I Thought Brown Rice Was Healthier—Until I Learned This About Piles

I used to think brown rice was always the better option. More fiber, more nutrients, better digestion, right? That’s what all the fitness blogs say. But a few months ago, I started dealing with piles (yep, hemorrhoids) and quickly realized that what’s “healthy” in general doesn’t always mean it’s right for your body in that moment.

When the pain and discomfort got worse, I started paying closer attention to what I was eating. That’s when I stumbled across an Ayurvedic perspective on the whole rice debate, and honestly, it shifted how I think about food altogether.

There’s this super informative piece I found called Is Rice Good for Piles? Ayurvedic View on White, Brown, and Curd Rice (https://ask-ayurveda.com/articles/1303-is-rice-good-for-piles-ayurvedic-view-on-white-brown-and-curd-rice). It breaks down how Ayurveda treats piles as a result of aggravated Vata and Pitta doshas—essentially imbalances in your body’s energy and heat. The takeaway? White rice is actually better than brown when your digestion is weak or inflamed.

What surprised me even more was this post on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/posts/ask-ayurveda_did-you-know-in-ayurveda-white-rice-is-activity-7356345478432653314-VSeq?) explaining how brown rice, although packed with fiber, can irritate the gut if your digestion isn't strong enough to handle it. Makes sense in hindsight—brown rice always felt heavy when I was already bloated or in pain.

There’s an Instagram post I came across too (https://www.instagram.com/p/DMvK0amB2HN/) showing Ayurvedic food swaps, and it clearly recommends white rice over brown for people dealing with inflammation and digestive stress. I felt oddly validated seeing that—it wasn’t just me feeling worse after “eating healthy.”

Curd rice came into the mix shortly after. It’s something I always ate growing up, especially when I was sick. Turns out, it actually has cooling benefits when eaten properly—warm, spiced lightly, and not at night. That’s highlighted in this Pinterest pin I found (https://www.pinterest.com/pin/895934919626062486), which suggests curd rice can be really calming for the gut.

But timing matters, and that’s something this Facebook post pointed out perfectly (https://www.facebook.com/885804900366149/posts/1069762638637040). Eating curd rice cold or late at night? Apparently, that’s a recipe for more digestive issues.

One of the things I’ve started doing is pairing my rice meals with warm herbal teas—mostly fennel or cumin. It’s a simple change but it really helps with bloating. This Threads post (https://www.threads.com/@askayurveda_24/post/DMvK0bOUuEb) talks about how small habits like these can really support your digestion over time.

And if you’ve ever been sick or recovering from gut issues, you might relate to this tweet I saw (https://x.com/1857364984759541760/status/1950579726285767042). It said something like “warm, simple rice dishes are a recovery hero”—and that really stuck with me. Sometimes it’s not about trendy superfoods, but about what your body can actually handle in the moment.

This journey taught me a lot. Most of all, it reminded me that listening to your body—and sometimes ancient systems like Ayurveda—can offer more practical healing than modern hype. I’m still figuring things out, but white rice with a little ghee, some spices, and mindfulness around meals? That’s helped me way more than I expected.