Sunday 26 June 2011

Brown Rice vs White Rice

Brown rice and white rice are the types of rice which are always discussed for their use and nutritional content. Brown rice is not only better for you but better for the environment also. Less energy is required to produce brown rice. There is no need to add synthetic vitamins produced in laboratory using a variety of chemicals, to make brown rice nutritious. The processes needed to produce white rice are well known for their negative impact on the environment. The following paragraphs will clear all the points regarding brown rice vs white rice.

Brown Rice vs White Rice for Health

Brown rice is certainly healthier than white rice. It is rich in vitamins and minerals. After harvesting, rice seeds are run through a rice huller/husker for milling. The outer grain husks are removed and you get nice and simple brown rice. Some more steps are required to create white rice. The germ and the inner husk (bran) is removed in the added processes. Then the grain is polished, usually using glucose or talc. Thus you get the white rice. If you consider brown rice vs white rice, you will notice that all the necessary nutrients and dietary fiber is lost during the added steps required to produce white rice. The craziest thing is that the nutrients are sometimes introduced back in white rice via synthetic processes to produce fortified white rice. If you consider carbs in brown rice vs white rice, they are almost the same.

Cooking Brown Rice vs White Rice

Brown rice is packed with dietary fiber, vitamin E, vitamin B6, Thiamin, Niacin, Riboflavin, Folacin, Magnesium, Iron and over dozen other nutrients. The dietary fiber in white rice is around a quarter of brown rice and it contains far less vitamins and minerals than brown rice. If you consider cooking brown rice vs white rice, brown rice does take a little longer to cook than white rice. Cooking brown rice won't require much time if you pre-soak the rice for a while. You can cook brown rice using the absorption method: add less water and keep the pot covered, it will leave very little excess water by the time the rice is cooked - the steam generated helps speed up the cooking process. It can cause a taste bud rebellion if you are accustomed to white rice and if you try to switch to brown rice suddenly. You can add extra sauces or you can enjoy a tasty curry with brown rice so that it will help mask the "wilder" taste of brown rice for a while and will help allow your tastes to adjust. I am sure, you'll never go back to white. If you consider the whole grains, brown rice is definitely the perfect choice because it's easily digested by our body as compared to other grain products (eg: wheat).

Brown Rice vs White Rice Calories

Calories in brown rice may vary according to the type of rice grain, long, short, sticky, etc. and the way it's cooked and consumed. One cup, (approximately 190 gm) of cooked long grain brown rice can offer approximately 232 calories. Rice is low on cholesterol and sodium and so, calories from rice can help to optimize health as they provide you sufficient energy. A cup of plain, boiled white rice (approximately 190 gm), will add about 223 calories to your daily calorie intake. Read more on calories in white rice.

Brown Rice vs White Rice for Weight Loss

Brown rice and white rice have almost similar amounts of calories, carbohydrates and protein. The main differences between the two forms of rice can be noticed in nutritional content. In weight loss diets, brown rice is recommended as it contains more fibers, vitamin and minerals than the white rice. Those diagnosed with insulin resistance and diabetes, should avoid white rice and other flour based products because these can cause an upsurge of blood sugar level with their disproportionate ratio of carbohydrates vs other nutrients.

Brown Rice vs White Rice Nutrition Facts

The following table shows the difference between the nutrition facts of white rice and brown rice. You will be able to notice the obvious difference in fiber, vitamins and minerals.

Elements    Brown Rice(1 Cup)    White Rice (1 Cup)
Calories    232    223
Carbohydrate    49.7 gm    4.10 gm
Protein    4.88 gm    4.10 gm
Dietary Fiber    3.32 gm    0.74 gm
Fat    1.17 gm    0.205 gm
Niacin(B3)    2.730 mg    2.050 mg
Riboflavin(B2)    0.039 mg    0.021 mg
Thiamin(B1)    0.176 mg    0.223 mg
Vitamin B6    0.294 mg    0.103 mg
Folacin    10 mcg    4.1 mcg
Vitamin E    1.4 mg    0.462 mg
Magnesium    72.2 mg    22.6 mg
Potassium    137 mg    57.4 mg
Phosphorus    142 mg    57.4 mg
Selenium    26 mg    19 mg
Zinc    1.05 mg    0.841 mg


If shelf life of rice is taken into consideration, uncooked brown rice doesn't keep for as long as white rice. If you store brown rice in an airtight container, it can be safe for about six months but since brown rice retains some of the natural oil which may go rancid in few months of usage, I would suggest to use up the rice in couple of months. Rancid oil may produce harmful free radicals in your blood stream which can lead to cell aging. I hope, the above discussion about brown rice vs white rice has cleared all your doubts about their nutritional value.

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