{"id":4415,"date":"2026-05-05T10:40:49","date_gmt":"2026-05-05T05:10:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/higoodhealth.com\/india\/?p=4415"},"modified":"2026-05-16T11:01:45","modified_gmt":"2026-05-16T05:31:45","slug":"are-wheat-and-rice-healthy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/higoodhealth.com\/india\/are-wheat-and-rice-healthy\/","title":{"rendered":"Is Your wheat and rice Actually Hurting You? What Science Says"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"572\" src=\"https:\/\/higoodhealth.com\/india\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Are-you-sure-Wheat-and-rice-1-1024x572.webp\" alt=\"Comparison of wheat, and rice, and teff grains highlighting healthier grain choices for daily nutrition\" class=\"wp-image-3435\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/higoodhealth.com\/india\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Are-you-sure-Wheat-and-rice-1-1024x572.webp 1024w, https:\/\/higoodhealth.com\/india\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Are-you-sure-Wheat-and-rice-1-300x167.webp 300w, https:\/\/higoodhealth.com\/india\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Are-you-sure-Wheat-and-rice-1-768x429.webp 768w, https:\/\/higoodhealth.com\/india\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Are-you-sure-Wheat-and-rice-1-1536x857.webp 1536w, https:\/\/higoodhealth.com\/india\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Are-you-sure-Wheat-and-rice-1-2048x1143.webp 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Every Indian meal revolves around them \u2014 wheat rotis at breakfast, rice at lunch, maybe&nbsp;both at&nbsp;dinner. They&#8217;ve been on our plates for generations.&nbsp;So&nbsp;here&#8217;s a question most of us never think&nbsp;to ask:&nbsp;<em>are wheat and rice&nbsp;actually good&nbsp;for us?<\/em>&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The honest answer?&nbsp;<strong>It depends \u2014 mostly on how processed they are.<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The Refined Grain Problem&nbsp;<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>When wheat is milled into maida or rice is polished white, both lose their outer bran and inner germ \u2014 the parts that carry fiber, B vitamins, iron, and minerals. What&#8217;s left is mostly starch that hits your bloodstream fast. White rice carries a high glycemic index of 73, while refined wheat products behave similarly \u2014 both linked to rising rates of&nbsp;<strong>type 2 diabetes and heart disease<\/strong>&nbsp;in India. And despite being the 4th largest coarse grain producer in the world, India is among the top consumers of&nbsp;<em>refined<\/em>&nbsp;grains.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Whole Grains vs. Refined: A Big Difference&nbsp;<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Switching to&nbsp;<strong>whole wheat atta<\/strong>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<strong>brown rice<\/strong>&nbsp;is a meaningful upgrade \u2014 more fiber, slower sugar release, better gut health. Brown rice alone offers 3.5g of fiber per cup and covers 88% of your daily manganese need. But even these familiar grains have limits. Wheat contains&nbsp;<strong>gluten<\/strong>, which causes real harm to people with celiac disease or sensitivity \u2014 including bloating, fatigue, and gut inflammation.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Meet Teff: The Grain You&#8217;ve Probably Never Heard Of&nbsp;<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>If you&#8217;re looking for the world&#8217;s most nutrient-dense grain, researchers are pointing to&nbsp;<strong>teff<\/strong>&nbsp;\u2014 a tiny ancient grain from Ethiopia, now quietly available in Indian health stores. It is naturally&nbsp;<strong>gluten-free<\/strong>, impossibly hard to refine (it&#8217;s too small), and packed with nutrients that dwarf both wheat and rice:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>5\u00d7 more calcium<\/strong>&nbsp;than wheat (180mg vs. 34mg per 100g)&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Double the iron<\/strong>&nbsp;of wheat, nearly 10\u00d7 that of rice&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>8g of fiber<\/strong>&nbsp;per cup cooked, plus resistant starch that feeds good gut bacteria&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>A&nbsp;<strong>low-to-medium glycemic index (57\u201374)<\/strong>, with fermented teff showing the lowest blood sugar spikes&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>A peer-reviewed study in the&nbsp;<em>Journal of Diabetes Research<\/em>&nbsp;found teff-based food caused significantly lower blood sugar responses compared to other grains \u2014 and recommended it&nbsp;for&nbsp;<strong>diabetes&nbsp;dietary programs globally<\/strong>.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What Should You Actually Eat?&nbsp;<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>No single grain is perfect for everyone, but India&#8217;s own ICMR and National Institute of Nutrition recommend&nbsp;<strong>whole, minimally processed grains<\/strong>&nbsp;and variety over relying on one staple. A smart approach for most Indians:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Choose&nbsp;<strong>whole wheat atta<\/strong>&nbsp;over maida&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Opt for&nbsp;<strong>brown rice or basmati<\/strong>&nbsp;over white polished rice&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Rinse rice well and cook in extra water to reduce arsenic absorption&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Gradually explore&nbsp;<strong>millets, quinoa, oats, and teff<\/strong>&nbsp;for variety and better nutrition&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>For gluten sensitivity, diabetes, or iron deficiency, ancient grains like teff, amaranth, or sorghum may genuinely change your health outcomes.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h5 class=\"wp-block-heading\">All reference links valid and accessible on 1 May 2026<\/h5>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/articles\/PMC11545792\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"> National Institutes of Health. \u201cTeff Grain Nutritional Analysis.