A meal without rice is no meal,” goes a famous Japanese proverb, and people all over Asia tend to agree. Here in Singapore, so much local cuisine is cooked up around the idea of rice—signature dishes such as nasi lemak, chicken rice, nasi padang and even popular desserts such as the Nyonya kueh are all rice-based—that the suggestion that it might be bad for us is almost taboo. Yet last year, the Singapore Health Promotion Board voted for an initiative to replace half the amount of refined carbohydrates we eat (white rice chief among them) with unrefined foods such as wholegrains. Within the same month, food retailers and vendors were incorporating wholegrain dishes into their menu and processed foods with wholegrain ingredients were labelled more accurately to increase public awareness. But what exactly are wholegrain foods and how are they better for us?

A grain is considered whole when it does not go through the milling and polishing process, thus retaining all its three parts; the germ, bran and endosperm. The germ and bran are important sources of fiber and nutrients, which help to slow down the process of digestion so that blood sugar levels do not spike as they do in response to refined grains. This way, wholegrains can help lower the risk of Type 2 diabetes. And, because they make you feel full for longer, they are also recommended in weight loss efforts. Thanks to these now well-proven benefits, a wide range of wholegrains are attracting more attention, including barley (a protein powerhouse), buckwheat (the main constituent of soba noodles and good for reversing the effects of cholesterol) and quinoa (an ancient grain already popular with the gluten-free crowd).

Yet by far the simplest way to get more wholegrains into your diet, especially if it’s a Singaporean diet, is to opt for brown over white rice. Last month, The Straits Times reported that more of us are buying brown rice now than ever. Chewy in texture and with a slightly nutty flavor, it’s a tasty way to get that all important fiber in your diet. One cup of brown rice has three times as much as fiber as the same amount of white rice. Stores like Nature’s Farm (#B2-31A Ngee Ann City, 391 Orchard Rd., 6336-6098) Culina (24 Senoko Way, 6753-6966) and The Organic Paradise (#01-25/27 Cuppage Plaza, 5 Koek Rd., 6736-2089) are all in on the act.

Old habits die hard though, and many people are choosing to gradually introduce brown rice and other wholegrains into their diet rather than overhaul their entire eating pattern overnight. Nutrimax Organic (#02-30 Golden Landmark, 390 Victoria St., 6292-2991) store helps facilitate this by providing not just an extensive range of wholegrain natural foods but also a series of workshops on cultivating a healthy lifestyle. Says owner Edwin Low, “Customers come in wanting to make their diet healthier but are unable to fully switch to colored rice overnight, so I recommend that they blend one or two varieties of wholegrains like brown rice and millet into their white rice.”

Did You Know?

Popcorn is a type of wholegrain, which means it’s healthy, contrary to popular opinion. Popped corn retains its vitamin-rich bran and germ, and three cups of popcorn is equivalent to a single serving of wholegrain. But to enjoy all the health benefits, you’ll need to avoid the copious amounts of salt and butter used in commercially prepared popcorn.

Get your rice fix at these joints