Which is better for weight loss - rice or buckwheat: compare calories, benefits and reviews of those losing weight

Cereals are an essential component of any dietary and therapeutic nutrition, and their wide selection allows you to diversify your diet and organize a cereal diet for weight loss. Buckwheat, millet, pearl barley, oatmeal, rye, wheat, rice are sources of energy and components valuable for the body, each of these porridges is useful in its own way.

Among the wide range of cereal crops, buckwheat and rice are especially popular. From the article you will learn what is better for weight loss - rice or buckwheat, how many calories these cereals contain, what are the benefits and harms for the body, diet options and a sample menu.

Rice for weight loss

High nutritional value, taste, rich carbohydrate content and modest amount of fat, ease of preparation and variety of dishes based on it make the rice diet one of the most popular all over the world. The benefit of cereal for weight loss is that it cleanses the body of waste and toxins, improves metabolic processes, reduces cholesterol levels, and neutralizes swelling.

Not all rice is created equal . The nutritional, taste and dietary properties of cereals directly depend on the variety and method of grain processing. White polished rice is the most useless. It is suitable for preparing everyday dishes, but nothing more. During the grinding process, grains lose all useful components; the main substance remains starch, which has a high calorie content (350 kcal) and a glycemic index (over 80 units).

Nutritionists advise eating brown unpolished rice , or alternatively, steamed white rice cereal. All positive characteristics of the product remain available due to the preservation of the bran shell. It contains the largest amount of nutrients and substances beneficial to the human body.

Calorie content and BZHU

dry brown rice After cooking, the calorie content is reduced by almost 2 times and reaches 112 kcal. Dry cereal is rich in carbohydrates (72.7 g) and low in proteins (7.5 g) and fats (3.2 g).

Beneficial properties, possible harm

Cooked brown rice perfectly saturates the body . After a rice dish, there is no feeling of hunger or need for snacks for several hours. Cereals have a rich carbohydrate composition, where most of the macronutrients are absorbed gradually, which fills a person with energy for a long time, increases endurance and performance.

At the same time, physical activity promotes additional calorie burning. Due to the presence of plant fiber in the composition, which accelerates the process of fat breakdown, carbohydrates do not turn into fat reserves.

Fiber also has a positive effect on intestinal motility, removes waste and toxins from the body, lowers blood sugar levels, and helps eliminate cholesterol plaques. Dietary fiber is characterized by adsorbing properties, due to which it has an anti-inflammatory effect on the intestines.

Brown rice contains a lot of protein , which is necessary to maintain muscle tone and the normal functioning of the body's cellular system. Proteins are involved in the metabolism of fats, minerals, carbohydrates, and vitamins.

For reference. It is recommended to include rice dishes in the diet of people with gastrointestinal diseases of an erosive and ulcerative nature. Cereal reduces acidity levels, coats irritated mucous membranes, protects against the destructive effects of aggressive radicals, and reduces pain.

Due to the pronounced diuretic effect, consumption of cereals has a positive effect on the functioning of the kidneys and other organs of the urinary system, which is manifested by the removal of excess fluid from the body and getting rid of edema.

Brown rice prevents diseases of the cardiovascular system, in particular atherosclerosis, cardiac ischemia, and myocardial infarction. It strengthens and increases the elasticity of the walls of blood vessels and small capillaries, normalizes blood circulation processes, eliminates harmful deposits, and reduces cholesterol levels. Due to the ability to stabilize high blood pressure, it can counteract developing hypertension.

The product, in moderate quantities, normalizes blood glucose levels, which is especially important for diabetes. The rice diet alleviates the condition of people suffering from osteochondrosis, rheumatism, gout, and arthritis. The cereal has an anti-inflammatory and analgesic effect, regulates the metabolism of purines in the body, and removes crystals of uric acid salts.

Calcium in rice is necessary for the mineralization of teeth, maintains bone strength, provides muscle contractions, blood clotting processes and nerve impulse transmission.

Rice helps with diarrhea , but its excessive consumption can provoke the opposite condition - constipation. Other negative properties of brown rice include the content of a harmful substance in the pityriasis shell - phytic acid. In excess quantities, it inhibits cell development, impairs the bioavailability of phosphorus, magnesium, calcium, and other mineral salts, and corrodes bone tissue from the inside in osteoporosis.

