BAD, GOOD, BEST

How to get the most out of your food choices. This week: Rice

BAD: Special fried rice. The fat used to fry special fried rice means a 200g serving supplies around 340 calories. But takeaway portions are typically 300g, with more than 500 calories. Ingredients such as soy sauce can mean there is half your daily limit of salt per portion. Special fried rice may be higher in protein and fibre thanks to vegetables and egg.

GOOD: Steamed basmati. Even the white type contains more carbohydrate, known as amylose, than other rices. This does not gelatinise during cooking and results in fluffy grains. Steamed basmati also has a lower glycemic index (GI), so it releases its sugar more slowly, making you feel satisfied for longer. Lower GI diets cut the risk of diabetes over time.

BEST: Brown rice. It has three times more gut-healthy fibre than white, with 10 per cent of the daily recommended intake in a 200g cooked portion. Eating it cold in a salad is beneficial, as starch in rice resists digestion, which lowers the amount of available calories. Resistant starch feeds good bacteria in the gut.