All This Rice...

[tina a]

hello once again. since i was diagnosed as "gluten intolerant" i have been indulging in rice products quite frequently. one of my main symptoms i was/am experiencing is constipation. now isn't rice binding? wouldn't that be adding to the problem? ugh, i am so "bothered". thanks again...tina

[precious831]

hello once again. since i was diagnosed as "gluten intolerant" i have been indulging in rice products quite frequently. one of my main symptoms i was/am experiencing is constipation. now isn't rice binding? wouldn't that be adding to the problem? ugh, i am so "bothered". thanks again...tina

Rice is binding. Have you tried other alternatives? I use sorghum, millet, buckwheat, quinoa, teff.

Can you tolerate prunes? Pears?

[curiousgirl]

Rice is binding. Have you tried other alternatives? I use sorghum, millet, buckwheat, quinoa, teff.

Can you tolerate prunes? Pears?

I switched from brown rice to white rice...thinking that brown is constipating. Now, I'm wondering if white rice is a good alternative??? Anyone???

[kitgordon]

I would think white rice would be more binding, as brown is whole grain and at least has fiber.

[scarlett77]

I would try adding more fiber into your diet and maybe trying to alternate other sources of starch like corn and potatoes. As others have suggested try other grain sources like quinoa, flax, millet, etc. Quinoa is a good source of protein as well and pretty tasty so I would try that. If you still find you are having problems, maybe try to shoot for a couple of meals to be more "carb" free and focus mainly on veggies and protein.

[precious831]

I switched from brown rice to white rice...thinking that brown is constipating. Now, I'm wondering if white rice is a good alternative??? Anyone???

Yeah white rice is still rice, it would do the same, plus it's not healthy for you, it's digested and converted into sugar. I would add more fruits, veggies, more fiber in your diet. Flax seed oil helps too, 1-2 tbsp every day should help you get more regular. You can add the oil to your food or take it straight.

[sb2178]

Okay, everything that is a carbohydrate is converted to sugar. Just, FYI. The density (calories per volume/weight) and speed at which they are converted are what affect your blood glucose (sugar) levels. That's the major reason refined grains are worse-- they are converted faster and raise your blood glucose levels. So, brown (unrefined) rice would be better than white because it has more fiber/fat/protein and is slower to digest. But, if you're eating more than two or three cups of grains per day, I'd definitely cut back in favor of fruit/veg.

But, for constipation, more fiber and liquids should be helpful. Buckwheat is another high fiber grain (kasha, pancakes). Asian pears have lots of fiber. Apples are good because they have both types of fiber. Try eating the peels of things like potatoes and carrots. Beans are also great because they have lots of soluble fiber and some insoluble fiber. Ground flaxseeds are better than oil because you get the protein and fiber along with the oil-- I'm supposed to be eating them for the oil (not fiber) and they're mostly pretty good in breads/pancakes/salads etc.

Are you taking iron supplements? Try adding a magnesium at the same time. It'll reduce the amount you absorb but make you more comfortable. Or the liquid kind may be easier on your system.

[lizard00]

I really didn't do well with a lot of rice, or grain for that matter, after diagnosis. I just couldn't handle them. What seems to happen a lot is that when wheat products are taken, we seem to gravitate heavily toward the rice counterparts, which just creates an overload on us. As others have suggested, try to get away from too much processed food, and concentrate on whole foods--fresh fruits, veggies, etc. An ND I know suggests to most of her patients, especially those who are newly gluten-free, to restrict the grain intake to 2 servings a day and focus on fruits, vegetables and meats.