China might be doing it soon too. Harvard School of Public Health wrote an article about the increase in diabetics in developing countries and China is one of them. It looks like our Americanized sugary sodas and processed foods are now killing people all over the world.
Researchers from Harvard are going to see if modifying this staple food in China to white rice can lower blood sugar and prevents others from becoming diabetic. They will do a study having a test group eat brown rice for 6 months to determine the effects of this change. China’s governments know that something needs to be done since they are not equipped with medical facilities necessary to treat the side effects and outcomes of diabetes.
While Americans choose white rice for taste and affordability the Chinese feel that brown rice is associated with poverty. Trying to change a nation that eats 127 million metric tons of white rice a year is quite a task.
I know in my own consultations many have a hard time making this switch. I usually have people do half and half to start or add Bragg’s Amino Acids to help get used the healthier taste. For those of you that don’t know not only does brown rice have double the fiber but it has more iron, manganese, magnesium and B vitamins as well. It is less processed and therefore leaves the minerals and vitamins with the rice.