More and more people these days are eschewing gluten and turning to other grains like rice and quinoa as alternatives.  In the world of rice, new–and maybe better–choices seem to be popping up everywhere, but this week, we’re going to start with the two best-known varieties of rice: white and brown.  Which is better, healthier, tastier?  You may have your own opinions on the taste, but we’ll start with nutrition.

Most people accept that brown rice is healthier than white rice, but why?  Essentially, brown rice and white rice start off the same.  Before white rice is refined, it looks just like brown rice.  Through the process of refining, the hulls and bran are removed, as well as the germ layer and the aleurone layer, which contains essential fats (removing this layer helps to extend the shelf life of white rice because the fats are highly susceptible to oxidation once they’ve been exposed to air through the process of refining).  After this process, the rice becomes white, but along with its color, it has also been stripped of  proteins, thiamine, calcium, fiber, potassium and magnesium.  Brown rice has only had its hulls removed, therefore retaining its “wholeness,” and making it easier to digest (and faster to cook).

Need more reasons to go brown?  How about these:

1.  Brown rice has selenium which reduces the risk for certain cancers, heart disease and arthritis.

2.  Brown rice has 80% of your RDA of manganese which helps the body synthesize fats.

3.  Brown rice is a whole grain.  Whole grains help to reduce the risk of heart attacks by helping to reduce the build-up of arterial plaque.

4.  Brown rice is high in fiber, so it keeps the bowels moving and reduces the risk of colon cancer.  It makes digestion easier and promotes weight loss by making you feel full for longer.

5.  Bet you didn’t know that brown rice is rich in antioxidants, huh?  The amount of antioxidants contained in brown rice is right up there with its better know antioxidant brothers–strawberries, blueberries, apples, beans, etc.

6.  If you’re trying to lose weight or you’re diabetic, brown rice has a lower glycemic rate which helps keep blood-sugar levels more stable.

Now, you may have seen the word “enriched” on your package of white rice, so let us tell you a little about that.  The US government requires that white rice be enriched with vitamins B1, B3 and iron, but not only are you ingesting synthetic versions of these vitamins and minerals, you’re not getting the same amounts as you would before the refining process, AND you’re losing 11 nutrients that are not being replaced.  Even fortified, white rice doesn’t meet the minimum nutritional requirements for one serving of food (according to the FDA).  So, we ask you: What’s the point in eating it?

Brown Bag is all about getting the most nutrition out of delicious foods, so we love brown rice.  Brown rice has a slightly nutty flavor, while most would agree that white rice has very little flavor at all.  Cook up your brown rice with fresh herbs and spices, and perhaps, some organic chicken or vegetable broth, and you’re not just adding flavor, you’re adding nutrients.  Next week, we’ll tell you a little about some other popular rice varieties, like black and wild rice.  Are they even better for you than brown rice?   Check back and find out!

It’s getting hotter outside, and the need for more water will be ever increasing, especially if you spend a lot of time outdoors.  There’s a lot of talk about much water we should be drinking every day, and there are good reasons why.  From fatigue to headaches, there are a lot of everyday maladies that could be helped by just drinking more water.  Our bodies are mostly water, right?  So, it makes sense that when you don’t replenish the supply, you’re going to feel it.  The answer is simple and easy to do, but so many of us aren’t doing it.  Is it an issue of time?  A lack of knowledge about how much is enough?  Or is it the country’s extreme taste for sugary sodas and other drinks that can actually dehydrate our bodies?

Maybe we should start simple: How much water do you need to drink everyday?  According to Yuri Elkaim at U.S. News and World Report, this is easily calculated.  Just take your body weight, cut it in half, and that’s how many ounces you should be drinking every day.  For example: If you weigh 200 pounds, you should be drinking 100 ounces of water a day.  Easy, right?  The caveat: That only applies to a body at rest; you know, doing normal everyday things like working at a desk, chilling out with a book or even doing light household chores.  If you’re mountain climbing, taking a run or otherwise pushing your body, you need more.  And that makes perfect sense, right?  Water is released as sweat, so you need to put it back in.  Your body just uses up more water when it’s active, so it needs more to meets its basic needs.

So, how do you know if you need more water?  Listen to your body.  It’s not just when you’re feeling thirsty that you need to down a bottle of water; actually, when your mouth feels dry and you’re thirsty, your cells are already feeling the squeeze.  The best way to know if you need more water: look in the potty.  If your urine is running clear, you’re good, but if it’s yellow or orange, bottoms up!  We mentioned earlier that dehydration can cause headaches and fatigue, but you can also experience dizziness and lack of focus.  None of these are good.

If you want to track your water consumption but have busy days like the rest of us, there are apps for your phone that can do it for you.  One of the most popular seems to be Waterlogged (available for free for Android and iPhone).  With this app, you just enter your daily goal for water consumption and add in how much you drink throughout the day.  When you’ve reached your goal, a big “Congratulations” window will pop up on your phone.  It’s like a little party just for you!  And if you can’t get one other thing done that day, at least you can meet your water needs.:)  Another app is called Plant Nanny.  It’s cute, so it may not be for everyone.  It’s available for $0.99 for iPhone users only.  The basic concept is that you get a plant, and as the day goes on and you enter how much water you’re drinking, your plant either flourishes or withers and dies.  Cute but effective.

