IS BROWN RICE PALEO?

is brown rice paleo

If you’re paying attention to mainstream nutrition, it’s easy to see brown rice as a health food. Here in the Paleo-sphere, it’s important to look past what we’re told by the western diet, and break things down to decide if they’re actually good for our bodies, or if they’ve just got great marketing. We’ll take a look at so-called “healthy” brown rice and let you know if it is actually Paleo or not.

What is Brown Rice?

What exactly is brown rice? Well, it’s actually just white rice, but without the outer bran and germ removed (the nutrient-packed parts under the husk).

It is considered more nutritious than white rice, primarily because the bran and germ, which contain the majority of the nutrients, are left intact. Unfortunately, they also contain fats that can spoil, resulting in a shorter shelf life, as well as phytic acid, a known anti-nutrient that can interfere with the body’s absorption of vitamins and minerals.

No, brown rice, like wild rice and white rice, is not Paleo. However, there are many people who choose to accept certain natural starches and carbs if it fits with their lifestyle, and brown rice is one of those “gluten-free grains” that fits the bill.

Despite being jam-packed with nutrients, brown rice contains more phytic acid than most grains and grain-like foods. Phytic acid is one of the “anti-nutrients” that can block your body’s absorption of minerals and vitamins. For this reason, many rice eaters are more likely to opt for white rice or wild rice. If you do choose to add brown rice to your Pale lifestyle, you can reduce the levels of phytic acid by soaking the rice before cooking it.

If your body doesn’t handle rice or excess starch well, you can make cauliflower rice pretty easily using either a cheese grater or a food processor! Then serve it as you would with traditional rice dishes.

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