white rice group. Brown rice is also superior to pasta for lowering blood sugar levels.
- Brown rice takes 45 minutes to cook, but pasta can take as little as 10 minutes. Brown rice has a short shelf life because the fat in it gets rancid. Whole-grain pasta has a much longer shelf life.
- What you put on the rice or pasta makes all the difference. A pasta dish with a creamy sauce will often be higher in calories than stuffed peppers with kale. Sauces make a difference and so does the number of vegetables added.
- You can use pasta alternatives to make a dish healthier. Spaghetti squash and zoodles are two of those options. It can make every dish healthier.
- You can boost the flavor of rice by cooking it with grated ginger root and a small amount of coconut oil. Ginger also boosts the antioxidant content.
For more information, contact us today at Rising Fitness Gym