Like games that give you a sense of challenge and competition? Try iDrated.  It’s available for iPhones and is $0.99.  With this one, you get medals and you can beat your own scores.  It will also send you reminders throughout the day, and really, who couldn’t use a tap on the shoulder to remind you of something and a pat on the back for a job well done?

So, you’ve got an app and a goal?  How do you manage to actually get that water in throughout the day?  We recommend a refillable water bottle.  The city of San Francisco recently banned the sale of plastic water bottles on city property, and it’s not a bad idea.  How many plastic water bottles do you suppose end up in landfills every year?  They’re just not good for the environment long term.  A refillable water bottle (especially when you buy one that’s BPA-free), is a great solution.  You can fill it up for free at lots of different locations and haul it everywhere with you.  If you forget it, don’t worry; we’ve always got bottles of water for you at Brown Bag to wash down your healthy breakfasts and lunches.  Consider doing yourself and the planet a big favor though–drink more water and drink it from refillable bottles.

We’ve all heard the saying, “Breakfast is the most important meal of the day,” so why do so many of us skip breakfast on a regular basis? The most frequent response to that question: time. Morning is one of the most hectic parts of the day. You’ve got to get the kids to school, yourself to work, maybe you’re trying to fit a workout in as well. After feeding everyone else, many people just don’t take the time to feed themselves, and that’s a mistake. Breakfast sets the tone for the rest of your day. It gives you energy after a long night of not eating, it fuels you until lunch so you can think and work at your best level. And do you know what happens to lots of people who skip breakfast? They end up eating large lunches to make up for it, and usually, large dinners as well. Studies show that people who eat breakfast are generally thinner than those who don’t. Do you know why? People who let themselves get really hungry tend to make bad food choices because they push themselves so far that they’ll eat anything quick. Look at these statistics: Those who skip breakfast generally consume 40% more sweets, 55% more soft drinks, 45% fewer vegetables and 30% less fruit.  Ouch.

So, now that we’ve got your attention, how about trying some of these healthy breakfast options?

Oatmeal: There’s a reason that your oatmeal has a little heart on the package. Oatmeal is heart healthy and helps to reduce cholesterol. It’s also rich in omega 3’s, folate and potassium. Steel cut oats are the powerhouses of oatmeal because they contain more fiber than your average oatmeal, but they take 15 minutes to cook, so if you’re in a big hurry, you may need to go with the instant variety. Instant oatmeal is still good, but watch out for flavored oatmeals because they can be loaded with sugar. Try adding honey, fruit or milk to your oatmeal instead.

Greek Yogurt: The Mediterranean diet is one of the healthiest in the world, and Greek yogurt is no exception. Greek yogurt differs from regular yogurt in the way that it’s made. Greek yogurt is strained of its whey which makes it thicker and richer than your run-of-the-mill yogurt. It has twice the amount of protein as regular yogurt and usually half the sugar. If you really need to sweeten yours up, honey does the trick; or try boosting the nutrition factor while you sweeten by adding granola and/or fresh fruit.

Eggs: It used to be that eggs got a big skull and crossbones, but not anymore. Eggs are back and you should be eating them! Eggs are a great way to start your day because they are a complete protein, meaning they contain the 9 essential amino acids, and that’s not always easy to come by. They’re also a great source of vitamin D. If you’re limiting your diet to lean proteins and not loading up on fats and cholesterol, there’s no reason not to have an egg or two. For an even better breakfast, toss some veggies in, like peppers and tomatoes, maybe some mushrooms or spinach (the possibilities are endless), when you cook them up. Eggs are also great to go and easy to transport when boiled, and you can make them the night before and save some precious morning minutes.

Smoothies: Just blend them and go! Smoothies are a great choice for people on the go. You can pack in nutrients by including some leafy greens along with your favorite fruits, then add a protein punch with almonds or other nuts, almond milk or low-fat/non-fat milk, or protein powders, and even get your grains in with a dash of wheat germ, granola or flaxseed. Easy peezy!

Almond Butter: If you don’t do dairy or eggs and need an alternative to your smoothie every once in a while, give almond butter a try. Spread it on whole grain toast with bananas, or put it between two slices of apple with some granola tossed in for a new kind of breakfast sandwich. Almond butter is more or less equivalent to peanut butter calorie wise, but it contains slightly less saturated fat (and that’s always a good thing.)

At Brown Bag, our brand of cuisine-on-the-fly includes healthy breakfasts. We have omelets and breakfast sandwiches, as well as yogurt and fresh fruit. Think you don’t have the time or energy to put breakfast together for yourself every morning? Come see us. We’ll start your day off right and keep you energized ’til lunchtime. And if you’re looking to have breakfast meetings catered, we’re your answer. Healthy for the whole office–with a dose of morning caffeine courtesy of Swing’s coffee! We do hot and cold catering, so give us a call with any questions. In the meantime, have some breakfast.:)