[kev]

For those of you that are stockpiling lots of white rice, there was a report published on the BBC this week you might be interested in.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/10307790.stm

White rice 'raises diabetes risk', say US experts

Replacing white rice with brown rice and wholemeal bread could cut the risk of diabetes by a third, US experts say.

White rice poses a diabetes threat because it causes steep rises in blood sugar, say Harvard researchers in Archives of Internal Medicine.

Brown rice and other wholegrain foods are a healthier option as they release glucose more gradually, they say................

In the study of nearly 200,000 US people, white rice consumption was linked to type 2 diabetes.

I have heard of people stockpiling a years worth of rice and beans. And I'am willing to bet that it was white rice.

Now lets say that something happens, some kind of wide spread disaster. People start breaking into their food preps, and change their diet to mostly rice and beans,,,, and a few other things.

From the same report that I linked to

those who ate five or more 150g servings of white rice per week had a 17% increased risk of diabetes compared with people who consumed less than one serving - about a cup of rice - per month.

5 or more servings of white rice per week gave a 17% increased risk of diabetes,,, and some people are talking about white rice being a major part of their diet after a disaster.

If 5 servings of white rice per week is enough to increase your diabetes risk by 17%, what would 14 - 21 servings a week do?

For those of you that have stockpiled lots of white rice, how does this affect your plans?

 

[Highlander]

One question about this "17% increased risk" statistic----Were the people tested in the study already predisposed to the risk of diabetes? Were they overweight? Did the females haved gestational diabetes during pregnancy? Was there a history of diabetes in their family? Did they suffer from hypoglycemia ever in the past?

There is a huge difference in management when you can control it with diet as compared to needing insulin.

 

[MIL-DOT]

Though this is fairly common knowledge by now, it's important enough to re-circulate occasionally. The problem with storing brown rice is that it's high oil content causes it to go rancid relatively quickly, while white rice can be stored for years. Like many here, I figure if things are bad enough that we're relying on a diet primarily from our rice stores,then most people aren't even eating at all, so we got more immediate things to worry about. It's kind of like the possible threat from BPA in the linings of food cans, by the time we're relying on them to survive......well then, who cares.
We have a ton of white rice, but I always assumed some of that would be dispensed to local family members,maybe a couple friends, and even possible barter.

 

[Thesenator223]

All depends on your pancreatic function. I've eaten white rice all my life and process it just fine. No sign of diabetes and I get a physical every year.

Booze is worse, so is sugary drinks and candy.....both of which are consumed in the US in just shy of overdose amounts daily.

Doesn't effect my plans one bit.....everything in moderation is the key.....white rice included.

 

[big country]

Crap, we eat a TON of white rice already. just myself I probably eat 3 cups (dry) of white rice per week already. (that is a LOT, 1/2 cup dry is plenty for a meal). We've also go 200lbs or so "stocked" for later.

Now, I have tried "parboiled" rice and I really like that. I might switch from getting bags of white to bags of parboiled. Parboiled rice has similar nutrients to brown rice, but a shelf life like white rice. Only problem with brown rice is the short(ish) shelf life. Parboiled is harder to find though

 

[Teslin]

I have said a number of times on this board that white rice is hypoglycemic. As far as I can remember, no one has ever commented about that note and I am not a doctor so I didn't want to keep harping on it.

Thank you for posting the article because I suspect a lot of people don't understand hypoglycemia, nor do they think about the implications of a 'rice and beans, beans and rice' diet, health-wise. At the very least, it is a good reminder for the more experienced and good information for the new-to-prepping.

Beans are very good for you but you do need a grain to complete their protein. (White) rice in moderation is not bad for you (though it is not particularly nutritious) but please, please don't eat it meal in and meal out for years. Brown rice or other grains should be substituted regularly.

Brown rice doesn't keep well so perhaps at least start out the first year with brown and maybe, by the time of the first harvest, you will be able to use other things as 'filler' to go with your beans, or to just vary your diet a lot more.

P.S. Whoa .. seem to have post lag today. lol

 

[Biltong]

So does everyone in Japan have diabetes? They eat it at almost every meal every day.

 

[Old Warrior]

Taking that report to it's logical conclusion, one could surmise those people living in countries where their principal diet is white rice, should then have a severe increased rate of diabetes.
I would be interested in seeing a report including peoples from said countries, as I am quite sceptical of studies that only encompass the diet of Americans (US), due to the other peculiarities of what we eat.
I'm just sayin'.

