A perspective on the benefits of consumption of parboiled rice over brown rice for glycaemic control

Abstract

Purpose Rice is a staple food for over 3.5 billion people worldwide. The nutritional content of rice varies with different post-harvest processing techniques. Major varieties include brown rice (BR), white rice (WR) and parboiled rice (PBR). While consumption of BR is advocated due to its higher nutritional content compared to other varieties, some studies have indicated lower post-prandial blood glucose (PPBG) levels when PBR is consumed. This apparent benefit of PBR consumption is not well publicised and no commentaries on underlying mechanisms are available in literature. Methods In this review, we looked into differential nutrient content of PBR, as compared to BR and WR, and tried to understand how their consumption could be associated with glycaemic control. Various roles played by these nutrients in mechanisms of insulin secretion, insulin resistance, nutrient absorption and T2DM-associated inflammation were reviewed from literature-based evidence. ResultsWe report differential nutritional factors in PBR, with respect to BR (and WR), such as higher calcium and selenium content, lower phytic acids, and enriched vitamin B6 which might aid PBR's ability to provide better glycaemic control than BR. Conclusion Our interpretation of reviewed literature leads us to suggest the possible benefits of PBR consumption in glycaemic control and its inclusion as the preferred rice variant in diets of T2DM patients and at-risk individuals.

Parboiled Rice Processing Method, Rice Quality, Health Benefits, Environment, and Future Perspectives: A Review

“…Phytic acid (PA), which accounts for 80% of the phosphorus in seeds, functions as an antinutrient and inhibits the proper absorption of nutrients from the diet [9,113,114]. Parboiled brown rice (PBR) PA content is approximately half that of BR [115,116].…”

“…Calcium levels in parboiled rice are six times higher than in brown rice [9]. According to [121], calcium-rich diets are an effective treatment for osteoporosis because they minimize the incidence of osteoporotic fractures.…”

“…This reduces smooth muscle contractility, lowering preterm birth, which is associated with mother and infant mortality [122]. In addition, since parboiled rice is 25% higher in vitamin B6 than brown rice, it is an excellent source [9]. Several primary benefits of having a vitamin B5-rich diet were its antioxidant capacity and antitumor actions via reduced cell proliferation and angiogenesis [124].…”

“…It is preferred over milled white rice due to regional culinary preferences and the improved sensory quality that emphasizes a softer texture and milder flavor [8]. In addition, it has higher calcium, selenium, and vitamin B6 contents, as well as lower phytic acid concentration [9]. Agronomic conditions during harvest also Agriculture 2023, 13, 1390 2 of 24 contribute to the necessity of parboiling rice, since nearly all rice grown during the rainy season and rice that has been flooded during harvest are prone to excessive breakage during milling [10].…”

Time-Resolved Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy for Accurate Qualitative and Quantitative Analysis of Brown Rice Flour Adulteration

“…Food adulteration refers to artificially and purposefully adding diverting ingredients to food, such as for preservation, color enhancement, improvement of appearance, texture and masking, to achieve the purpose of improving economic benefits [ 1 ]. Rice, the staple food for more than 3.5 billion people, can be processed to produce brown and white rice [ 2 , 3 ]. Compared with white rice, brown rice is rich in starch, protein, fat, vitamins, minerals, and functional health care ingredients, and also contains dietary fiber, oryzanol, glutathione, γ-aminobutyric acid, rice bran polysaccharide.…”