7. White rice

White rice is definitely a staple food that shouldn’t miss from your pantry. And while it’s an endless dispute regarding the differences between brown and white rice, the only important difference is that white rice has its germ, husk, and bran removed.

This translates to a smaller amount of nutrients, fiber, and antioxidants. However, it doesn’t mean that it’s unhealthy. White rice still packs decent amounts of both minerals and vitamins.

To be more specific, approximately 80 grams of white rice offers 19 percent of your daily folate needs. From the same amount of white rice, you will also get 21 percent of your daily needs for thiamine if you’re a man and, if you’re a woman, you’ll benefit from 22 percent.

Manganese is another important mineral found in white rice (13 percent of your daily manganese needs are obtained from approximately 80 grams of white rice).

The best part? White rice consumption improves sleep quality and the clue is in the glycemic index. It seems that high glycemic index foods make you sleepy.

A large study looked at the sleep habits of nearly 2,000 people who maximized their intake of bread, noodles, or rice. Among all of them, those who consumed rice experienced better sleep quality.

However, don’t exaggerate with white rice. Eat no more than two servings per week.

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• 9 Foods That Can Help Reduce Anxiety
• 10 Foods I Ate to Reduce Stress and So Can You
• Which Foods Should You or Shouldn’t You Keep Past the Expiration Date?