Rice is a staple food for most Chinese people every day. If you master the healthy principles of eating rice, it can prevent diseases and resist aging over time, which is extremely beneficial for people with chronic illnesses.
Try to keep rice "plain"
Try not to add oil to rice to avoid extra calories and prevent a sharper increase in blood lipids after meals. Therefore, fried rice should be eaten less, and cooking rice with sausage or mixing it with oily dishes should also be avoided. In addition, try not to add salt, soy sauce, or MSG to rice to avoid extra sodium, which is not conducive to controlling blood pressure and preventing cardiovascular accidents.
It should be explained that adding vinegar, wrapping with seaweed, or adding vegetables and raw fish in the middle are in line with the plain principle. Vinegar itself can lower the glycemic response and help control blood lipids; seaweed and raw fish are also ingredients beneficial to the cardiovascular system. As long as you don't eat overly salty dishes, seaweed rice rolls are a very suitable staple food for people with chronic illnesses.
Try to make rice "coarse"
The so-called "coarse" means to try to reduce the amount of refined white rice, as it has a high glycemic response, which is very unfavorable for controlling blood sugar and blood lipids. Only by eating enough fiber can you effectively slow down the digestion of rice, while also absorbing cholesterol and fat in the intestines, which helps to lower postprandial blood sugar and blood lipids. Some rice with high nutritional value, such as brown rice, black rice, and germinated rice, although beneficial to health, eating 100% brown rice every day may feel uncomfortable in terms of taste and is difficult to stick to for a long time. Therefore, when cooking, it's a good idea to mix some "coarse" grains with white rice, which will make the taste more acceptable. It's best to soak the "coarse" ingredients in water overnight so that they cook at the same time as the rice.
Try to make rice "mixed"
When cooking rice or congee, it's best not to use a single type of rice. Instead, cook rice with coarse grains, beans, nuts, and so on together. For example, red bean rice and peanut oatmeal rice congee are very suitable rice dishes for people with chronic illnesses. Adding these ingredients not only increases B vitamins and minerals but also has the effect of protein complementation, ensuring adequate nutrition while reducing animal-based foods.
Try to make rice "colorful"
Fine white rice is very low in vitamins. If you choose colored rice and pair it with other foods to make the rice colorful, its nutritional value can be greatly improved. For example, adding green peas, orange carrots, and yellow corn kernels to the rice is not only visually appealing but also provides vitamins and carotenoid antioxidants, which are especially beneficial for preventing eye aging. Another example is choosing purple rice, black rice, and red rice to be eaten with white rice, which can also provide a large amount of anthocyanin antioxidants, helping to prevent cardiovascular diseases.