9 Low-Glycemic Alternatives To Your Favourite Carb — White Rice
Let’s face it, one of the toughest things about living a low glycemic life is cutting out some of our favourite carbs. For many of us, a lot of them are our favourite foods, period. So leaving them off the plate can often feel like we’re leaving a giant gaping hole in our lives unfilled.
The unfortunate fact is if you have type 2 diabetes, obesity or overweight, you need to reverse insulin resistance. And cutting out high-glycemic carbs is the single-most important nutritional intervention you’re going make. But it’s often the hardest one to come to grips with.
If you’re like me, you’ve already nixed many of them from your menu. What you may not know is that there are loads of lower glycemic alternatives out there that will way more than just fill that void left behind when you end your love affair with the carbs you once adored. In fact, some of them, while ranking far lower on the glycemic index, are just as delicious or even yummier than the originals you’re trying to replace.
White rice (GI 72) — Delicious But Not So Nutritious
This one is hard. If you love stir fries, sushi, risottos or the cuisines of pretty much every Asian country, Mexico and so many others, white rice is probably a big part of your diet. Unfortunately, white rice comes in high on the glycemic index at 72. Some forms of jasmine rice come in even higher at up to 80. Sticky rice, as delicious as it may be, has a whopping GI of 86. White rice is nutrient poor, low in fibre and best avoided if you struggle with insulin resistance. Fortunately, there are plenty of alternatives to white rice that are not only low GI but also more nutritious and very tasty.
So without further ado, here are 9 lower-glycemic alternatives to white rice. Some are just a little lower but higher in nutrients. And some are very low and can be eaten without limitation. I hope you find the one that floats your boat.
1. Bulgur (GI 46)
It's not just low glycemic, it’s a nutritional powerhouse loaded with essential vitamins and minerals, fibre and even provides a healthy amount of plant protein. But most importantly, it’s delicious. It has a mild, nutty flavour and a structure very similar to a short grain rice.
2. Quinoa (GI 53)
It's actually not a grain but a seed. It comes in many colours and cooks in a similar way to rice. Quinoa is hailed as a superfood for its extremely high nutritional content. It has all nine essential amino acids making it a rare complete protein among plant-based foods. Oh, and it makes a very tasty alternative to rice.
3. Freekeh (GI 43)
It's a cereal made from green durum wheat. It’s another supercarb with extremely high fibre and protein contents. It’s a prebiotic providing beneficial bacteria to the gut. And it’s loaded with vitamins and minerals. Freekeh’s interesting green colour and mild, nutty almost smokey undertones will liven up your plate.
4. Brown rice (50)
It's better than white rice coming in far lower on the GI, but it has less fibre than many of its rice counterparts of other colours. Still, if you really like brown rice and can't live without it, when eaten occasionally brown rice can be a better alternative to white. Although I think the rice alternatives below are better for you and tastier too.
5. Red rice (55)
Comes in right at the higher end of low on the GI. Eaten in moderation, it can be a good white rice alternative. The best thing about red rice is its high antioxidant value. And it's loaded with essential minerals. But there are better choices on this list that come in lower on the GI and offer similar if not better overall nutritional value.
6. Black rice (42)
It's the nutritional royalty of rices, containing three times the fibre of white rice and boasting a rich nutrient profile white rice simply can’t compete with. Namely, it's rich in antioxidants, boasting high levels of seven different anthocyanin polyphenols. And it's very low in sugars and a good source of plant protein. Its interesting purplish-black colour also makes your dishes look exotic and exciting.
7. Basmati rice (50–58)
It's one of the most aromatic and delicious rices in the world, and a hard one to replace for its unique structure and wonderful flavour. Fortunately, when eaten in moderation, small portions of basmati will have a far milder impact on blood glucose than white rice. The brown version retains its hull and is therefore higher in fibre than its white counterpart, making brown basmati a better option. Just don’t overdo it.
8. Cauliflower rice (0–15)
This one will have almost no impact on your blood sugar levels. It’s made by grating cauliflower and then lightly toasting it with oil and salt. Made from a cruciferous vegetable, cauliflower rice is very high in fibre, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and choline. You can’t really go wrong opting for cauliflower rice. And being low GI and low calorie, you can really fill up on it without feeling guilty.
9. Shiritaki rice (GI 0)
It's made from the tuber of the konjac yam. A 100 gram serving has zero carbs and about 10 calories, it causes no spikes in blood glucose at all. Shiritaki rice contains loads of soluble fibre, the kind that isn’t digested in the small intestine, so it fills you up fast. Although it really has no other health benefits, being pretty much devoid of all nutrients, it also doesn’t contain anything that’s bad for you either, meaning you can eat as much of it as you want. Beware though, shiritaki products don’t have much flavour, so you’ll need to make whatever goes on top of it extra extra tasty.
If you like this article stay tuned for the next edition when I cover the many yummy low-glycemic alternatives to white breads and flour.
Bon appetite!
More about me
I’m Scott Cohen — I run a coaching business called Kitchen Therapy where I help my clients learn to live with type 2 diabetes, obesity and metabolic disorders by learning how to live without them. https://www.kitchen-therapy-coaching.com/about-me
If you like this article and want to know whenever I publish a new one, please follow me on Medium. I will truly appreciate it!
