Something to read.
<font color="0000ff">MIND YOUR BODY . 4 Oct 2006 (pg 19) </font>
Will brown rice stunt my children's growth?
Q: My family switched to a diet of brown rice a year ago. Recently, i heard from a source that brown rice actually contains an agent that stunts growth & therefore shld not be given to young children until they are 21. My children are aged 8 & 10. My son is rather short for his age. How true is the report? Can young children take brown rice? Pls advise.
A: Brown rice is the whole grain of rice with only the inedible outer husk removed. Compared with white rice, brown rice has approx 1.5kg of fibre per half cup, which is about three times the fibre of white rice.
Brown rice also provides us with higher contents of B vitamins and minerals.
Brown rice is not harmful for growing children. However, over-consumption can lead to feelings of bloatedness, due to its high fibre content. This is becos fibre adds bulk to our diet and hence promotes a sense of satiety.
As such, young children may have no room in their stomachs for other nutritious foods, thus leading to poor weight gain if they are unable to consume sufficient energy and nutrients to meet their growing needs.
Excessive fibre intake may also lower the absorption of certain minerals, such as zinc, iron, magnesium and calcium, all of which are important nutrients for general growth and body functioning.
Phytate, which is present in whole grain foods, such as brown rice, reduces zinc and iron absorption too. Therefore you may want to ensure that your child consumes a balanced diet, including meat, fish and chicken, as these are rich sources of zinc and iron, as well as diary products, for adequate calcium intake.
SOURCE: Ms Lim Siew Mee, Dietitian. Dept of Nutrition & Dietetics, KKH