Why Brown Rice For The DASH Diet

In this article, I want to discuss not only why brown rice is so important, but also how to start cooking it so that you can enjoy it. Because only then eating brown rice can become an automatic choice rather than tough  dietary decision. And so protection of your health will become automatic. Won’t it be nice?

The DASH diet doesn’t restrict your rice choices. So let me ask you, when on the DASH diet, do you choose brown rice or white rice?

If you opt for white rice or no rice at all, you are not alone. Many people have difficulty making brown rice a permanent part of their diet.

Even though researchers assert that brown rice provides the whole array of health benefits.

Health benefits of brown rice

Brown rice
• lowers blood pressure and cholesterol.
• offers protection from atherosclerosis and heart disease
• has been linked to protection against ischemic stroke, insulin resistance, obesity, and premature death
• substantially lowers risk of type 2 diabetes
• helps women lose weight and keep it off
• helps keep energy levels up
• contains fiber and antioxidants that help protect from colon and breast cancer (and several other types of cancer)
Yes, besides lowering blood pressure, brown rice is essential in anti-cancer diet. While attending one of the natural health events, I met Denny Waxman, the leading educator of the macrobiotic lifestyle in the US. I met his clients, who are now free of cancer. I listened to their stories. These people won their fight with cancer using macrobiotic diet. They ate brown rice at least once a day. Denny repeatedly stressed the importance of two grains for the optimal health: brown rice and millet. 

Why brown rice, not white?

Brown rice as an excellent source of manganese, and a good source of minerals selenium and magnesium. WHFoods website states that “the complete milling and polishing that converts brown rice into white rice destroys 67% of the vitamin B3, 80% of the vitamin B1, 90% of the vitamin B6, half of the manganese, half of the phosphorus, 60% of the iron, and all of the dietary fiber and essential fatty acids. “

DASH becomes SuperDASH With Brown Rice

DASH diet doesn’t restrict what kind of rice you should choose – but if you want your DASH plan to work faster, I recommend that you start choosing brown rice over white. It’s only a smart thing to do as you can lose more weight and lower blood pressure faster.

So why many people don’t eat brown rice?

Old habits die hard, and that’s exactly why many people cannot switch to brown rice. It doesn’t feel the same, it is not as tasty, complaints just go on.
Eating rice is natural for the Asian cultures, but not as much for the Western diet. When we traveled China, our traditional breakfast was congee – boiled rice stew with fermented veggies and peanuts. Everyone eats it at least once a day there. While in North America, you can go for weeks without eating any rice, unless you order a takeout from an Oriental restaurant. So people might not know how to best use brown rice and they are not accustomed to cooking it.

How To Start Eating More Brown Rice

1. Try different types of brown rice
   
   Just like white rice, brown rice comes in the same varieties, because “brown” means “hulled but not stripped of bran layers.” For example, brown basmati rice is chewier than white, and has the same aroma. There are brown short-grains, you can cook them so that they either stick or fall apart, they are reminiscent of Arborio rice that is used for Italian rizottos. And there are purple, red, black rice varieties – relatively new and more expensive.
   You might like basmati but not brown basmari rice. That’s why it is important to try a few types and see which one works for you.
2. Experiment with cooking rice
   
   It seems, every Asian household has a rice cooker. Rice cooker steams rice, preserving the most nutrients and keeping its nice texture. However, you don’t have to buy a rice cooker.And you don’t have to work hard and spend much time on looking after your rice while it cooks.
   
   Simple Way To Cook Brown Rice In 20 Minutes
   
   I use non-sticky wok to cook my rice. The sequence is simple:
   Step 1. Wash the rice and put in on the pan ( wok) on high heat
   Step 2. Add hot water in proportion as per instructions on the package. Add salt, spices and if you like it, some vinegar
   Step 3. Once rice boils, mix it well, reduce heat to a minimum, cover rice with the lid, and let it cook for 40 minutes.
   Once it absorbs water, try it – if you feel it is undercooked, add a little bit of water and cook for another 10 minutes.

   I cook rice in 20 minutes. I soak it in water overnight, and use the sequence above, just adding water in the proportion 1:1 as opposed to usual 1:2.
   



3. Try different dishes
   
   Brown rice is great in soups, salads, stews, rizotto. It can be used in stuffings, and some people even make brown rice milk out of it. You can freeze some of it and use later.

You are welcome to explore brown rice dishes on this site. Even a half a cup brown rice a day can make a difference.

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