Is Arborio Rice Healthy? Discover the Top 8 Benefits

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By Ashley Woodward • Last Updated: February 16, 2023

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Is Arborio Rice Healthy

Hello, Mates! Indeed, Arborio rice must have reminded you of delicious risotto! But the question is, is Arborio rice healthy? Well, let’s discover In this new post.

Where does Arborio Rice Come From?

Arborio takes its name after the town of Arborio, in the Po Valley, which is the main growing region. It is a short-grain white rice with a pearl-like exterior, tracing its origin back to Italy.

In fact, the Riso in Risotto, staple dish made from Arborio, means rice in Italian. If you have ever had a Risotto, you would know its creamy texture.

Well, Arborio is what gives this delectable dish the velvety consistency. Lately, it has started growing in California and Texas as well.

Top 8 Health Benefits of Arborio Rice

Benefits of Arborio Rice

Like any other rice, there are a lot of amazing health benefits of Arborio rice. Rice has a lot of health benefits depending on its grain and variety.

You can also check out the healthiest type of rice in this previous post.

So, below, we will be listing the top 8 health benefits of consuming the Arborio Rice.

1. Rich in Carbohydrates

By this time, we are all aware of the fact that carbohydrates are essential in keeping us moving – they keep our powerhouse up and running as they are a primary source of energy.

Talk about the major functioning organs and systems of the body, carbohydrates fuel them. Therefore, if we consider one cup of Arborio, there are around 100 to 110 grams of carbohydrates.

It is considerably an acceptable quantity for our body to stay healthy and build muscles.

2. Full of Vitamins

Arborio is packed with vitamin A and C goodness. Vitamin C in Arborio rice aids in protecting the teeth and bones. Amount of both the vitamins in a cup of Arborio is significant enough to satisfy your daily requirement of either of these.

3. Tummy-Friendly

We have seen how Arborio has substantial quantity of carbohydrates. One such carbohydrates is fiber, which not only facilitates your hunger level and regulates blood cholesterol levels, but also assists your digestion.

Fiber along with the vitamins ensure assists you in combating the digestive issues like constipation.

4. Protein-rich

Protein nurtures you and helps you develop and function properly. Therefore, it is essential that we take in the right amount of protein daily, thereby consuming foods that provide us this nutrient.

Arborio rice is just the right choice when it comes to it. One serving of Arborio rice holds nine grams of protein and thus, it will inevitably help you in muscle building process.

5. Sodium-free

Over-consumption of sodium can be highly detrimental to the human body, increasing the blood pressure and making you vulnerable to heart and kidney diseases.

According to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2010, an American on average devours 3,400 milligrams of sodium per day, when the healthy daily intake is limited to 2,400 milligrams.

Therefore, the sodium-free Arborio rice provides a fitter substitute for sodium-containing eatables.

6. Immunity Shield

healthy Arborio rice

Even though Arborio rice does not necessarily boosts your immune system, it sure keeps you healthy enough so that you do not fall sick.

It promotes the production of hormones and enzymes, helping in protecting the tissues of your body and aids your body operate optimally.

It also helps transport nutrients from your digestive system to other parts of the body by boosting digestion.

7. Low Calories

Undoubtedly, it is essential that you check your daily intake of calories. A 1/4th cup of uncooked Arborio rice will provide you 170 calories, which is fairly equivalent to calorie-content of any other rice. Therefore, if you are following 2,000 calories per day regimen, it would cover less than 10% of your daily calorie requirement.

Now that you know how much calories Arborio contains, it will be easier for you to balance your calorie intake throughout the day.

8. A Good Dose of Iron

Arborio does not contain much minerals but it does have some amount of iron. Looking at a 1/4th cup serving of uncooked Arborio, it will meet your 1% requirement of the daily iron consumption. And as we know, iron is essential in transporting oxygen throughout the body, Arborio inevitably helps keep you healthy and fit.

Arborio Rice vs.White Rice

Arborio rice has 130 calories per 100 grams of cooked serving. Total fat in this rice is 0.2 grams, sodium is 0 milligrams, potassium is 26 milligrams and total carbohydrates equal 29 grams. As for the protein content, it has 2.4 grams of protein.

As for the white rice, 100 grams of cooked serving yields 130 calories, 0.3 grams of total fat and one milligram of sodium. Then, total carbohydrates amount to 28 grams, potassium 35 milligrams and protein 2.7 grams – within this quantity of protein, 1% is calcium.

Now, comparing these nutritional values, it does not seem like there is a big difference. However, the sodium content is relatively high in white rice and so is protein, with white rice having more of it.

Rest, there is only a minor difference between Arborio rice vs. White Rice when it comes to carbohydrates and total fat in either of the rice. In fact, the calorie content is the same!

For Whom is Arborio Rice Good For?

Well, now that we have considered the health benefits and the nutritional values, it seems like Arborio rice is healthy for anyone, be it pregnant woman, elderly or the children.

However, since it has considerable protein content, body builders might benefit from it more than any other group.

Is Arborio Rice Good for Diabetics?

Arborio rice is starchier than any other rice and it is why it makes for a great risotto foundation. Since it is this starchy, it does not stand as a healthy alternative for diabetics.

Its glycemic index stand at 69, which is considerably high and therefore, Arborio is not safe for diabetics. However, there are diabetes-free recipes for risotto which involve Arborio rice.

Hence, if you are a diabetic and would like to relish Arborio rice, do check out risotto recipes which use Arborio rice but are diabetes-friendly.

Want to know some quick and easy Arborio Rice recipe? Watch this video below!

Final Words

You cannot resist the creaminess of the Risotto? Well, neither can’t we! Then, given the health benefits of the core ingredient in a risotto, Arborio rice, it sounds fair why we should not hold back from consuming it.

Even though it is a healthy option for most people, it might not work out for diabetics and work best for those wishing to get some muscle mass. Arborio rice is not much different from the regular white rice, however, it inevitably is sodium-free, making it a bit healthier.

It should be bore in mind that Arborio is plumper and has a starchier texture than most rice. Therefore, while it is excellent for risotto, it might not work this well for other rice dishes.

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