Brown is better

Published by the Visayan Daily Star Publications, Inc.

NINFA R. LEONARDIA Editor-in-Chief & President

CARLA P. GOMEZ Editor CHERYL CRUZ Desk Editor PATRICK PANGILINAN Busines Editor NIDA A. BUENAFE Sports Editor RENE GENOVE Bureau Chief, Dumaguete MAJA P. DELY Advertising Coordinator

CARLOS ANTONIO L. LEONARDIA Administrative Officer

International development and humanitarian organization Oxfam and the Philippine Collective for Modern Heroism, or Dakila have taken the opportunity to celebrate National Rice Awareness Month by promoting the consumption of brown rice.

Brown rice is considered to be, not only a healthier alternative to white rice because of its higher fiber content. Its widespread use should also boost the country’s rice self-sufficiency, increase farmer’s incomes and protect the environment because less grain is wasted in its production and processing. According to Oxfam and Dakila, brown or unpolished rice is healthier because its higher fiber content helps prevent gastrointestinal diseases. It is also a good source of lysine, which boosts children’s growth and energy, and thiamine which benefits breastfeeding mothers. Brown rice is also good for people with high blood sugar or diabetes due to its lower sugar content. Unlike white rice, whole grain brown rice is milled only once to remove the husk or hull, thus keeping the bran and germ layers that are rich in fiber, vitamins, minerals, protein and natural oils.

The campaign of Oxfam and Dakila to convince Filipinos to replace white rice with brown rice as our staple food will be an uphill battle, especially with the common perception that the whiter the rice is, the better its quality. Informing the public of the health advantages of brown rice as well as its positive effect on the production process when the simplified milling process will allow farmers to potentially save tons of rice is a start.

A significant number of Filipino families or restaurants may not be inclined shift to or offer the healthier option right away, but it all starts with awareness and the earlier the message gets across, the better our chances of adopting brown rice as a viable and more nutritious alternative of our staple food. Considering that the average Filipino consumes 112 kilos of rice a year, we should seriously consider and welcome any improvements with regards to the rice we consume everyday if a better option is available. Now multiply those gains, both in terms of nutritional value for the consumers and production efficiency for the producers, by the factor of our entire population (or just even half of it), and the argument to switch to a better rice becomes even more compelling.*