 

[hawkbern]

I myself will take that chance, given the alternative of starvation.


I plan on using my stockpiles of rice as last-resort food and hope that it will just be used to suppliment my other stores until I am able to produce my own or until normal markets open up (depending on the situation).

Still good info to know though! :thumb:

 

[MrMorden]

High carb diets are only one risk factor for diabetes. Inactivity and obesity are big ones too; I doubt many of us will be sedentary and/or highly overweight for long if SHTF.

I don't eat much rice or other starchy carbs, but I have a lot stored and consider acquired Type II diabetes to be low on my list of SHTF concerns. Obviously if one has a strong family or personal history of insulin resistance or diabetes they should have a different calculus on this.

 

[seawind]

Haven't heard of a Diabetes Epidemic in the orient related to rice. If it comes down to starvation 100% and a 17+% risk of diabetes, its an easy risk to take. As pointed out, what were the lifestyles of the people being studied? I have a feling that if you eat rice on a regular basis over time your body adjusts. Now if all of a sudden you start stuffing yourself with rice or with anything else for that matter your body will not respond well to the change. Eat what you store so your body has time to adust. Of course it doesn't hurt to eat brown rice along with white even if you can't store it long term.

 

[kingsman]

If I am delving into my emergency supplies because of a SHTF scenario, the last of my worries would be an increase in diabetes.

 

[OhioMan]

Yet another reason "variety" is so important in our diets, I don't plan on eating white rice 4-5 times a week.

I'm REALLY hoping my supply of rice sits in those buckets until my great, great gradchildren open them and say WTH was the old man thinking???

 

[oif1man]

So does everyone in Japan have diabetes? They eat it at almost every meal every day.

They also eat a different variety than rice grown in the U.S. and it is processed differently, and is grown with fewer pesticides than most rice in the U.S. I have heard for a while now that too much white rice causes a lot of dietary problems. However, eating some white rice is not bad and it is just like anything else, eating too much of anything is not good, regardless of what it is. This is why we need to stockpile a variety of foods and not just rely on a few staples. All the more reason to get better at gardening.

Also, I disagree with those that state that diabeties is not a concern in a long term shtf scenario. A short term scenario wouldn't make much of a difference though. Developing a diabeties (or many other medical problems) in a long term shtf can mean the difference between survival and death. You will become a burden to those around you who have to take care of you. You must practice healthy habits in a shtf scenario. Essentially survivalism should be a holistic approach rather than just focusing on guns and mre's. Don't get me wrong--I am armed to the teeth and have food stockpiled, but in a long term shtf scenario it is essential you adopt a healthier lifestyle-or die.

 

[Diddy]

While the rapid change in diet and the threat of diabetes is a legitimate concern; I don't think it will be a problem for most. The trick is to keep a lot of fruits and vegetables in our diets. That will be a struggle at times but if you plan and prepare right it can be done. Rice is a staple food across the world and my family eats a lot of it too. We have rice a couple times a week, we all like it and it's very versatile.

 

[Wombat]

I have rice stockpiled, but dont plan on eating it more than 2 times a week. I have pasta, beans, and other grains to fill out the week. I also dont think that the sugar spike will be as bad for folks who will be busting their a's with hard work to survive.

 

[Hairy]

I reckon a steep rise in blood sugar would be welcome post shtf when nothing else is going. Or maybe Im just saying that because my money went into my own personal rice hoard.

Im sticking with white rice, it stores for a billion billion years.

 

[coached]

If brown rice is vacuum sealed with O2 absorbers does anyone know the general shelf life?

 

[MIL-DOT]

If brown rice is vacuum sealed with O2 absorbers does anyone know the general shelf life?

From what I've read, you should get 20 years or so, if stored below 75 degrees.
edit: Oops, my bad, you said BROWN rice. I was obviously referring to white rice. again, from what I've read, you don't even want to go the mylar/O2 absorber route with high-oil items like brown rice and nuts, 'cause they still won't stay good for long enough to justify the cost and effort of sealing them that way.

 

[OhioMan]

If brown rice is vacuum sealed with O2 absorbers does anyone know the general shelf life?

The experts agree that you can't store brown rice even with o2's very long.
Unsaturated oils are susceptible to oxidation, and while there is a bran coat surrounding the whole-grain rice, it is not air tight. Also, some of the oil is there in the inner layers of the bran. This is why brown rice has a limited shelf life.

Regular shelf like is around 6 Months-