Is Rice and Egg Healthy?

Egg rice, egg fried rice, or just an egg along with cooked rice; consuming egg with rice in any form is extremely delicious and highly nutritious. How is it nutritious you ask? Read on!

Getting started on a healthy diet can be tricky. From all the tasteful junk we used to eat to now feeling the need to force greens down our throats can be pretty daunting and unpleasant. Since we understand the need for tasteful, healthy foods, today we are going to talk about one of the most nutritious food combinations that you could include in your diet; “Rice and Egg”.

Is rice and egg healthy? Definitely! Rice and eggs consists of all the carbs, fibers, and starch, all the protein, healthy fats, and nutrients like vitamin A, D, E, choline, iron, and folate that your body requires. [1].

Let’s talk about the benefits of rice and egg when eaten individually first before we get into the details of whether rice and egg is healthy as a dish.

Rice and Its Nutritional Value

Rice is a highly nutritious grain; red rice, brown rice, and white rice all hold the same nutritional value. The only difference would be in their color, which is often the result of how they’re processed.

Brown and red rice are comparatively healthier than white rice since they retain the outer barn and cereal germ. They are rich in fiber, although they contain the same levels of carbs. However, brown rice also has higher arsenic levels than the others. Since white rice is the most consumed type of rice grain, let’s take a look at its nutritional value in particular.

Rice nutritional value per 100g

The following are rice nutrition facts for 100g according to the USDA [1].

Rice is nutritious, no doubt, but it also consists of high levels of carbs and low levels of fiber; this is not ideal for your body and can increase the risk of various side effects like diabetes and chances of developing a metabolic syndrome [2,3,4].

However, it’s also important to mention that rice has its own set of benefits. 

• It is gluten-free, therefore making it accessible to individuals who might have a gluten allergy or individuals on a gluten-free diet [5]. 
• It is a powerhouse of energy since carbs can be broken down quickly in our bodies to produce energy  [2,3].
• It is easy to digest and can be light on the stomach [6].

Eggs and their nutritional value

The human race has consumed eggs for as long as we can remember. Not only are they nutritious, but they are also convenient to cook. You may cook them in a variety of ways, including boiling, scrambling, making a sunny side up, or just flipping an omelet. The only three things that come to mind when I think about eggs are: delicious, healthy, and convenient!

Packed with proteins, omega-3 fatty acids, as well as a variety of essential vitamins and minerals, eggs might be considered power foods. Let’s take a look at the nutritional value of eggs and maybe decide if we can call it a “power food” or if we should stick to “delicious” as their term.

Eggs Nutritional value per 100g

The following are egg nutrition facts for 100g according to the USDA [7].

Eggs seem to be loaded with nutrition. Maybe power food is the word to go with! 

A few benefits worth mentioning.

• Consuming eggs can help raise your HDL (high-density lipoprotein) level, also known as “good” cholesterol level, and this can help lower the risk of heart diseases, strokes, and other health problems [8]. 
• The choline present in eggs is essential for producing signaling molecules in the brain and aiding other brain functions [9].
• Eggs are good for eye health. The antioxidants Lutein and Zeaxanthin present in the egg yolk significantly reduce the risk of cataracts and macular degeneration [10]. 

Although eggs are extremely healthy, like every other food, overeating may increase the risk of side effects. You may experience bloating, vomiting, stomach-related issues, and in extreme cases, kidney problems.

Now when white rice and eggs are highly nutritious by themselves, there is no reason not to eat them together. Their nutrients together can add a list of benefits since you’re not only receiving the nutrients from rice, but from eggs as well. 

How to have eggs and rice together

Rice of any kind can be cooked in the same way. You wash it, drain the water, add fresh water, salt to taste, and cook it on medium to high heat until the grains are mushy.

Eggs, on the other hand, have different preparation methods. You can boil them and shell them before eating; you could scramble them in a pan, make an omelet, or even just add it to other foods, like rice.One of the most popular methods of eating eggs and rice is the preparation of Egg fried rice, which is essentially just scrambled eggs and rice. All you have to do is scramble the eggs and mix them in with the cooked rice, and some Chinese sauces, and toss in some veggies. You can also prepare them separately, but have them in the same meal. The alternatives are infinite!

FAQ’s

Q: Can we eat eggs with any kind of rice?

A: Yes. You can have your eggs with any kind of rice. Red rice, brown rice, white rice all hold the same nutritional value and add value to your diet. The only difference between these grains is in their color, which is often a result of how they were processed.

Q: Can you eat an egg raw?

A: Technically, you can eat a raw egg. It is considered one of the quickest ways to increase your protein intake. However, if you plan to eat an egg raw, we recommend you choose a pasteurized egg to avoid contracting any kind of illness and not do it very often.

Q: Is egg-fried rice healthy?

A: Egg fried rice can be healthy, but it can be unhealthy due to the added sauces, oils, spices, and other ingredients used to enhance its flavor. However, if you opt for a healthier version where you do not use a lot of cooking oil and limit the usage of additives, then it can be a part of your healthy diet. How healthy your egg-fried rice is depends on how it is cooked.

Wrapping up

Eggs in your fried rice? On the side? Scrambled? It doesn’t matter in what form you have your eggs with rice because it will still be one of the most nutritious meals you can have.

Individually, these two ingredients are incredibly nutritious, and when you put them together, they not only taste delicious but are also quite beneficial. After preparing an egg and rice dish, you may find yourself eating it each day!  Before you do so, ensure that you can eat rice at night and don’t overdo it because too much of anything can be detrimental to your health.

References

1. USDA. “Rice, white, long-grain, regular, raw, unenriched.” Food Data Central, (2019). 
2. U.S National Library of Medicine. “Counting carbohydrates.” Medline Plus, (2021)
3. Sun, Qi et al. “White rice, brown rice, and risk of type 2 diabetes in US men and women.” Archives of internal medicine vol. 170,11 (2010): 961-9.
4. Bahadoran, Zahra et al. “White rice consumption is a risk factor for metabolic syndrome in Tehrani adults: a prospective approach in Tehran Lipid and Glucose Study.” Archives of Iranian medicine vol. 17,6 (2014): 435-40.
5.  NIH. “Eating, Diet, & Nutrition for Celiac Disease.” NIDDK, (2020). 
6. Gupta, Raj Kishor et al. “Reduction of phytic acid and enhancement of bioavailable micronutrients in food grains.” Journal of food science and technology vol. 52,2 (2015): 676-84.
7. USDA. “Egg, whole, cooked, scrambled.” (2018).
8. Wannamethee, SG et al. “HDL-Cholesterol, total cholesterol, and the risk of stroke in middle-aged British men.” Stroke vol. 31,8 (2000): 1882-8.
9. Zeisel, Steven H, and Kerry-Ann da Costa. “Choline: an essential nutrient for public health.” Nutrition reviews vol. 67,11 (2009): 615-23.
10. Delcourt, Cécile et al. “Plasma lutein and zeaxanthin and other carotenoids as modifiable risk factors for age-related maculopathy and cataract: the POLA Study.” Investigative ophthalmology & visual science vol. 47,6 (2006): 2329-35.