Which is Healthier and which is Best for Weight Loss?

So you have always heard that brown rice is better than white rice and sweet potatoes are better than white potatoes.

While this statement is slightly correct, what if I told you that this could also be one of the biggest things holding back your weight loss success?

First let’s start with white potatoes and white rice. Why do they get a bad rap?

We have been taught to relate any type of white food as something that is processed or refined. While this is true with sugar, flour, bread this is not true with white rice and white potato.

Process of rice…

Whole grain>>(remove husk)=Brown rice>>(remove bran)=White rice

No matter if you are eating white or brown rice, they come from the same place. The difference with brown rice is that since it still has bran it will have a nuttier taste, slightly more fiber and vitamin A but… It will also have sugar!

The same applies for sweet potato. You will find that there is a little bit more fiber, much more vitamin A… But up to 8 grams of sugar for a medium sized potato compared to 0 grams of sugar in a white potato.

So while we relate sweet potato and brown rice as being healthier because they do have a little bit more vitamin A and fiber, they actually have almost identical vitamin, mineral content and carbohydrates.

But when looking for weight loss, you will have much less sugar when opting for white potato and white rice.

In fact, you will find that an equal serving of each provides 5 up to 10% less calories in white potatoes and white rice.

The other thing to consider is digestibility of each item…

You could give a baby with digestive issues products with white rice and they will digest it with no problem. Same goes for someone on their deathbed.

So for a healthy person with an average or above-average metabolism and digestion, your body will burn through white rice and white potato easily and efficiently.

While on the other hand, some people have a hard time digesting brown rice, quinoa, sweet potato and other items that are known as healthier alternatives than white rice and white potato.

So what should you do…

Each has its own pros and cons.

For instance if you know that you’ll be going a long period of time before your next meal, or you will be doing an endurance type activity you should opt for brown rice and sweet potato.

But on the other hand, in your daily meal plan you might find that white rice and white potato are more enjoyable to eat, leave you feeling much less bloated and weighed down throughout the day.

In the end it really comes down to personal preference and what you’ll commit to consistently long-term.

Don’t feel like you have to lock yourself inside a box with limitations of what you can or cannot eat.

Because after all, the only secret to fitness is long-term consistency to healthy daily lifestyle habits.

Committed to your fitness success,

Derek Kuryliw, CSN, CPT
www.LiveFitBootcamps.com

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