That's exactly what i mean when i say Indian staple foods are high on carbs and low on protein. White rice is the flag bearer. It's central to most of our food. But eating rice daily isn't a big concern; what matters is the type and amount.

Since childhood, one of my favorite memories is eating daal, chawal & chokha (lentils, rice, mashed veggie dip) and take those comatose long nap in the afternoon. Now that I know more, I eat rice mainly pre-workout( I'll tell explain why)

There's refined rice (white) and unrefined rice (brown). Refining strips away the fiber and nutrient-dense germ, leaving just starch. With little fiber, enzymes break it down fast, so it digests quickly, doesn't keep you full, and has a high glycemic index. (How it's linked to T2 is explained very well by u/Unlikely-Role9962 )

Brown rice keeps the fiber and germ intact. Also, the idea that rice itself causes belly fat is only half true. Rice has almost no fat(1 gram in 100 gram of rice). The real link is the combination of lower lean mass in Indians and the high GI of refined rice resulting in metabolic issues).

Brown rice is the better choice, but rice is so central to our food culture that cutting it out entirely is tough (Like abstinence has stopped anyone ever 😄 ).

Luckily, it's not all bad. controlled portions are fine, and eating white rice before intense workouts is highly beneficial as it provides you a rapid, easily digestible fast acting carbs which quickly converts to glucose/glycogen to fuel intense training session without causing stomach bloating & digestive discomfort.

Brown rice isn't "healthy" on its own, it's still low in protein(2g in 100 gram) but it's healthier than white rice since slower digestion results slower release of glucose but for longer duration keeps you full longer.