In a new book, a nutritionist dispels myths about rice and shows how to consume it in moderation

Does eating rice cause weight gain?

The idea that eating rice causes weight gain is a common misconception. Both rice and wheat chapati are sources of carbohydrates. On its own, neither roti nor rice causes weight gain – unless you are eating copious amounts of it, and are loading it with fat. In reality, gaining or losing weight depends on the overall calorie balance – how many calories are consumed versus how many are expended throughout the day.

The real issue with rice is its portion size

No one eats just one or two spoonfuls of rice; typically, a whole bowl of rice is consumed. Eating large portions of rice increases our overall calorie intake.

Additionally, rice is often eaten with pickles, ghee, chips, papads and other accompaniments, which further increase the total calorie count.

A lot of people stop eating “rice” to lose weight, and some might even come back and tell you that they lost 2–3 kilograms simply by quitting rice. But the fact is that when they stop eating rice, they are cutting out significant calories, as they were not tracking the amount of rice they would take, plus the additional ghee, papad and pickle with it. When people stop eating rice to...

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