Rice is low in sodium:

• Blood Pressure Canada and the Dietitians of Canada recommend that Canadians consume no more than 2300 mg of sodium per day.
• On average, Canadians currently consume about 3,100 mg of sodium per day.
• There is a connection between high sodium consumption and hypertension (high blood pressure). Hypertension is a known risk factor for heart disease.
• High sodium levels have also been connected to osteoporosis, cancer and diabetes.
• 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.
• Eating Well with Canada’s Food Guide suggests limiting foods and beverages that are high in salt.

Brown rice is a source of 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; women require 25 grams.
• Brown rice is considered a source of fibre.

Canada’s Food Guide:

• According to Canada’s Food Guide, Canadian adults should consume six to eight servings of grain products per day. At least half of these servings should be whole grain products.
• A half cup of rice is a serving of grain products.
• A half cup of brown rice is a serving of whole grain products.
• 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 to absorb nutrients such as protein, fat, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals, all of 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 a gluten-free diet.

Rice is a gluten-free grain that can be enjoyed by people with celiac disease.

• In addition to cooked rice, people with celiac disease can enjoy rice-based cereal, rice pasta and rice flour for cooking and baking.
• www.celiac.ca Canadian Celiac Association

Semi-vegetarian to Vegan:

• Rice is an important grain for people following vegetarian or vegan diets.
  • Semi-vegetarians 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 – brown rice is a source of B-vitamins, phosphorus, magnesium, zinc and fibre
• 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) and is a slow carbohydrate; basmati or brown rice has a medium GI (56-69).

Reviewed by Cara Rosenbloom, registered dietitian.