saigon
Brown rice is actually white rice, with everything still in tact. Here's an exerpt from this great website (link below) on the world's healthiest foods. It also features recipes if you want ideas on how to prepare specific foods.
>>>The process that produces brown rice removes only the outermost layer, the hull, of the rice kernel and is the least damaging to its nutritional value. The complete milling and polishing that converts brown rice into white rice destroys 67% of the vitamin B3, 80% of the vitamin B1, 90% of the vitamin B6, half of the manganese, half of the phosphorus, 60% of the iron, and all of the dietary fiber and essential fatty acids. Fully milled and polished white rice is required to be “enriched” with vitamins B1, B3 and iron.
Basically, white rice is empty calories, hence the weight gain. It all breaks down to sugar, which turns into fat if it's not used by the body. Pasta is the same way. Try whole wheat pasta - it has more fiber and is healthier for you.
http://www.whfoods.com/foodstoc.php