While we all try to adopt some new healthy food habits from time to time, they’re always seems to be some confusion between white foods and brown foods and which of them are better for your health. Most food items have their pros and cons but research conducted so far seems to suggest that brown foods are much healthier than white ones.

Brown foods are healthier than white foods

Various studies have proved that brown foods provide better nutrition to the body when compared to their white counterparts. For instance, a study published in the journal Antioxidants in 2018 stated that brown rice has anti-diabetic, anti-cholesterol, antioxidant, and heart-protective properties. Moreover, regular consumption of whole-grain foods like brown rice can reduce the chances of getting a chronic disease.

On the other hand, white rice is rich in carbohydrates and provides instant energy to the body. However, excess consumption of white rice can lead to weight gain.

Similarly, white sugar is the refined form of sugar, which does not provide any benefit to the body. Alternatively, jaggery, a brown sweetener, is nutrient-rich. Brown sugar is another form of sugar that is rich in calcium, potassium, iron, and magnesium due to the presence of molasses in it.

Which brown foods should you have?

Think about all the naturally brown foods available around you, and you will find that they are all healthier, and their consumption is supported by India’s traditional medicine as well. Here are 11 brown food items that you must include in your diet:

Jaggery is recommended for its antioxidant qualities and can help you flush out toxins from your body while fighting signs of ageing, indigestion and liver damage as well. It also makes for a healthy dessert.

Brown rice is rich in fibre and minerals and will keep your digestive system in order while helping you maintain a healthy weight. It’s a versatile ingredient you can use for every meal.

Walnuts are great for your skin and hair health, and they can help you fight diabetes and heart diseases. Better snack on these instead of junk food to stay fit.

Almonds can help you fight cholesterol, diabetes and they can prevent kidney stones as well. They also make for great snacks but don’t remove the skin as it is full of antioxidants.

Chickpeas, which come in light brown Kabuli chana and dark brown Kala chana varieties, are a great source of protein and minerals. Make an evening snack or curry with them, or add them to your salads.

Potatoes are brown, and they provide essential carbohydrates apart from being a rich source of vitamin B6. Of course, frying them won’t help your health at all – so cook them without oil or with very little oil.

Dates have a high iron content and reduce the risk of anaemia and heart diseases. They’re full of natural sugars and you can opt for a few dates in place of dessert sometimes.

Whole wheat flour or atta is a rich source of dietary fibre and minerals, any day a better option than maida or refined flour. Apart from making rotis and bread with it, you can also bake cakes with whole wheat flour.

Flaxseeds provide healthy fats, antioxidants, and dietary fibre, and are a part of almost every weight loss programme out there. Dry roast them and you can add them to salads, curries or just snack on them directly.

Brown mushroom varieties like shiitake, porcini, morel, etc are chock full of protein, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants – and they are quite delicious too. There’s no dearth of dishes you can whip up with those, from curries to sandwiches and healthy pizzas.

Brown spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, cumin and star anise are exceptionally rich in antioxidants and have anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer benefits too. You can add minimal amounts of these spices to get a boost of flavour and health.

Brown foods: Is it all we need?

While everyone is all praises about brown foods at the moment, they tend to forget about other foods that are required by the body to maintain proper balance. The naturally available red, purple, orange, yellow and green foods are equally important for the human body to function well.

Eat all types of food that help you meet the daily requirement of nutrients. Avoid junk and oily food and eat adequate amounts of fruits and vegetables or as recommended by your nutritionist.