About other ways to lose weight:

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What are the benefits of buckwheat?

The main advantage of buckwheat is the absence of harmful substances . This is ensured by the unpretentiousness of buckwheat when grown; it does not require chemicals, fertilizers, or growth accelerators to grow. Buckwheat groats are an environmentally friendly product . The vegetable protein of buckwheat, in combination with other food proteins contained in milk, eggs, and seafood, produces the amino acids necessary for the body, which play an important role in metabolism, reduces cholesterol levels , and participates in the removal of toxins.

Consumption of buckwheat has a positive effect on the body in case of immune disorders, diseases of the housing and communal services and heart vessels. Buckwheat is especially useful for diabetes ; it functions as a natural sorbent , contains fiber and does not contain gluten.

Biochemical composition

Buckwheat contains a large amount of carbohydrates, protein, other beneficial substances, vitamins and minerals; due to its composition, it is a very necessary product for regular consumption.

Its grains contain:

1. Healthy (complex) carbohydrates up to 15%.
2. Proteins about 15%.
3. Starch up to 70%.
4. Fats about 3%.
5. Sugar no more than 2.5%.
6. Fiber no more than 1.3%

Vitamin-mineral complex

Due to the content of essential vitamins and minerals, buckwheat is recommended not only for healthy people, but especially for patients with various diseases.

Buckwheat for weight loss

The buckwheat diet is a simple, inexpensive and effective way to get rid of extra centimeters on your waist . The effectiveness of weight loss is achieved due to the absence of “fast carbohydrates” in the composition.

The fiber in the composition does a good job of cleansing the intestines of toxins; the body spends more calories on its processing than it consumes. A significant advantage of buckwheat is the absence of gluten, which can cause allergic reactions.

Calorie content and BZHU

The calorie content of dry fried buckwheat is 346 kcal, when cooked it is 101 kcal.

100 g of dry cereal contains:

• proteins - 11.7 g;
• fats - 2.7 g;
• carbohydrates - 64.7 g.

Beneficial properties, possible harm

The most important beneficial effect of buckwheat is cleansing the digestive system of waste and toxins , which helps reduce cholesterol and blood sugar levels. Cereals facilitate bowel movements during constipation, soften stools, and stimulate bowel movements.

Buckwheat has a high content of flavonoids . They have anti-inflammatory, bactericidal, antioxidant properties. They help strengthen blood vessels, increase their strength and elasticity, have a beneficial effect on the functioning of the thyroid gland and heart muscle, and prevent the formation of tumors and the spread of cancer cells.

Including buckwheat in the diet prevents the occurrence or exacerbation of arthritis, varicose veins, supports the functionality of the adrenal glands, regulates the activity of the central nervous system, and has a beneficial effect on the condition of the skin, hair, and nails.

Buckwheat provides the human body with B vitamins , which is why cereals are so valued. Riboflavin (vitamin B2) promotes oxygen saturation of the blood, choline (vitamin B4) is responsible for neuromuscular transmission, stimulates thinking processes, has a positive effect on brain activity, and improves memory. Folates (vitamin B9) promote better absorption of iron in the body, affect mood, appetite, and the state of the nervous system.

Dishes made from buckwheat are recommended for athletes and people engaged in heavy mental, physical, and emotional labor, since the grain accelerates recovery processes and saturates the body with useful components. Copper increases the body's resistance to aggressive external and internal factors, enhances water, mineral and gas metabolism.

Selenium is a powerful antioxidant, has a positive effect on the cardiovascular system, improves blood flow to the heart, and neutralizes harmful substances in the liver. Its consumption prevents a decrease in bone density with deformities of the limbs and even the spine (Kashin-Beck disease). Zinc is necessary for the formation of bone and cartilage tissue, slows down the development of cancer cells, and improves the absorption of B vitamins.

Consumption of buckwheat provides the body with phosphorus , which plays an important role in metabolic processes, regulates acid-base balance, and is necessary for the skeletal system for complete mineralization.

