Madhavan says rice is a regular part of his diet: So why are people still so scared of this staple food?

R. Madhavan once said, "I eat exactly three times a day: breakfast, lunch and dinner. I sit quietly for 20 minutes without anybody disturbing me, and I chew each mouthful 60 times." This is the man who went from gaining significant weight for Rocketry: The Nambi Effect to losing it all in 21 days — no gym, no running, no medication. And rice was never the enemy in any of it. "I also don't get all the fuss around rice. My grandparents lived till the ripe old age of 92 and 93, and they ate rice three times a day," he had also said. He has also admitted his fondness for rice kanji or fermented rice for breakfast. Yet somehow, a grain that feeds more than half the world's population has become one of the most unnecessarily feared foods on Indian plates. Here are five misconceptions that really need to go.

Rice makes you fat

This one refuses to die. People swap rice for quinoa, roti, or nothing at all, convinced that the bowl of steamed rice at lunch is the reason their jeans don't fit. But rice, in moderation and within a balanced diet, isn't inherently responsible for weight gain. The key lies in portion control and overall calorie intake. A cup of cooked rice contains roughly 200 calories — similar to pasta or bread — making it a suitable part of a healthy diet when accompanied by lean proteins and vegetables. The problem isn't the rice. It's what surrounds it, how much of it you're eating, and whether you're moving at all. Madhavan's own transformation involved eating food suited to his body, mindful chewing, and intermittent fasting — not cutting rice from existence.

White rice has zero nutritional value

Walk into any wellness conversation and someone will say white rice is "empty calories." Varieties like brown and wild rice are rich in essential vitamins, minerals, and fibre, while white rice goes through more processing that strips away some nutrients. That much is true. But white rice still provides fast-digesting carbohydrates that are genuinely useful, particularly for athletes, people doing physical labour, or anyone who needs quick energy without digestive heaviness. Billions of people across Asia have built some of the world's most physically demanding lifestyles around it. The idea that it contributes nothing is simply not backed by how it functions in the body.

Rice spikes your blood sugar instantly

Rice does have a relatively high glycemic index, and for people managing diabetes or insulin resistance, that's a real and relevant consideration. But the glycemic index doesn't tell the whole story, what matters is the overall glycemic load of the meal, which changes significantly depending on what you eat alongside rice. Add dal, sabzi, curd, or any protein source to that plate, and the blood sugar response slows considerably. The way most Indians actually eat rice, as part of a full thali, is nutritionally far more intelligent than the standalone GI number suggests. Eating plain white rice in isolation and eating it with sambar, vegetables, and a spoon of ghee are two very different metabolic events.

Brown rice is always the better choice

Brown rice has had a remarkable decade in wellness circles, and to be fair, the additional fibre and micronutrients are real. But the idea that white rice is nutritionally indefensible has been overstated. For people with sensitive digestive systems, irritable bowel issues, or those recovering from illness, white rice is often easier on the gut — and that matters. The processing that strips the bran also removes some of the phytic acid that can interfere with mineral absorption. So in certain contexts, white rice is not just acceptable but genuinely preferable. Madhavan himself has spoken about eating what's right for his body at any given time, not following a fixed rule about which grain is theoretically superior.