Where rice is the staple diet, and there are hardly other articles of
food like wheat to supplement it, the miracle that unpolished rice can
work within a few weeks of its taking the place of polished rice is
apparent from the following cutting from the Madanpal, the
monthly magazine of the Madanpalle Theosophical School:
"The introduction of brown rice in the hostel has made a great difference to the weights of
the boys. In the first two months, July and August one added nine
pounds, one eight pounds, one seven pounds, four added six pounds, three
added five pounds, four four pounds, four three pounds, six two pounds,
and six one pound. Four remained as they were, two lost one pound, one
lost three pounds, and one who was excessively fat lost a superfluous
five pounds.
"Nearly all the main increase 'were during August, when only the brown rice served.
Many who lost weight in the first month, when brown rice was alternating
with white, more than regained the loss in the second month. Some have
lost again in the holidays, but those who stayed here in the vacation
mostly continued to put on weight largely.
"1. In the first month,
under mixed rice 17 lb. were lost and 55 lb. gained in the whole
hostel (school section).
"2. In the second month,
under brown rice, only 5 lb. were lost and 100
lb. were gained.
"These figures should
convince all save the most superstitious believers in the devitalized
and demineralized "Nellore" rice. It is noteworthy also that those
who on their own wish have been allowed to have this tasteless insipid
variety have themselves after a few days returned to the healthy and
appetizing brown rice, and that its popularity even among the
college students is growing daily. One day in October when the supply
ran short, there was even talk of a strike among our seniors
against the substitution of white rice."
The teacher who conducted these experiments is Mr. Duncan Greenless who
takes a keen interest in diet reform. The carefulness with which the
experiments have been made and the results recorded is commendable and I
hope other hostels and boarding houses will follow this example.
M. D.
Harijan, 28-12-1935
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