Choosing brown rice over white rice—in other words, eating more whole grains than refined grains—could lower your type 2 diabetes development risks, according to a study published in Archives of Internal Medicine and reported by Medical News Today.

Why? Because brown rice and other unprocessed grains have more nutrients and fiber, which delays the rush of sugar into the bloodstream.

For the study, researchers examined data from almost 200,000 men and women. Scientists secured the information from quarterly questionnaires issued to participants as part of the Health Professional Follow-up Study and the Brigham and Women’s Hospital-based Nurse Health Study, parts 1 and 2. The surveys asked questions about lifestyle, diet, health condition and medical status.

Researchers found that consuming more than 5 servings of white rice was linked to an increased risk of developing diabetes, while eating two or more servings of brown rice seemed to lower the risk of type 2 diabetes.

Scientists also noted swapping out one third of a daily white rice serving with brown rice appeared to lower diabetes risk by 16 percent. In addition, researchers noticed a 36 percent lower risk of type 2 diabetes in general when participants ate whole grain foods.

The importance of these findings, researchers suggested, is that to avoid getting type 2 diabetes, people should get most of their carbs from unrefined grains.

Read how genetics may increase blacks diabetes risk here.