Brown vs. white
A few items in my kitchen: wheat bread; brown rice; and whole wheat pasta.
Years ago I switched from eating white rice, pasta and bread to eating brown rice, pasta and bread. My reason: more nutrients. And on the old Weight Watchers plan whole wheat pasta was lower in Points. On the “newer” plan the Points are the same. But (healthy) habits are hard to break.
And I love carbs and will NEVER give them up. Yum!
When I went to do my research on brown vs. white rice and pasta the Google search also listed brown vs. white eggs … sugar. I also looked up bread.
According to The Hungry Mouse, the only major difference between brown and white eggs is the color of the shell.
According to a New York Times article, the two varieties of (brown and white) sugar are similar nutritionally.
I have been eating whole wheat (brown) bread for years. According to a Livestrong article, whole wheat brown bread has a “nutritional advantage” over white bread, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics. This is because brown breads made from whole wheat usually contain more fiber than white bread, as well as greater amounts of important nutrients such as vitamins B-6 and E, magnesium, folic acid, copper, zinc and manganese.
According to a WebMD article, replacing white rice with brown rice can reduce the risk of Type 2 Diabetes. According to a Livestrong article, the process of refining white rice strips away the bran and the germ, removing most of the fiber and vitamins. … Brown rice provides more nutrients and fiber than white rice, making it a better nutritional choice.
According to another Livestrong article, both white and wheat pasta are made with wheat grain, but white pasta is made with processed wheat flour, whereas whole-wheat pasta is made with unprocessed whole-wheat flour. Make sure you see the word “whole” before wheat on the ingredient list.
From the research I have done it seems that to make a grain white you have to strip away nutrients. This is what a Livestrong article says: In relation to foods made with grain, the whole-grain version is always healthier than the white, or refined, one.
For some I know it is hard to switch to brown rice or pasta or even bread. But once you switch it will be better for you. For me personally I don’t miss the texture of white pasta or rice.