13/05/2026
Misconceptions about the rice consumption.
کیا چاول کا استعمال اتنا ہی خطرناک ہے ، جتنا سمجھا جاتا ہے؟ـ
With regard to rice consumption, let me state this unequivocally at the outset: there is no disease in the world including diabetes, hypertension, kidney disease, respiratory disorders, or arthritis in which rice intake is prohibited. Yet, it is a common and deeply ingrained practice that almost everyone—from the general public to specialist physicians—routinely advises patients to avoid rice in nearly every illness. This notion has become so pervasive that, alongside other unjustified dietary restrictions, “stopping rice, beef,، eggs and salt” appears to have become an obligatory (فرض) component of medical advice. While different cereals and grains may differ in shape, taste, fiber content, and protein composition, their carbohydrate content—and consequently their caloric value per gram remains essentially similar.
A widespread misconception, particularly among women, is that corn (maize) does not cause weight gain. Consequently, in an attempt at weight loss, wheat and rice are often replaced with corn. However, tha fact is that the propensity for weight gain with corn is, in fact, greater than with wheat or rice. Effective weight reduction requires limiting or avoiding sweets, soft drinks, high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS)–sweetened juices, fast food, and reducing the overall quantity of all grains, rather than singling out rice or wheat alone.
Ironically, there is a medical condition—celiac disease—in which lifelong avoidance of wheat, barley, rye, and all gluten-containing products is mandatory. In such patients, rice and corn are not only permitted but become essential staple foods.
This raises an important question: Why do many patients report feeling unwell after eating rice? The answer largely lies in their conditioned mindset, shaped by repeated medical advice that portrays rice, beef, and eggs as “dangerous” foods, particularly for the heart. When patients are repeatedly warned against certain foods, they begin to associate these food items with harm, even fearing that their consumption may precipitate a heart attack or stroke. Consequently, when such individuals consume rice-containing meals on special occasions—for example, pulao at a wedding, which contains rice, meat, salt, and spices—they may develop intense anxiety. This fear can trigger panic symptoms such as palpitations, tremors, and a rise in blood pressure (بلڈ پریشر شوٹ کر جاتا ہے) due to sympathetic overactivity, fueled by the fear of an impending cardiac event. This anxiety may also manifest as dyspepsia and, in some cases, vomiting. Another frequent and far more mundane cause of indigestion or heartburn after eating rice is simply overeating. Any tasty and palatable food—regardless of its type—when consumed in excessive quantities, can lead to gastrointestinal discomfort. Conversely, when eaten in moderation, in accordance with the Islamic principles of moderation discussed earlier, such foods are generally well tolerated and easily digested.
Finally, one must reflect on a simple but powerful fact: rice is the staple diet for more than 50-60% of the population across East Asia, South Asia, Southeast Asia, and parts of Africa and Latin America. To put in an another way, around half of humanity depends on rice as a staple food—a fact that strongly counters the widespread myth that rice is inherently harmful or unsuitable in health or disease. If rice were truly as harmful as it is often portrayed by both laypeople and doctors in Pakistan—and if it genuinely worsened diabetes, hypertension, kidney disease, or respiratory illnesses—what would be the fate of populations living in these rice eating regions, where rice forms the foundation of daily nutrition? The reality is quite the opposite. Rice continues to be a staple, nourishing, affordable, and well-tolerated component of the diet, not only in health but also in disease, across much of the world.
