Potatoes Vs Rice: The Healthier Choice?

Commonly, the health aspect of rice is compared to wheat, barley or some other cereals. Potatoes are considered healthy in limited amounts. However, the comparison of potatoes and rice makes sense because both these foods form the staple food in many cuisines. The South-Asians are know for having lots of rice in their cuisine. Whereas the Europeans and Americans have plenty of mashed potatoes with their food.

So if you want to know whether eating rice or potato is a healthy choice, you need to dissect the health benefits of each.

Why Rice Is Healthy?

• Rice is healthy because it has more proteins than potatoes. Potatoes contain lots of healthy carbohydrates but no proteins at all.
• Brown rice is less fattening than potatoes. Brown rice contains lots of fibrous carbohydrates and thus it is much less fattening that potatoes.

• Rice and potatoes both contain starch. But the starch in rice can be reduced by draining away the water in which you cook them. Potatoes remain starchy even after you boil them.
• Rice contains important nutrients like thiamine and niacin which improves the metabolic rate and also contributes to keeping your heart healthy.
• Rice is healthy because it contains vitamin B12 which is essential for the proper functioning of the nervous system.

Why Potatoes Are Healthy?

• Potatoes have a much wider variety of nutrients as compared to rice.
• The skin of potatoes is very healthy and contains no fats or starch at all.
• Potatoes have much more fibre than white rice. Especially the skin of potatoes is very fibrous and filled with healthy carbohydrates.
• Potassium present in potatoes keeps you hydrated and healthy.
• Potatoes also contain a certain amount of vitamin C that helps improve the immune system.

Potatoes Or Rice?

• Both potatoes and rice have roughly the same calories. So basically nether is more or less fattening.
• Both these foods give you instant energy and also have very high glycemic index.
• Both rice and potatoes make you feel full but get digested easily.

So, to conclude you can say that both rice and potatoes are healthy in their own ways. The comparison finally comes down to the methods in which you cook these ingredients. Which do you prefer, rice or potatoes?