Rakul Preet Singh Smashes The “Rice And Ghee Make You Fat” Myth
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You’ve probably heard your mom say “eating rice will make you fat, switch to roti” multiple times. Carbohydrates are essential for your body as they help with the smooth functioning of your system. Of course this does not mean that you load up your plate with tonnes of carbs and ignore other kinds of food. If rice makes you fat, then you would think that models and actresses would avoid eating it but you are mistaken. Dhruva actress Rakul Preet took to her YouTube channel to dispel the myth of avoiding rice to lose weight. Here’s what she had to say:
What’s The Deal With Rice?
Rakul Preet is a total foodie and she proved the same by starting a new YouTube channel specifically dedicated to food called WTF or What The Food. In the first episode of her food show, Rakul Preet invites celebrity nutritionist, Rashi Chowdhary to help debunk myths surrounding the consumption of carbohydrates. When it comes to eating carbs, Rashi stated that one must be careful about how much they consume, when they consume it and what the source of the carbs are.
Rashi said, “Rice will make you fat, well, I get this a lot as well. The worst thing is that people think that brown rice is better than white rice but the truth is white rice is better than all other kinds of rice available out there,” Eating brown rice can interfere with the absorption of zinc in your body as it contains a lot more fiber than white rice does. But this would also be beneficial to those who suffer from digestive issues like constipation (1).
Rashi also stated that there was nothing wrong in consuming carbohydrates for dinner. She spoke about how if you are someone who works out and is generally active, eating carbohydrates for dinner won’t lead to sudden weight gain. However, she also noted that you should consume rice in moderation and not go overboard. It is also important to not consume heavy meals immediately before bedtime and you should keep a gap of at least 2 hours before you go to sleep so that your stomach can digest the food. She added that you should eat the rice with healthy veggies and lentils to reap the most benefits out of it (2).
Ghee Is Useful Too!
Adding even one small teaspoon of ghee into our bowl of daal can elevate the taste to another level, however many of us abstain from eating it due to its association with weight gain. Well, Rakul Preet and her nutritionist Rashi are here to debunk the myth! In the third episode of Rakul’s show, they discussed how important ghee was for one’s diet. Rakul spoke about how she eats ghee every single day and cannot go without it. Rashi too suggested that people should eat ghee on a daily basis because it works like a “fire extinguisher”. Besides smashing food myths, Rakul also answers commonly asked questions related to food with the help of her nutritionist.
Although she enjoys eating ghee and would recommend others to consume it, Rakul also cautions about not giving in to overconsumption. While ghee may be super scrumptious and delicious, it is important that its consumption is practiced in moderation. You can have ghee with your paratha or roti rather than eating a lot of it in one go. In the video, Rashi said, “Ghee and butter are both exceptions when it comes to dairy. They have negligible amounts of lactose and casein, especially ghee because ghee is clarified butter.” Rakul also suggested that you should pick up organic varieties of ghee or make some at home (if you have the time).
Ghee has other added benefits too! If you’re someone who suffers from constipation, adding ghee into your diet can help make things move along more smoothly. Ghee is also a great source of antioxidants and contains a good dose of vitamin E! As ghee is formed by getting rid of milk solids, it includes small amounts of lactose and casein, making it appropriate for those with sensitive stomachs or those who have an intolerance to dairy products. Ghee additionally fits into the popular Paleo food regimen, that is based on the forms of ingredients eaten by cavemen (3).
In the end, it is important to remember that following a healthy, well-balanced diet is always good for you. Even if you are someone who prefers not to indulge in hardcore exercising, cutting down on the amount of wasteful calories that you consume is very important. If you eat anything in excess, you will end up gaining weight. Hence, it is important to not go overboard with your diet and stick to a daily routine. Do let us know if your perception towards ghee and rice were changed in the comment section below. You can watch Rakul Preet’s YouTube episodes on rice and ghee here and here.
