Rice Rice Baby

I have never been a whole grain eater.  I have always eaten white rice, white bread, and many other refined grains that have zero health benefits.  At least that was the case prior to this challenge.  Competing in the Health Kwest has opened my eyes, and my taste buds, to foods I normally would not eat.  When I began this challenge, I stuck mostly to Udon Noodles as I wanted some sort of substance in my bowl and I was not a big fan of brown rice.  As I progress through these 60 days, I find I am eating less at mealtimes in general, so most days, I do not add a starch to my Genghis Grill bowl, so that I can eat more veggies. Tonight however, my bowl included not only brown rice, I also added a new veggie, bamboo shoots, and I loved them. And my bowl was huge...  I had to get a "doggy bag" for what I was unable to finish.

The health benefits of brown rice, and whole grains in general, are incredible.  Studies show that including whole grains in your daily diet help reduce the risk of stroke, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease.  Studies also show that a balanced diet that includes whole grains can assist in weight maintenance. Brown rice is high in fiber, which provides a great benefit to the digestive system. Fiber is also an important nutrient in the prevention of colon and breast cancer. Brown rice has also been shown to promote bone health and lower cholesterol.  Some of the best whole grains include brown rice, oats, and barley.  While I have yet to try barley, I have not ruled it out.

Would I have tried brown rice if it was not part of today's challenge?  Yes.  I have had it in a few bowls already.  Has this challenge opened my eyes to the health benefits of brown rice, and possibly changed the way I eat grains outside of this challenge?  Well lets just say when that bag of white rice was empty this weekend, it was easily replaced...