What should brown rice not be eaten with?

Generally speaking, brown rice should not be consumed together with foods such as black beans, red beans, bracken, milk, honey, and certain medications including ferrous sulfate tablets, tetracycline tablets, levothyroxine sodium tablets, warfarin sodium tablets, and phenytoin sodium tablets. The detailed explanations are as follows:

I. Foods

1. Black Beans

Black beans contain large amounts of dietary fiber and other nutrients. When consumed together with brown rice, they may slow gastrointestinal motility and induce symptoms such as constipation.

2. Red Beans

Red beans are rich in protein, vitamins, and other nutrients. Consuming them together with brown rice may increase the burden on the gastrointestinal tract, potentially causing indigestion.

3. Bracken

Consuming brown rice and bracken together may hinder the digestion and absorption of vitamin B1. Long-term consumption of this combination may lead to vitamin B1 deficiency.

4. Milk

Consuming brown rice and milk together may cause significant loss of vitamin A contained in brown rice. Long-term consumption of this combination could potentially lead to night blindness.

5. Honey

Consuming brown rice with honey may cause stomach discomfort, especially for individuals with gastritis. Mild cases may experience abdominal pain, while severe cases could even develop gastroenteritis.

II. Medications

1. Ferrous Sulfate Tablets

Ferrous sulfate tablets are primarily used for treating iron-deficiency anemia. Brown rice contains abundant phytic acid, which can bind with iron ions to form insoluble complexes. When brown rice and ferrous sulfate tablets are taken together, this binding reduces the solubility and absorption rate of iron ions in the gastrointestinal tract.

2. Tetracycline Tablets

Tetracycline tablets are broad-spectrum antibiotics. Brown rice contains relatively high levels of minerals such as calcium and magnesium. These minerals can form complexes with tetracycline molecules, which are difficult to absorb in the gastrointestinal tract, thereby reducing the blood drug concentration of tetracycline in the body.

3. Levothyroxine Sodium Tablets

Levothyroxine sodium tablets need to be adequately absorbed in a relatively stable gastrointestinal environment to maintain stable thyroid hormone levels in the body. Brown rice contains high levels of dietary fiber, which can adsorb levothyroxine sodium tablets, reducing the contact area between the drug and the gastrointestinal mucosa and hindering the absorption process.

4. Warfarin Sodium Tablets

Warfarin sodium tablets are commonly used anticoagulant medications. Brown rice is rich in vitamin K, which plays an important role in the synthesis of coagulation factors. When brown rice and warfarin sodium tablets are taken together, the ingested vitamin K may promote coagulation factor synthesis, partially counteracting the anticoagulant effect of warfarin sodium tablets.

5. Phenytoin Sodium Tablets

The effectiveness of phenytoin sodium tablets depends on maintaining a stable drug concentration in the body. Components in brown rice may interfere with the activity of enzymes involved in phenytoin sodium metabolism in the liver, leading to changes in the drug's metabolic rate. If the metabolism slows down, the drug may accumulate in the body, increasing the risk of drug toxicity.

However, the food combination restrictions mentioned above are not absolute, and moderate consumption usually does not cause significant problems.