Can you eat microwave rice when pregnant?
In this article we are going to answer whether you can eat microwave rice when pregnant, what is defined as microwave rice, what are the disadvantages of eating microwave rice, and can microwave rice cause food poisoning.
Can you eat microwave rice when pregnant?
Yes, you can eat microwave rice when pregnant. Microwave rice and all types of rice should be eaten in moderation because rice is a high carbohydrate food that can increase your blood sugar. Try to choose whole grain rice.
White rice should not be eaten if you have gestational diabetes or insulin resistance.
What is defined as microwave rice?
Microwave rice is a product where typically white rice is fully cooked and repackaged similar to regular white rice. This process of cooking the rice allows you to sell it ready to eat just with the preparation of just 1 minute in the microwave.
Microwave rice is not the same as instant rice or parboiled rice. Instant rice is when white rice is precooked, dehydrated, and repackaged. The product is sold to later be cooked for about 5 minutes.
Parboiled rice was invented and sold as Uncle Ben’s converted rice. The parboiling process is applied directly to brown rice not to reduce cooking but to preserve all nutrients that are lost in white rice.
Is it healthy to eat microwave rice when pregnant?
Not really, microwave rice is made with white rice. It is recommended to eat whole grains, meaning brown rice because it has more nutrients. In the process to remove fiber from rice a lot of vitamins and minerals are lost.
100 grams of cooked brown rice gives you about 1.6 grams of fiber while 100 grams of white rice provides only 0.4 grams of fiber. Brown rice also has a positive effect on blood sugar. Because of its fiber content, brown rice lowers blood sugar levels and can decrease the risk of type 2 diabetes.
On the other hand, microwave rice made with white rice increases the risk of type 2 diabetes because it spikes blood glucose levels. One way to consume microwave rice and make it more healthy is to eat it cold. Cold white rice has a lower GI and adds some vinegar which helps to lower GI.
Microwave rice or white rice ready to eat contains less arsenic. Arsenic is a heavy metal, long-term consumption of arsenic can increase the risk of cancer, heart disease, and type 2 diabetes.
Nowadays, you can find in the supermarket some microwave rice or parboiled rice that includes low GI rice that includes basmati rice, red rice, black rice, or wild rice.
Follow this link for the best microwave rice to eat when pregnant.
What are the disadvantages of eating microwave rice?
Microwave rice has some disadvantages because it is a processed product. Some of the disadvantages are
- It loses vitamins and minerals in the process of cooking and packaging. If you eat too much microwave rice it could lead to nutritional deficiencies.
- Sodium might be higher because salt is added when cooking.
- Microwave rice might contain artificial sweeteners and food coloring that are not healthy to eat when pregnant
- It might have MSG. MSG has been very controversial during pregnancy, especially in high amounts.
Can microwave rice cause food poisoning?
Uncooked rice has spores of Bacillus cereus. Bacillus cereus is a food poisoning bacteria that can be very dangerous in pregnant women. The main issue is that spores of this bacteria can survive even when rice is cooked.
So, microwave rice can give you food poisoning even if it has been cooked. The safest way to prepare it is to microwave it as directed by the instructions in the package and try not to let it stand for long at room temperature.
If you have leftovers of microwave rice do not keep it in the refrigerator for more than one day because the chances of bacteria growing are high.
Symptoms of food poisoning include vomiting, diarrhea, and fever, and in pregnant women, if not treated on time, it can lead to premature labor. Symptoms may start as fast as in 5 hours.
If you need more information about food poisoning with Bacillus cereus follow this link.
Other FAQs about Rice that you may be interested in.
Can you eat rice without reheating?
Can you eat rice without cooking it?
Can you eat rice without chewing?
Conclusion
This article answered can you eat microwave rice when pregnant, what is defined as microwave rice, what are the disadvantages of eating microwave rice, and can microwave rice cause food poisoning.
Citation
https://thewateringmouth.com/difference-between-instant-rice-regular-rice/
