Rice is a perfect example of the weight loss industry (with aids of planted "research" and marketing) brain washing entire cultures into believing the food that they have always eaten is somehow harming them. World over, the nutrition bodies have finally recognized this phenomenon as ‘nutrient transition’, where ancient communities are becoming increasingly prone to diabetes, obesity, heart and other lifestyle diseases after switching from their local, seasonal foods to something exotic, non-native. 
Here is the summary of the ‘Rice is nice’ series I ran on FB and Twitter in the last week:
Things we don't know or don't bother to know about Rice
Most common myths about Rice, and where you should banish them It promotes growth of pro-biotic bacteria, eases bowel movement and rids you of bloating.
Rice has starch – a) cooked rice has less than 10% starch and b) starch is a source of energy as it’s converted to glucose in the body, so we need it.
It prevents premature wrinkling.
Rice is high GI and bad for diabetics – Rice, as it is traditionally eaten with dal/sabzi/meat/dahi, etc reduces the GI of the meal and is great for diabetics.
It has essential amino acids like methionine, which when consumed with dal, for example, completes the amino acid profile of the meal. (They are limiting factors of each other). Rice is carbs, so avoid, especially in night – a) No food is just carbs or proteins or fats. b) Rice has crucial amino acids, vitamins and many phytonutrients. c) Carbs are essential for our body and have a calming effect, therefore great as a dinner option.
Has inositol, which has fat burning, anti-anxiety, and irritability reducing properties.
Brown is better than white – a) traditionally we have always eaten hand pounded or single polished rice which is whitish, not brown, b) this kind of rice lets the body assimilate all the nutrients from it, e.g. Vit B6.
It allows for better assimilation of Vitamin D and calcium.
Ok, ok fine, rice is nice, but must not eat it too much – Too much of hawa is also bad, so completely let go off your fear of rice, eat it and trust your tongue and stomach to guide you.

Myths about rice stem from basically two reasons – a) ignorance about the wisdom on food passed down over generations. Not just ignorance, disdain almost. b) knowing little about the science behind food. No one claims to be an expert in fields like CA, engineering, design, medicine, etc etc, but for some reason everyone is one when it comes to Nutrition. So things like carbs are bad, or rice has starch or its fattening, etc are nothing but fantasies of a brain starved of, ironically, carbs/starch and fats.
Eat your rice the way you like it, eat it as often in the day as you want and eat it in quantities which will leave you feeling light and energetic, and enjoy the wonders it will have on your body.