The positive properties of buckwheat outweigh the negative side effects, but they still exist. A long-term diet on buckwheat can lead to exacerbation of chronic diseases, cause digestive problems, headaches, weakness, dizziness due to glucose deficiency.

Calorie content of rice and buckwheat

Calorie content of rice

Depending on the length of the grain, rice comes in different varieties:

• long grain,
• medium grains,
• Round rice

Depending on processing:

• unpolished
• Earth
• steamed

Depending on the color, rice can be red, white, yellow, beige, black and purple. Basmati and jasmine deserve special attention. These types have a special taste.

Below is a nutritional table for the most popular types of dry rice.

The second table shows the nutritional value of cooked rice.

Rice is the basis of Asian cuisine, but in other countries it is a well-known and popular dinner ingredient. Rice is especially popular, served with vegetables or as an addition to meat and sauces. Rice comes in several types, differing in color, taste and properties.

Black rice has a distinctive taste and is high in amino acids, iron, zinc and carotene. On the other hand, brown rice is recommended for people with high cholesterol levels and those on a low-calorie diet.

It's also a great source of fiber! Jasmine rice has a delicate taste, slightly sticky consistency, low in calories, and is rich in B vitamins, phosphorus and potassium. You can also find white basmati rice and whole grain red rice in stores.

Calorie content of buckwheat

Long articles can be written about the taste, nutritional properties, and health benefits of grains. One of the most commonly chosen grains by consumers is buckwheat, which is distinguished by its deep flavor, texture and high content of exogenous amino acids, antioxidants (including quercetin and rutin) and fiber.

Depending on the integrity of the grain, they are distinguished:

• grain (whole grain);
• prodel (coarsely ground);
• tar (finely ground);
• Buckwheat flour.

Depending on the processing method:

• fried (brown);
• steamed (light brown);
• natural (green).

Nutritional value of buckwheat in dry form.

Nutritional value of boiled buckwheat.

What is better for losing weight: buckwheat or rice?

There is no clear answer to the question. When choosing a dietary menu, you should focus on gastronomic preferences and the presence of possible contraindications, concomitant diseases and pathological conditions.

If a person who wants to lose weight suffers from swelling , then it is advisable to give preference to rice cereal. It has a diuretic effect, removes excess water from the body, due to which swelling goes away.

Buckwheat will be more beneficial for people with low hemoglobin levels . Therefore, the question of which diet to choose for weight loss - rice or buckwheat - must be considered separately in each specific case.

Which is healthier?

If you compare rice and buckwheat , they have similar nutritional and dietary properties. Both grain crops act as sources of energy, substances beneficial to the body, cleanse the intestines, normalize metabolic processes, promote weight loss, and improve the condition and functionality of the digestive, nervous, urinary, and endocrine systems.

All diet options are highly effective, but each has certain benefits.

What is healthier and more effective when losing weight?

Rice or buckwheat for weight loss, which is better to use? There is no need to give a definite answer to this question, because everyone has their own food preferences. Some shudder at the simple smell of buckwheat, while others cannot even look at rice. You should also consider possible contraindications to consuming any of these grains.

One of the great things about buckwheat is that it is rarely processed before it hits store shelves. Rice loses many beneficial properties and elements during processing, which makes it less healthy.

If weight loss is based on a mono-diet, in which a person consumes only one porridge for 7 days (more is prohibited), buckwheat will also be a leader.

Rice is known to clog your stomach. It’s not difficult to guess what will come of this. The same cannot be said about buckwheat, because the fiber it contains, on the contrary, improves intestinal motility. But rice is suitable for those who want to get rid of excess fluid in the body. This is a powerful diuretic, with its help you can get rid of 1 kilogram of excess fluid per day.

It’s worth choosing buckwheat if you have it:

• heartburn;
• rheumatism;
• skin diseases;
• diseases of the thyroid gland, liver, cardiovascular system.

Then the weight loss process will take place without harm to health.

Pregnant women and people with gastrointestinal diseases should avoid eating rice.

Considering all the pros and cons, when choosing a diet, you should be guided by your own preferences and the absence of contraindications, because it is not easy to survive a week using only one type of porridge.

How to cook better when losing weight and in what form to eat

The results of weight loss depend not only on the correct choice of cereal variety , but also on proper heat treatment. Porridges are prepared fresh, without salt and sugar. It is acceptable to season with lemon juice, natural vegetable oil or soy sauce.

