Glycemic Index of Rice Varieties

Nutritional profile of rice

We eat rice not just because it’s soft, tasty, and easy to digest, it’s a high-energy food that is packed with nutrients.

• It is loaded with calories containing around 345 calories for every 100 grams.
• It is cholesterol-free
• It’s rich in vitamins and minerals
• It is good for promoting good gut bacteria
• Rice contains less sodium and so is better for people with hypertension
• It’s full of calcium, potassium, iron, and phosphorus
• Rice contains riboflavin, niacin, thiamine, and other vitamins that prevent certain forms of cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, and heart disease

But also rice is also a starchy food — bad news for those trying to keep their blood sugar at a healthy level. The good news is that not all kinds of rice have the same blood sugar–rising effect.

Starch effect on glycemic index

One measure of how fast carbohydrate-containing foods raise blood sugar levels (even for people who are not diabetic) is the glycemic index (GI). Different varieties of rice have different GIs—from as high as 70 or more for short-grain, white sticky rice to about 55 for basmati rice.

It depends on starch. Starch is a complex carbohydrate in which there are two types of polymers: amylose and amylopectin.

Amylose is a long, straight molecule that does not gelatinize during cooking. Rice with a high amylose content (25-30%) tends to cook firm and dry, whereas rice with a medium amylose content (20-25%) tends to be softer and stickier and rice with a low amylose content (<20%) is generally quite soft and sticky.

Amylopectin, on the other hand, is a highly branched molecule that makes the rice sticky when it’s released from the grain during cooking.

Medium grain rice has more amylopectin, making it a good candidate for risottos, salads and rice pudding. Short grain rice has even more amylopectin and little to no amylose. Then there’s glutinous rice, which is very sticky when cooked, with the highest amount of amylopectin and no amylose.

So, when it comes to lower GI, rice with a higher content of amylose is better.

Best alternatives for white rice

It might come as a surprise to you that there are more than 40,000 varieties of rice cultivated by people all over the world. In fact, each state in India has numerous varieties each with distinct grain size and taste. Here are a few popular rice varieties:

• Basmati rice
• Black rice
• Jasmine rice
• Brown rice
• Parboiled rice
• Sticky or glutinous rice
• Red rice
• Wild rice
• Broken rice
• White rice

Here are some varieties of rice that have lesser glycemic index when compared to white rice. This means they take more time to digest and release sugars into the bloodstream slowly.

Not a 100% rule – but in most cases: The whiter / the more polished / more sticky rice is, the higher its GI. The more colored / more bran / more separate grains the rice has, the lower its GI.

Tips to prepare rice for lower GI

• Cook rice slowly
• Instead of a pressure cooker, use a pan and add more water
• Increase fiber intake while consuming rice
• Add lentils, legumes, leafy vegetables, and spices with rice
• Control portion intake