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RICE FITS

Rice can fit into everyone’s diet. For those with specialty diets either by medical necessity or personal choice, rice makes meal planning easy. Here are some nutrient benefits of rice provided by the USA Rice Federation.

LOW SODIUM:

• RDA (Recommended Dietary Allowances) for sodium is 2400mg/day or less.
• There is a connection between high sodium consumption and hypertension (high blood pressure). Hypertension is a known risk factor for cardio-vascular disease and heart attack.
• High sodium levels have also been connected to osteoporosis, cancer and diabetes (Food in Canada: June 2006).
• About 11% of the sodium we consume is from salt that we add to our food at the table or in our cooking. Twelve per cent is from sodium that naturally occurs in food and our drinking water. Most of the sodium we eat, around 77%, is from processed food and restaurant meals (Dietitians of Canada).
• Canada’s Food Guide to Healthy Eating also suggests limiting salt intake.

HIGH FIBRE:

• Fibre can only be found in foods of plant origin – meat, fish, milk and milk products contain no dietary fibre.
• In addition to helping with bowel regularity, studies have shown that a diet high in dietary fibre can help reduce the risk of high blood cholesterol, therefore reducing the risk of heart disease.
• High fibre foods also fill you up – which can help with weight control.
• Men need 38 grams of fibre daily and women 25 grams.
• Brown rice is considered a source of fibre.
• Source: Canadian Nutrient File, 2005 Health Canada

CANADA’S FOOD GUIDE TO HEALTHY EATING:

• According to Canada’s Food Guide to Healthy Eating, Canadians should be eating 5-12 servings of grain products per day.
• The Food Guide translates the science of healthy eating into a practical pattern of food choices that meets nutrient needs, promotes health and minimizes the risk of nutrition related chronic diseases. (Health Canada).
• 1 cup (250 mL) of rice is considered 2 servings.
• www.hc-sc.gc.ca/fn-an/food-guide-aliment/index_e.html

GLUTEN FREE:

• Celiac disease is a medical condition in which the absorptive surface of the small intestine is damaged by a substance called gluten. This results in an inability of the body to absorb nutrients: protein, fat, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals, which are necessary for good health.
• Gluten is a protein found in wheat, rye, triticale and barley. At present there is no cure, but celiac disease is readily treated by following the gluten-free diet.
• www.celiac.ca Canadian Celiac Association

SEMI-VEGETARIAN TO VEGAN:

• Semi-vegetarian: allow limited amounts of animal products into their diet
• Lacto vegetarians: avoid meat, fish, poultry and eggs, but will consume dairy products
• Lacto-ovo vegetarians: avoid only meat, fish and poultry, but will consume eggs and dairy products
• Vegans: completely avoid all animal products
• Vegetarians/vegans are always looking for foods that provide them with a wide range of nutrients – rice is a source of B3, B5, B6, phosphorus, magnesium, and zinc, with brown rice also containing dietary fibre, thiamine and iron.
• It’s important for vegetarians/vegans to eat grain along with legumes or nuts daily because the combination creates amino acids, which help build proteins in the body.

GLYCEMIC INDEX:

• The Glycemic Index (GI) is a scale that ranks carbohydrate-rich foods by how much they raise blood glucose levels compared to a standard food. The standard food is glucose or white bread.
• It is important for diabetics to combine eating grains with proteins to help slow down the release of sugars in the bloodstream.
• Parboiled or converted rice have a low GI (55 or less) or is a slow carbohydrate and a basmati or brown rice has a medium GI (56-69).The bottom line: Including rice as part of a balanced meal is a great way to provide nutrition, energy and enjoyment.