Eating Too Much Rice Side Effects

Where would we be without rice?

Rice is one of the most affordable food staples out there, and though it comes with its health benefits, rice is always denounced and condemned by many low-carb lovers.

Admittedly, eating too much rice isn’t good, but eating anything excessively is bound to have some side effects.

Before we go into said side effects, let’s highlight the two main types of rice and their benefits.

Source: HealthStreak 

Types of Rice

Though there are many types of rice out there, all in different colours, we’ll focus on Brown and White rice for this article.  

The difference between these two is simply an outer covering.

The two come from the same rice plant.

However, the bran is removed from the white rice and left behind in the brown rice.

Most dieticians would prefer you to choose brown rice as the bran left behind makes it more nutritious than white rice.

Health Benefits of Brown rice Vs. White rice

1. Brown rice helps control diabetes by controlling blood sugar levels, but white rice is likely to spike blood sugar levels. This is suitable for anyone with low blood sugar.
2. Brown rice contains about 4g of fibre, which helps with digestion. It can also lower cholesterol and reduce heart disease or stroke risk. White rice contains about a gram of fibre. Though it is still present in minimal amounts
3. Brown rice contains phenolic antioxidants, which may reduce the risk of cancer. White rice contains minimal amounts of the same antioxidant.
4. Both rice grains are gluten-free.

Eating Too Much Rice Side Effects

1. Eating too much white rice could lead to diabetes.
2. Arsenic is present in the soil and groundwater, especially in farmlands contaminated with industrial fertilizers and pesticides. Rice can soak up arsenic more than any other grain. If you eat unwashed rice or barely cooked rice often, you risk getting exposed to arsenic, and this exposure might lead to cancer.
3. Eating rice all the time or daily makes you miss out on other nutrient-rich foods. This could cause some dietary diseases such as kwashiorkor.
4. Eating too much rice might make you gain weight.

In everything you do, you must learn to live within the boundaries of moderation. Eating too much of anything is not good.

Disclaimer:

A nutritionist did not write this article.

If you’d like more information on the side effects of eating too much rice, please consult a doctor.