Individuals who regularly consume large servings of brown rice are less likely to develop type 2 diabetes than frequent consumers of white rice.

This study assessed the relationship between the consumption of white rice and brown rice and the risk of type 2 diabetes. Using validated dietary questionnaires, researchers examined the white rice, brown rice, and whole grain intake of 197,228 US men and women recruited from the Nurses’ Health Study and the Health Professionals Follow-Up Study  cohorts. The relative risk of diabetes mellitus in each of the subject was also ascertained.

Researchers observed that regular consumption of more than 2 servings of brown rice per week significantly reduced type 2 diabetes development risk. On the other hand, subjects with high dietary intake of white rice (5 or more servings per week) exhibited a greater risk of type 2 diabetes. Replacing white rice with brown rice and whole grain in a diet was found to decrease the chances of developing type 2 diabetes mellitus by 16% and 36% respectively in this study. The findings of this study show that increased consumption of diets high in white rice may contribute positively to the development of type 2 diabetes mellitus in men and women.