\u201d Advanced Health nutritional data&nbsp;<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/onlinelibrary.wiley.com\/doi\/10.1155\/2019\/8564879\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Journal of Diabetes Research. (2019). \u201cGlycemic Index and Load of Selected Ethiopian Foods: An Experimental Study.\u201d&nbsp;<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Want the full science \u2014 <\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/higoodhealth.com\/india\/healthy-grains-vs-refined-grains\/\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/higoodhealth.com\/india\/healthy-grains-vs-refined-grains\/\">Are Wheat and  Rice Truly Healthy Grains for Your Well-being? Discover the Best Grain\u00a0in the World\u00a0for Your Health Goals\u00a0<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Are You Sure Wheat &amp; Rice Are Good for Your Health - know the truth \u2014 2 Min Read\" width=\"1200\" height=\"675\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/v7rLs_1Ppq4?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Every Indian meal revolves around them \u2014 wheat rotis at breakfast, rice at lunch, maybe&nbsp;both at&nbsp;dinner. They&#8217;ve been on our plates for generations.&nbsp;So&nbsp;here&#8217;s a question most of us never think&nbsp;to ask:&nbsp;are wheat and rice&nbsp;actually good&nbsp;for us?&nbsp; The honest answer?&nbsp;It depends \u2014 mostly on how processed they are.&nbsp; The Refined Grain Problem&nbsp; When wheat is milled &#8230; <a title=\"Is Your wheat and rice Actually Hurting You? What Science Says\" class=\"read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/higoodhealth.com\/india\/are-wheat-and-rice-healthy\/\" aria-label=\"Read more about Is Your wheat and rice Actually Hurting You? What Science Says\">Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":22,"featured_media":4420,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_uag_custom_page_level_css":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[78,80],"tags":[],"ppma_author":[68,65],"class_list":["post-4415","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-2-minute-read","category-nutrition-2-min-read","author-drvasundhara","author-ansari"],"uagb_featured_image_src":{"full":["https:\/\/higoodhealth.com\/india\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/are-you-sure-wheat-and-rice.png",1080,1080,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/higoodhealth.com\/india\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/are-you-sure-wheat-and-rice-150x150.png",150,150,true],"medium":["https:\/\/higoodhealth.com\/india\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/are-you-sure-wheat-and-rice-300x300.png",300,300,true],"medium_large":["https:\/\/higoodhealth.com\/india\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/are-you-sure-wheat-and-rice-768x768.png",768,768,true],"large":["https:\/\/higoodhealth.com\/india\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/are-you-sure-wheat-and-rice-1024x1024.png",1024,1024,true],"1536x1536":["https:\/\/higoodhealth.com\/india\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/are-you-sure-wheat-and-rice.png",1080,1080,false],"2048x2048":["https:\/\/higoodhealth.com\/india\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/are-you-sure-wheat-and-rice.png",1080,1080,false]},"uagb_author_info":{"display_name":"Dr. Vasundhara, MDS (Oral &amp; Maxillofacial Surgery), BDS","author_link":"https:\/\/higoodhealth.com\/india\/author\/drvasundhara\/"},"uagb_comment_info":0,"uagb_excerpt":"Every Indian meal revolves around them \u2014 wheat rotis at breakfast, rice at lunch, maybe&nbsp;both at&nbsp;dinner. They&#8217;ve been on our plates for generations.&nbsp;So&nbsp;here&#8217;s a question most of us never think&nbsp;to ask:&nbsp;are wheat and rice&nbsp;actually good&nbsp;for us?&nbsp; The honest answer?&nbsp;It depends \u2014 mostly on how processed they are.&nbsp; The Refined Grain Problem&nbsp; When wheat is milled&hellip;","authors":[{"term_id":68,"user_id":22,"is_guest":0,"slug":"drvasundhara","display_name":"Dr. Vasundhara, MDS (Oral &amp; Maxillofacial Surgery), BDS","avatar_url":"https:\/\/higoodhealth.com\/india\/wp-content\/litespeed\/avatar\/23494c9101089ad44ae88ce9d2f56aac.jpg?ver=1779139082","0":null,"1":"","2":"","3":"","4":"","5":"","6":"","7":"","8":"","9":""},{"term_id":65,"user_id":21,"is_guest":0,"slug":"ansari","display_name":"Dr. Sanya Ansari, MBBS, MS (ENT), MRCS (UK)","avatar_url":"https:\/\/higoodhealth.com\/india\/wp-content\/litespeed\/avatar\/23494c9101089ad44ae88ce9d2f56aac.jpg?ver=1779139082","0":null,"1":"","2":"","3":"","4":"","5":"","6":"","7":"","8":"","9":""}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/higoodhealth.com\/india\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4415","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/higoodhealth.com\/india\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/higoodhealth.com\/india\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/higoodhealth.com\/india\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/22"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/higoodhealth.com\/india\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4415"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/higoodhealth.com\/india\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4415\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4525,"href":"https:\/\/higoodhealth.com\/india\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4415\/revisions\/4525"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/higoodhealth.com\/india\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4420"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/higoodhealth.com\/india\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4415"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/higoodhealth.com\/india\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4415"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/higoodhealth.com\/india\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4415"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/higoodhealth.com\/india\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/ppma_author?post=4415"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}