If white bleached flour is not good for you...is white rice ok? or is that bad also? (not about sugars)?

Question

I've heard that a lot of 'white' breads and such with bleached flour in the ingredients are not that good for you.

I understand that white bread (not whole wheat or whole grain) and such with bleached flour turns into sugar faster, spiking your insulin levels...or something along that line. I also understand that white rice has the same properties as far as sugar changing when eaten (glycemic index of foods).

My main concern is more towards how it is not really 'natural' as it contains BLEACHED flour. I've been told that foods with bleached flour is overall not healthy, and not just because of the quick change to sugars (won't go into depth).

Does white rice also have the same properties? To my understanding, when rice is planted, and is harvested, basically what you're eating is the seed. Which comes white straight from the plant -not processed. So in that sense, is WHITE rice natural (not brown or wild variety)?

I hope my question makes sense.. Thanks in advance to everyone

Answer 1

What I've read is that when they take off the outer hull, they dust it with talc (asbestos) to keep it from being contaminated.

Of course, asbestos is not really good for you.  So there may be some health risk aside from the glucose index.

Brown whole grain rice is better for you.  

Jasmine rice may be unprocessed.  I'm not sure.

Answer 2

White rice is polished and has the outer hull removed in much the same way wheat does before it is milled into flour. White rice is not bleached.

In removing the h**l you remove almost all of the fiber and all of the vitamins and minerals. What you are left with is starch basically.

The GI (how much is causes you blood sugar to spike) depends on the type if rice. Basmati and long grain rices are low. Some white flours can be low too and the bleaching process wont affect the GI of the food. The GI depends on the ratio of amylase to amylopectin in the starch itself. So its really the breed of the rice/flour rather than the processing that affects GI.

The bleaching process does not have a health affect as far as I am aware. Natural products are a marketing term really, they are not necessarily better for you. But brown is better in that it has more nutrients and fiber.

They don't put asbestos in food! That really would make you sick.

Answer 3

wreckless abandon:  They do not put asbestos on any kind of rice.  If they did we would all have cancer.

Answer 4

White rice is not bleached, but stripped of its hull.  It's not "bad" for you, but brown rice is certainly better for you.

Answer 5

what do you have against rice? r u by chance a racist melon farmer?