Why "instant" brown rice may be HEALTHIER than regular brown rice

You probably already know that, generally speaking, brown rice is a healthier option than white rice.  It contains more fiber, vitamins and minerals while also having a lower glycemic index.

You've probably also heard that the "slow cook" version of brown rice is much healthier than the "instant" versions, which have been pre-cooked to allow for faster cooking times.  After all, anything that's "easy" has to give you some sort of health trade off, doesn't it?  So perhaps like many looking to obtain a trim, tight waistline, you labor over the stove for 45 mins to prepare your healthy brown rice.

But alas, this simply isn't true.  Did you know that many brands of "instant" brown rice contain just as much fiber as regular brown rice and have even been tested to have a lower glycemic index than regular versions?  In fact, the ONLY brands of brown rice to score a glycemic index in the 40's are ALL instant!  The regular versions generally score in the 60 - 80s range.

Now, with that said, this same "quick cook" phenomenon doesn't apply to other foods like oatmeal, where the glycemic index generally increases significantly when comparing instant versions vs their regular counterparts.

But when it comes to brown rice, it seems that there is little negative trade off and actually some positive benefits to gain with a lower glycemic index.  Not to mention, it's ready in a few minutes instead of nearly an hour!

The BEST fruit for weightloss (even great before bed)

Thanks to Joel & Josh - BioTrust Nutrition

You've probably heard the tip that if you're interested in losing weight, it's a good idea to eat slowly and chew your food at least 15-20 times before swallowing.  Doing so allows your brain and body to actually sense that it's full, instead of cramming a bunch of food down your throat only to find out 30 mins later that you're WAY stuffed.

And for that reason (and a few others), I'm picking cherries as my #1 fruit for weight loss.

With cherries, you can't just pop 30 in your mouth in two mins like you could, and probably often do, with grapes or blueberries.  Instead, the pits force you to eat them slowly, allowing your satiation sensors to chime in a prevent you from over-indulging.

So that's reason #1 – built in portion control.

Reason #2, and it's a BIG one, is that cherries have the LOWEST glycemic index of all fruits, and one of the lowest glycemic indexes of any carbohydrate source—period.

Scoring at a ridiculously low 22, you can even snack on cherries in the evening without much detriment as their effect on insulin is minimal at best.  Again, it's not late-night eating that's the problem, it's eating the wrong foods (those that cause a substantial rise in fat-loss halting insulin) in evening hours that is.

So next time you're in the mood for a sweet, satiating snack, reach for a small bowl of cherries and enjoy the goodness.  My new favorite variety is Rainier cherries….Mmm mmm good :)