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White rice vs Brown rice - Health benefits and Nutrition Comparison

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Article author photo Zvart Movsisyan by Zvart Movsisyan | Last updated on July 06, 2023
Medically reviewed by Jack Yacoubian Article author photo Jack  Yacoubian
Brown rice
vs
Rice

Summary

Brown rice is richer in fiber, B complex vitamins, manganese, zinc, copper, and phosphorus. brown rice has a lower glycemic index. White rice is richer in folate and iron. Brown rice has some advantages over white rice when it comes to health impacts. 

Introduction

Rice is a commonly consumed grain eaten by most of the world's population. There are many varieties of rice, and it is considered the second highest-produced crop, just after corn.

Brown rice is a whole grain consisting of carb-rich endosperm, nutritious germ, and fibrous bran, with only the outer husk removed. In contrast, white rice is a refined, polished grain, with the bran and germ removed, losing by this way most of the vitamins and minerals. It is believed by a number of people that brown rice is better with its nutritional germ and bran, but then again, white rice is mainly artificially enriched with vitamins and minerals to make up for the lack of them.

So which one is better and healthier? In order to find out the answer, let's have a little comparison to reveal the pros and cons of each one.

Nutritional Content

Before passing to the next question, we would like to emphasize that all the comparative information in the charts below is outlined for cooked brown rice and cooked white rice since we consume both of them in this state.

The macronutrient content is nearly similar, except for some minor differences such as white rice being higher in carbs and brown rice being richer in fiber. 

Macronutrient Comparison

Macronutrient breakdown side-by-side comparison
Contains more Fats +246.4%
Contains more Carbs +10.1%
Equal in Protein - 2.69
Equal in Water - 68.44
Equal in Other - 0.42
3% 26% 70%
Protein: 2.74 g
Fats: 0.97 g
Carbs: 25.58 g
Water: 70.27 g
Other: 0.44 g
3% 28% 68%
Protein: 2.69 g
Fats: 0.28 g
Carbs: 28.17 g
Water: 68.44 g
Other: 0.42 g
Contains more Fats +246.4%
Contains more Carbs +10.1%
Equal in Protein - 2.69
Equal in Water - 68.44
Equal in Other - 0.42

Vitamins

White rice is richer in folate, whereas brown rice is richer in vitamin B1, vitamin B2, vitamin B3, and vitamin B6. 

Vitamin Comparison

Vitamin comparison score is based on the number of vitamins by which one or the other food is richer. The "coverage" charts below show how much of the daily needs can be covered by 300 grams of the food.
:
2
Rice
Contains more Vitamin E +325%
Contains more Vitamin B2 +430.8%
Contains more Vitamin B3 +73.5%
Contains more Vitamin B6 +32.3%
Contains more Vitamin K +∞%
Contains more Folate +544.4%
Equal in Vitamin B1 - 0.163
Equal in Vitamin B5 - 0.39
Vitamin A Vitamin E Vitamin D Vitamin C Vitamin B1 Vitamin B2 Vitamin B3 Vitamin B5 Vitamin B6 Folate Vitamin B12 Vitamin K 0% 4% 0% 0% 45% 16% 49% 23% 29% 7% 0% 1%
Vitamin A Vitamin E Vitamin D Vitamin C Vitamin B1 Vitamin B2 Vitamin B3 Vitamin B5 Vitamin B6 Folate Vitamin B12 Vitamin K 0% 1% 0% 0% 41% 3% 28% 24% 22% 44% 0% 0%
Contains more Vitamin E +325%
Contains more Vitamin B2 +430.8%
Contains more Vitamin B3 +73.5%
Contains more Vitamin B6 +32.3%
Contains more Vitamin K +∞%
Contains more Folate +544.4%
Equal in Vitamin B1 - 0.163
Equal in Vitamin B5 - 0.39

Minerals

White rice is richer in iron, whereas brown rice is richer in manganese, copper, zinc, and phosphorus.

