Published By: Sayan Paul

5 Healthier Alternatives to White Rice

White rice, if eaten regularly and in excess, can be harmful to your health.

So, it's always a good idea to look for a healthier alternative.

Here's more!

Filling, versatile, as well as inexpensive - white rice is a staple to millions of people's diets globally. And precisely, it's not unhealthy, if eaten in moderation. But still, for some people, it can trigger a number of issues such as obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure, and more. But you need not worry, as there are plenty of healthier alternatives out there in the market. In this article, let's have a look at the five best and most popular ones among them.

Dalia: Widely Considered a Superfood

Also known as broken wheat, dalia is an ideal food for breakfast, lunch, or even dinner. Also, it can be cooked in a variety of ways such as upma, hotchpotch, porridge, and more. It contains very few calories (75 per 90 gram of serving), thus helping you to shed the excess kilos. Moreover, it's a powerhouse of fiber, iron, folate, protein, and B vitamins. There's evidence that daily consumption of dalia supports digestion, controls diabetes, boosts metabolism, and also keeps your skin healthy.

Brown Rice: The Unprocessed Form of Rice

Being an unprocessed food, brown rice has a higher nutritional value than white rice. It is loaded with fiber that helps improve the overall functioning of your digestive tract. It also contains a rich amount of iron, zinc, calcium, selenium, magnesium, phosphorus, vitamin E, vitamin K, B vitamins, proteins, flavonoids, etc. If consumed regularly, it can aid in weight loss, control blood sugar levels, promote heart health, maintain bone strength, and more.

Quinoa: An excellent source of protein

Quinoa is a type of seed that has at least double the amount of protein than white rice. It's gluten-free, high in fiber, and also has a low glycemic index, thus helping you to lose weight, have good digestion, and maintain proper blood sugar levels. It may prevent anemia, and fight chronic diseases as well. Moreover, it contains all the essential amino acids that your body requires to function properly.

Barley: A Powerhouse of Essential Plant Compounds

Barley is a versatile grain that is available in several varieties. Thanks to its high fiber content, it supports digestion and also aids in your weight loss journey. It's rich in iron, zinc, copper, manganese, magnesium, selenium, potassium, phosphorus, B vitamins, and more. Research has found that regular consumption of barley helps prevent gallstones, improve cardiovascular health, control diabetes, and also prevent colon cancer.

Foxtail Millet: The second-largest species of the millets

Gluten-free, packed with fiber, and low in calories - foxtail millet is a favorite of fitness enthusiasts from all across the world. Also, it contains a high amount of protein, healthy fat, iron, zinc, magnesium, calcium, phosphorus, niacin, thiamine, and more. Its regular consumption may support digestion, aid in weight loss, maintain bone strength, boost the nervous system, and promote heart health.

You can also go for couscous, broccoli rice, cauliflower rice, etc.