Rice

It is recommended to cook rice for the diet by steaming or boiling , sometimes with pre-soaking. Rice can be used to prepare not only a side dish, but also lean rice meatballs, soup, and casserole.

For reference. White unpolished rice cooks quickly, boils well and remains fluffy, brown rice takes longer to cook (about 30 minutes), has a specific taste and moderate hardness.

Buckwheat

In order to preserve the nutritional, beneficial and dietary properties of the cereal, nutritionists advise losing weight not on boiled buckwheat, but on the grain, steamed in boiling water and infused until tender. As an alternative, buckwheat is steamed and simmered in the oven.

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When it comes to rice, it is very important to choose the right variety. It turns out that the popular white long-grain or round rice, which can be found in any store, is not suitable for a healthy diet, because it is a refined product that has lost all its beneficial properties during processing and polishing.

It is best to include the following varieties of rice in the diet of a bodybuilder, athlete, and those on a diet:

• brown (unpolished);
• golden (steamed).

Brown rice undergoes minor processing, removing only the outer, rough outer shell. Therefore, just like buckwheat, it is considered a complex and healthy carbohydrate.

By adding rice to the diet of an athlete or a person losing weight, the body’s metabolism improves, the loss of excess subcutaneous fat is activated, and at the same time muscle mass is built up.

Because this cereal has:

• fiber necessary for the body (per 100 g has 47% of the daily value according to GD);
• vitamins B, A, C and 8 important amino acids for the growth of new cells;
• folic acid, magnesium, phosphorus, zinc, iodine and copper;
• average glycemic index.

Golden parboiled rice after steaming retains up to 80% of the beneficial substances of brown rice. It is considered a low-calorie carbohydrate, having only 123 kcal/100 g. It not only maintains a person’s energy activity throughout the day, but also helps normalize the water-salt balance. Therefore, it is especially recommended by nutritionists for those who want to lose weight properly without depleting the body.

Rice diet: options, how much, and over what period you can lose it

There are many varieties of rice diets , which can be divided into mono-diets and combined ones. To maintain a certain weight or bounce back after overeating, a fasting day on rice is ideal. Unloading lasts 1-2 days, during which time you can reduce body weight by 1-1.5 kg by cleansing the intestines of waste and toxins and removing excess water from the body.

The rice diet for 3 days is presented in two options . The first involves a strict menu restriction: only rice without salt and sugar, water and herbal tea. This regimen can reduce body weight by 3-4 kg, cleanse the intestines, but can disrupt metabolism and cause health problems. The second modification of the rice diet is characterized by a complete diet, expanded with vegetables and fruits. The weight in 3 days is 2-3 kg.

Tough, but less harmful to the body, rice diet for 5 days . This dietary regimen allows only 2 meals, one of which is a portion of boiled rice, and the second is a choice of fresh fruits, vegetables, herbs, lean fish or meat. With strict adherence to the diet, the diet promises a weight of 3-5 kg. A pleasant bonus will be a feeling of lightness in the stomach and improved skin condition.

The simplest and most affordable rice diet lasts 7 and 9 days . The essence of the regime is to eat boiled rice three times a day without salt and sugar, supplemented with fresh fruits, vegetables, lean fish and meat. Average weight loss rates are 4-8 kg in 7 days, 6-7 kg in 9 days. If you add physical activity, the effectiveness of weight loss will increase and reach up to 10 kg.

Sample menu

A rice diet for 3 days consists of 250 g of cereal , boiled until softened and pre-soaked overnight. Prepared rice is divided into small portions and consumed throughout the day with other permitted foods.

Day 1

• Breakfast: a portion of rice, an apple baked with cottage cheese and dried apricots.
• Lunch: a portion of rice, vegetable broth, fresh cucumber and cabbage salad, seasoned with vegetable oil.
• Dinner: a portion of rice with stewed carrots, boiled hake, sea buckthorn tea.

Day 2

• Breakfast: a portion of rice, a small orange.
• Lunch: a portion of rice, vegetable soup, applesauce with lemon zest.
• Dinner: a portion of rice, steamed vegetables.

