Brown rice or white rice – which is better for health?

My daughter called me to ask me which is healthier, white rice or brown rice?  She had ordered some Chinese food and chose the brown rice.  Did she make the healthier choice?  Is brown rice healthier than white rice?

In the U.S. we have two choices for rice, either white rice or brown rice.  Growing up we never ate brown rice.  We always ate the Minute white rice from the box. 

Processing
Both white and brown rice come from the same grain but white rice is much more processed.  There are 3 parts to grains – the bran, the germ and the endosperm.   Whole grains like brown rice contain all 3 parts of the grain.  Processed grains like white rice, have the bran and germ removed, leaving only the white endosperm part of the grain. 

Brown Rice is more nutritious than white rice

Because brown rice has all parts of the grain, brown rice provides more fiber, magnesium, phosphorus, selenium and manganese.  White rice is polished to remove the bran and germ which means a lot of nutrients and fiber are also removed including the “naturally occurring B vitamins, minerals, phytochemicals, and fiber”.  Only some nutrients are added back to white rice.  Some B vitamins and iron.  If you see the term “enriched” in the ingredients, you know many nutrients were removed and only some added back.  As noted in Rice, “only a fraction of the original amount of these nutrients is added back”.    Thus, “brown rice is healthier than white rice because it is more nutritious.”

Nutrients in 1 cup of cooked rice

Calories and nutrients

White rice

Brown Rice

Calories

242 calories

248 calories

Protein

4.43 grams

5.54 grams

Fat

0.39 grams fat

1.96 grams fat

Carbs

53.2 grams

51.7 grams

Fiber (grams)

0.56

3.23

Iron (mg)

2.8

1.1

Vitamin B-1(thiamine) (mg)

0.3

0.4

Vitamin B-6 (mg)

0.1

0.3

Niacin (mg)

3.4

5.2

Folate (mcg)

108

18.2

Phosphorus (mg)

68.8

208

Potassium (mg)

55.3

154

Magnesium (mg)

24.2

78.8

Zinc (mg)

0.8

1.4

Selenium (mcg)

14

11.7

Copper (mg)

0.1

0.2

Manganese (mg)

0.7

2.0

What about wild rice?

Wild rice is different as it is from “a grassy aquatic plant”.  But oh, so healthy.  Wild rice provides fiber, minerals and even some more protein than brown rice.  If you see a package of rice that has some wild rice, buy it.  The wild rice adds flavor and more nutrients. 

What about gluten?

Rice is gluten free so both white and brown rice are gluten free.

Which rice is better?

It depends.   Brown rice is a healthier choice for most people.  However, someone with kidney disease may want to notice brown rice has more potassium and they may want to choose white rice.  White rice has less fiber which may be a better choice for those with diarrhea, diverticulitis or inflammatory bowel disease. 

Most Americans have diets that are too low in fiber and brown rice would be a way to add fiber to one’s diet.  The American Heart Association recommends whole grains like brown rice to reduce the risk of:

What about weight?

Many people avoid “carbs” as they think carbs are fattening. The American Heart Association recommends eating whole grains like brown rice if you are trying to lose weight.  Why?  Because the fiber in brown rice “can help you feel full so you’ll be satisfied with fewer calories”. 

Season brown rice

Some people ask how they can season brown rice to add more flavor.  Some ideas from the Unsophisticook are: 

  • Add some chopped fresh herbs or a few teaspoons of a favorite spice blend as the rice cooks
  • Squeeze some lemon or lime over the top of the rice
  • Add some soy sauce or salsa before serving
  • Add some fresh ground black pepper

Our family enjoys both white rice and brown rice.  We like white rice for dishes like shrimp creole.  We enjoy brown rice as a side for many entrees.  You can buy brown rice in a package that takes only 90 seconds to cook.  Heat in the microwave and serve.  I also cook brown rice on the stove and add some cut up cooking apples towards the end of the cooking time.  Makes a great side dish. 

Sources:  more nutritious , polished , Thus ,  Rice , Nutrients,  rice , Wild rice , American Heart Association , How to lower your bad cholesterol , whole grains , Unsophisticook   Images Sources:  Brown rice , Wild rice medley  , White rice


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