Mineral Comparison

Mineral comparison score is based on the number of minerals by which one or the other food is richer. The "coverage" charts below show how much of the daily needs can be covered by 300 grams of the food.
Contains more Magnesium +225%
Contains more Phosphorus +139.5%
Contains more Potassium +145.7%
Contains more Zinc +44.9%
Contains more Copper +53.6%
Contains more Manganese +106.4%
Contains more Calcium +233.3%
Contains more Iron +114.3%
Contains less Sodium -75%
Contains more Selenium +29.3%
Calcium Iron Magnesium Phosphorus Potassium Sodium Zinc Copper Manganese Selenium 1% 22% 28% 45% 8% 1% 20% 36% 128% 32%
Calcium Iron Magnesium Phosphorus Potassium Sodium Zinc Copper Manganese Selenium 3% 45% 9% 19% 4% 1% 14% 24% 62% 41%
Contains more Magnesium +225%
Contains more Phosphorus +139.5%
Contains more Potassium +145.7%
Contains more Zinc +44.9%
Contains more Copper +53.6%
Contains more Manganese +106.4%
Contains more Calcium +233.3%
Contains more Iron +114.3%
Contains less Sodium -75%
Contains more Selenium +29.3%

Health Impact

Health Benefits

Rice is one of the most commonly used carbs in worldwide diets, so it's important to understand its health impacts. 

Brown rice has slightly healthier properties compared to white rice in some aspects, such as it being richer in fiber and thus having a lower glycemic index. The cumulative effect of both these is that brown rice would have a healthier advantage over white rice when it comes to cardiovascular health and metabolic health (1).

According to a study published in 2011, consumption of brown rice in place of white rice may lower the risk of type 2 diabetes. The authors estimated that replacing 50 grams/day intake of white rice with the same amount of brown rice had been associated with a 16% lower risk of type 2 diabetes (2).

Brown rice contains numerous bioactive compounds that have anti-lipidemic, anti-hypertensive, and they positively affect the cardiovascular system. In addition, these bioactive compounds have been shown to reduce the risks of Alzheimer's. It's a great option to switch white rice with brown rice (3). These compounds are ferulic acid and γ-oryzanol.

Risks

Brown rice is branded as it contains phytates and phytic acids however, when stored and cooked, these phytic acids are denaturized, and you shouldn't worry about them. (4, 5).

Arsenic can be an issue with rice because it has the potential to accumulate arsenic 10 folds compared to other grains. However, proper agriculture is important. 

Storing and Preparation Time

White rice may have indefinite shelf life due to its specific processing, when it loses bran, containing a huge amount of oils. Brown rice, by contrast, has a shorter shelf life. Due to the higher oil content contained in bran, brown rice quickly goes rancid after about 6 months. But don't be upset, there are some options that will help you store brown rice for a longer period.

From the very start, it is necessary to point out that both brown and white rice should be stored in clean, dry, airtight containers. These points are critical because rice quickly absorbs dirt, humidity, and oxygen, which spoil rice. In these containers, you can store white rice for up to 30 years in a cool, dry place with oxygen absorbers in the container. To prolong the shelf life of brown rice, you may store it in the refrigerator for up to 6-12 months and up to 12-18 months in the freezer.

Preparation times of white and brown rice are different again. The cooking time of white rice is about 20 minutes, whereas brown rice's cooking time is about 40 minutes. In this part, white rice is evidently the winner with longer shelf life and shorter preparation time.

White rice vs Brown rice

  1. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33336992/ 
  2. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3024208/
  3. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23391013/ 
  4. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19774556
  5. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4325021/ 
  6. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5502079/ 
Article author photo Zvart Movsisyan
Education: Medical Biochemistry MD
Last updated: July 06, 2023
Medically reviewed by Jack Yacoubian

Infographic

Brown rice vs Rice infographic
Infographic link

Fat Type Comparison

Fat type breakdown side-by-side comparison
Contains more Monounsaturated Fat +319.3%
Contains more Polyunsaturated fat +381.6%
Contains less Saturated Fat -70.4%
26% 37% 37%
Saturated Fat: 0.26 g
Monounsaturated Fat: 0.369 g
Polyunsaturated fat: 0.366 g
32% 37% 32%
Saturated Fat: 0.077 g
Monounsaturated Fat: 0.088 g
Polyunsaturated fat: 0.076 g
Contains more Monounsaturated Fat +319.3%
Contains more Polyunsaturated fat +381.6%
Contains less Saturated Fat -70.4%