Day 3

• Breakfast: a portion of rice, grapefruit.
• Lunch: a portion of rice, low-fat broth, boiled beet salad with 1 tsp. vegetable oil.
• Dinner: a portion of rice with dried apricots and prunes, green tea.

Throughout the weight loss process, train yourself to drink more purified water , as it prevents the strengthening effect of rice. For constipation, herbal decoctions with a laxative effect help well.

Buckwheat diet: what are they and how much can you lose?

Depending on the desired result of losing weight, buckwheat is eaten for 1, 3, 5, 7 and 14 days , allowing either the consumption of only steamed buckwheat and liquid or a full diet with a limitation of harmful foods.

If you can do without protein foods of animal origin for 1-5 days , then a diet regimen designed for a longer period of time involves the consumption of low-fat varieties of fish, meat, eggs, which contributes to a balanced supply of nutrients to the body.

A monotonous diet can harm the body . The most useful and effective will be combination diets, which not only help you get rid of extra pounds, but also enrich the body with minerals and vitamins.

The result of losing weight depends on the diet , the severity and duration of the diet, and the initial weight indicators. People whose weight is not far from the norm find it harder to lose extra pounds. Obese people can lose up to 10 kg in 2 weeks of a light version of the buckwheat diet. On average, the weight of a three-day mono-diet varies between 2-3 kg. A five-day diet can get rid of 3-4 kg of excess weight, a week - from 5-6 kg.

Sample menu

The menu for day 1 of the mono-diet is limited to only steamed buckwheat or a combination with kefir and apples.

A combined menu for day 1 of a two-week diet may look like this:

1. Breakfast: a portion of steamed buckwheat porridge, one small apple.
2. Second breakfast: a portion of steamed buckwheat porridge, a salad of fresh vegetables (cabbage, beets, carrots).
3. Lunch: a portion of steamed buckwheat porridge, vegetable broth, boiled broccoli, a glass of orange juice.
4. Afternoon snack: a portion of steamed buckwheat porridge with dried fruits.
5. Dinner: kefir.

Reviews of those losing weight

Many have tried to lose weight on rice and buckwheat. In some cases, those losing weight leave positive reviews that the weight really goes away, and if the principles of proper nutrition are followed, it no longer comes back. There are also those for whom the diet has not brought any results other than disappointment and health problems.

Marina Kalyakina, 50 years old : “When I broke my leg and had to limit my mobility, I gained 8 kg in 5 months. My daughter recommended trying a two-week rice diet. This was my salvation. In 5 days I lost 2 kg, at the end of the diet the weight was minus 7 kg. I feel great, I have no problems with my intestines, no headaches.”

Kira Safronova, 38 years old : “After a course of hormone therapy, I gained extra pounds. I began to look for the best diet option for myself. Since I am a big fan of buckwheat porridge, I decided to stick to the buckwheat diet. Buckwheat fills you up well, and you don’t feel hungry for a long time, but it’s hard to eat it every day, it becomes tasteless, although it’s effective. My result in 10 days was minus 5 kg.”

Conclusion: what is healthier to eat rice or buckwheat?

There is no doubt that rice and buckwheat are needed for the body. Nutritionists advise consuming these cereals one by one, combining them with other equally important products.

1. On the one hand, buckwheat has more beneficial properties; it contains choline, which is absent in other cereals. It has fewer carbohydrates and lower calorie content . Many microelements are contained in larger quantities and are better absorbed by the body.
2. On the other hand, rice also has quite positive properties, it is more nutritious and high in calories , and removes toxins from the body well. It is used as a sorbent; boiled cereal absorbs everything unnecessary from the stomach.

The common unique properties of rice and buckwheat include:

• Completely gluten- , unlike other cereals.
• Buckwheat and rice porridge are well absorbed by the body and are useful in infancy and old age.
• They are hypoallergenic , the possibility of allergic reactions is extremely minimal due to the absence of the allergen - gluten .
• When eaten regularly, cereals regulate metabolic processes and are able to remove excess fluid from the body.
• They have the ability to positively influence housing and communal services and the cardiovascular, nervous, and immune systems.

Everyone chooses a product according to their taste, assessing the benefits and harm to the body.