Traditional vs Microwave Rice

Brought to Australia around 1850 by Chinese gold prospectors, rice has become a staple of our diet. Their varieties continue to expand as we as consumers demand convenience and nutritional value, from microwave steamed rice to wild black rice, there is an expanse of rice varieties to choose from in your local super market that offer different textures, taste and nutritional value. The table below summarizes some common rice varieties and details their cost and nutritional value.

Variety of Rice	Cost per 100g	Nutrients per 100g
		Protein	Carbohydrate	Fibre	Potassium	Magnesium	Niacin	Sodium
Brown	0.32	7.6	72.5	3.9	266mg	111mg	6.4mg	<0.5mg
Microwave Brown	1.32	4	34	3	130mg	52mg	1.2mg	<5mg
Jasmine	0.32	7.2	78.8	<1	78mg	0	0	<5mg
Microwave Jasmine	1.32	2.9	33.5	<1	9mg	0	0	<5mg
White	0.25	6.8	79.1	<1	82mg	0	0	<5mg
Microwave White	1.32	3	39	<1	47mg	0	0	<5mg
Brown Rice & Lentils	0.47	10.2	68.4	6.4	342mg	108mg	5.6mg	<5mg
White Rice & Quinoa	0.47	9.1	70.3	4.7	313mg	134mg	2.7mg	<5mg
Wild Rice Mountain Blend	1.10	8.2	74.4	4.1	207mg	117mg	2.7mg	<5mg

Rice can be a healthy alternative to refined carbohydrates and when high in fibre and minerals acts as a hearty addition to any lunch or dinner. Brown and wild rice have the best nutritional value in term of total fibre, protein and minerals and brown rice is one of the cheapest options coming in at 32 cents per 100g, which can be mixed with quinoa and black rice to add nutritional value while saving on cost compared to purchasing combination packs. White rice is your cheapest option especially when bought in bulk coming in at 25 cents per 100g, regretfully white rice loses its bran and germ during processing leading to a diminished fibre and mineral value producing a refined product that has a high glycemic load, meaning it significantly raises blood sugar levels in a short amount of time therefore increasing risk of insulin resistance and diabetes when consumed regularly.

The table compares some common rice varieties of fresh and microwave options, specifying significantly decreased nutritional value in the microwave options. Microwave options may be fast and convenient but they have an increased cost and contain a range of additives and preservatives. For example, microwave options contain cooked rice & water with added vegetable & sunflower oil, antioxidants, stabilisers (some of which contain soy), and distilled monoglyceride. Stabilisers act to increase shelf life, while distilled monoglyceride is used to remove impurities, these two chemicals are triglycerides or better known as trans fats and therefore can increase risks of heart disease, cholesterol, cancer and obesity when consumed regularly.

 Sarah Campbell

Nutritionist at Naed Nutrition - Currambine

Traditional VS Quick Oats

As nutritionists we LOVE oats, they taste delicious with a pinch of cinnamon and a drizzle of honey especially on those cold winter mornings. Clients are often surprised when we recommend a bowl of hearty porridge for breakfast, but we explain that oats are packed with nutritional goodies! Oats are high in protein to keep you fuller for longer and provide your body with building blocks for life. A rich source of both soluble and insoluble fibre oats can assist gastrointestinal health, along with supporting cardiovascular health to help mop up excess cholesterol and glucose in the digestive tract. Oats are also powerful antioxidants, and have anti-inflammatory properties that can help to reduce the formation of atherosclerotic plaques in arteries, therefore reducing risks of cardiovascular disease. They also assist to maintain blood sugar levels in diabetics, and scientific evidence has found consumption of oats can improve immune health, protect against cancer formation, and assist in the management of body weight and childhood asthma. Further more, oatmeal can be used topically as an anti inflammatory lotion for the relief of dry itchy skin from dermatitis, and chemotherapy induced rash.

The question is, which oats do you buy? From steel cut to quick oats, the table below lists a number of common oats available in your local supermarket, and compares their nutritional value and cost. Steel cut oats are wholegrains with the outer husk removed and cut into smaller pieces, they are rich in bran and germ meaning they are an excellent source of fibre beneficial for gastrointestinal and cardiovascular health. Similarly, traditional and quick oats are also high in fibre and are your cheapest option at the super market the only difference between them is that quick oats are chopped for a quicker cooking time. The price of oats rises as you begin to choose sachets and flavours, which are also accompanied by a rise in sodium and refined sugars. Original sachets are basically quick oats in a convenient sachet form, but cost almost 3x the price per 100g. Quick High Fibre sachets have the highest fibre profile compared to all oats available on the market, but also have the highest sodium quantities and price. Lastly, quick brown sugar and cinnamon sachets have the lowest protein and fibre amounts, accompanied with high sugar profiles.

		Nutrients per 100g
Variety of Oats	Cost per 100g	Protein	Total Fibre	Beta Glucan	Soluble Fibre	Insoluble Fibre	Sodium
Steel Cut	0.88	12.8	9.7	4	4	5.7	12mg
Traditional	0.55	12.8	9.2	4.5	4	5.7	6mg
Quick	0.55	12.8	9.7	4	4	5.7	12mg
Quick Sachet –Original	1.44	12.8	9.7	4	4	5.7	12mg
Quick Sachet – Hi Fibre	1.51	10.9	15	3	4.9	10.1	41mg
Quick Sachet –Brown Sugar & Cinnamon	1.44	9.9	7.8	-	-	-	11mg

In conclusion, traditional oats are your best option, they are high in protein and fibre and low in sodium and refined sugars, to add additional fibre simply top with a teaspoon each of chia seeds and ground flax seeds, and a touch of organic local honey or fresh fruit to sweeten.

Sarah Campbell

Nutritionist at Naed Nutrition - Currambine