Nutrition coach warns rice is making you hold onto belly fat; shares best way to eat it: ‘You need what rice is missing’

Nutrition coach Justin Gichaba advises against relying on just rice for weight loss meals, noting its quick digestion leads to increased hunger.

Rice is a part of many people's daily meals, especially in Asian households. It is combined with vegetables, curries, and other dishes. Moreover, when trying to lose weight or build muscle, people often include rice as part of their meals.

But is rice the best option when you are trying to lose weight? According to nutrition coach, Justin Gichaba, not really, especially if had on its own. In a video shared on November 1, the coach shared the best way to eat rice, as it can ‘make you hold onto belly fat’ on its own.

Why is rice not the best option for weight loss?

Explaining why rice isn't great for weight loss, the nutrition coach highlighted, “Chicken and rice isn’t what you thought it was…Every gym bro loves chicken and rice, but when I swapped the rice for this other category of foods, it made fat loss feel effortless.”

The nutrition coach highlighted that though rice is a staple for many people’s diets, what they don’t know is this:

• Rice can make it easier to gain weight.
• Rice is extremely easy to digest.

So, what does this mean for your body and weight loss journey? According to Justin, because rice is easy to digest, if it passes through your body fast, it means you’ll get hungry faster than you thought. This will make you eat more, and rice also leads to easier weight gain.

What is the best way to have rice?

The coach highlighted that if you want to eat a meal that will keep you going until the next one, you need what rice is missing: Fibre. “As you know, fibre is great for digestion. What most people don’t know is that fibre also keeps you full for much longer than most foods,” he emphasised.

Best fibre-rich foods to pair with rice. (Google Gemini)

Due to the fibre's slow digestion, the nutrition coach highlighted, it takes much longer before you feel hungry again. Moreover, fibre is also beneficial for your gut health, cholesterol levels, blood sugar regulation, and more. So, if you want more fibre-rich foods, here are some of the foods suggested by Justin:

• Raspberries
• Blackberries
• Beans
• Chickpeas
• Lentils
• Green Peas
• Spinach
• Broccoli
• Avocados

“Use a couple from this list and start adding them to your diet. This is not to say you can’t have rice losing fat. I do it myself. But rice isn’t the best option as you’re more likely to eat more rice by accident than something like sweet potato,” the coach explained.

Lastly, he suggested aiming for 30g of fibre daily or 10g per meal. “Just see how full you get and how much easier it is to lose fat compared to eating rice all the time,” he added.

Note to readers: This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your doctor with any questions about a medical condition.

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