Comparison summary table

Pay attention to the rightmost column. It displays the amounts side by side, giving a clearer understanding of the difference.
Brown rice Rice
Lower in Sugar ok
Lower in Sodium ok
Lower in Saturated Fat ok
Lower in Glycemic Index ok
Lower in price ok
Rich in minerals ok
Rich in vitamins ok
Lower in Cholesterol Equal

All nutrients comparison - raw data values

Nutrient Brown rice Rice Opinion
Net carbs 23.98g 27.77g Rice
Protein 2.74g 2.69g Brown rice
Fats 0.97g 0.28g Brown rice
Carbs 25.58g 28.17g Rice
Calories 123kcal 130kcal Rice
Starch 24.79g Brown rice
Sugar 0.24g 0.05g Rice
Fiber 1.6g 0.4g Brown rice
Calcium 3mg 10mg Rice
Iron 0.56mg 1.2mg Rice
Magnesium 39mg 12mg Brown rice
Phosphorus 103mg 43mg Brown rice
Potassium 86mg 35mg Brown rice
Sodium 4mg 1mg Rice
Zinc 0.71mg 0.49mg Brown rice
Copper 0.106mg 0.069mg Brown rice
Manganese 0.974mg 0.472mg Brown rice
Selenium 5.8µg 7.5µg Rice
Vitamin E 0.17mg 0.04mg Brown rice
Vitamin B1 0.178mg 0.163mg Brown rice
Vitamin B2 0.069mg 0.013mg Brown rice
Vitamin B3 2.561mg 1.476mg Brown rice
Vitamin B5 0.38mg 0.39mg Rice
Vitamin B6 0.123mg 0.093mg Brown rice
Folate 9µg 58µg Rice
Vitamin K 0.2µg 0µg Brown rice
Tryptophan 0.033mg 0.031mg Brown rice
Threonine 0.095mg 0.096mg Rice
Isoleucine 0.109mg 0.116mg Rice
Leucine 0.214mg 0.222mg Rice
Lysine 0.099mg 0.097mg Brown rice
Methionine 0.058mg 0.063mg Rice
Phenylalanine 0.133mg 0.144mg Rice
Valine 0.151mg 0.164mg Rice
Histidine 0.066mg 0.063mg Brown rice
Saturated Fat 0.26g 0.077g Rice
Monounsaturated Fat 0.369g 0.088g Brown rice
Polyunsaturated fat 0.366g 0.076g Brown rice
Omega-6 - Linoleic acid 0.355g Brown rice
Omega-3 - ALA 0.011g Brown rice

Which food is preferable for your diet?

ok
ok
is better in case of low diet
Brown rice Rice
Low Fats diet ok
Low Carbs diet ok
Low Calories diet ok
Low Glycemic Index diet ok

People also compare

Vitamins & Minerals Daily Need Coverage Score

The summary scores indicate the extent to which this food can fulfill your daily vitamin and mineral requirements if you consume 3 servings, consisting of 100 grams of each (an approximation of 3 serving sizes).
Vitamins Daily Need Coverage Score
14%
Brown rice
13%
Rice
Minerals Daily Need Coverage Score
32%
Brown rice
22%
Rice

Comparison summary

Which food is lower in Sugar?
Rice
Rice is lower in Sugar (difference - 0.19g)
Which food contains less Sodium?
Rice
Rice contains less Sodium (difference - 3mg)
Which food is lower in Saturated Fat?
Rice
Rice is lower in Saturated Fat (difference - 0.183g)
Which food is lower in glycemic index?
Rice
Rice is lower in glycemic index (difference - 6)
Which food is cheaper?
Rice
Rice is cheaper (difference - $1)
Which food is richer in minerals?
Brown rice
Brown rice is relatively richer in minerals
Which food is richer in vitamins?
Brown rice
Brown rice is relatively richer in vitamins
Which food contains less Cholesterol?
?
The foods are relatively equal in Cholesterol (0 mg)

References

All the values for which the sources are not specified explicitly are taken from FDA’s Food Central. The exact link to the food presented on this page can be found below.

  1. Brown rice - https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/169704/nutrients
  2. Rice - https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/168878/nutrients

All the Daily Values are presented for males aged 31-50, for 2000-calorie diets.

Data provided by FoodStruct.com should be considered and used as information only. Please consult your physician before beginning any diet.