Brown rice vs. Wild rice — Health Impact and Nutrition Comparison

Calories

Brown rice has more calories: brown rice provides 123 calories, whereas wild rice provides 101. Consequently, a cup of brown rice provides 248 calories, whereas wild rice provides 166.

Protein

Wild rice is richer in proteins: wild rice contains 3.99g of proteins, while brown rice contains 2.74g.

A cup of wild rice contains 6.54g of proteins, whereas brown rice contains 5.5g.

Fats

Brown and wild rice are very low in fats, containing less than 1g per 100g serving.

Carbohydrates

Carbs are the predominant macronutrient in rice. Brown rice contains 25.58g of carbs, and 1.6g of dietary fiber, whereas wild rice contains 21.34g of carbs, 1.8g of which is dietary fiber.

One cup of brown rice (200g) contains 3.23g of dietary fiber, whereas wild rice (165g) contains 2.95g. Additionally, most dietary fiber in brown rice and wild rice is insoluble (1).

Most carbs in either rice are starch; brown rice is likely higher in starch than wild rice (2, 3).

Wild Rice & Ergot Toxicity

Wild rice may be infected with the highly toxic fungus ergot, which is seen as rare nowadays but led to thousands of deaths in the middle ages.

Wild rice with pink or purple spots or growths is likely infected with ergot.

Depending on the country and person, ergotism may lead to various symptoms, such as convulsions, muscle spasms, double vision, headaches, hallucinations, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, gangrenes, etc. (4, 5, 6).

Cardiovascular Health

Section reviewed by cardiologist Astghik Grigoryan

Brown rice intake is associated with decreased body weight and BMI (body mass index), diastolic blood pressure, and inflammation markers, thus beneficially affecting the heart and lipid profile (7, 8, 9, 10).

Animal studies have shown that wild rice may decrease blood triglyceride and cholesterol levels and reduce obesity (11, 12, 13).

In conclusion, both wild rice and brown rice may reduce cardiovascular risk. It should be noted that physical activity is also required to lower the risk of cardiovascular disease in addition to modifying diet.

Diabetes

Even though brown rice and wild rice have medium glycemic index values, research has shown that whole grain consumption reduces the risk of type 2 diabetes.

Brown rice may reduce the risk of diabetes by lowering body weight, BMI, and inflammation markers, thus, potentially improving insulin resistance (14, 15, 16).

Animal studies have shown that wild rice consumption may decrease blood glucose levels and alleviate insulin resistance (17, 18, 19).

 Digestion & Celiac

Wild rice and brown rice contain insoluble dietary fiber. Insoluble fiber stimulates water and mucous secretion in the intestines and increases bowel movements, therefore, having a laxative effect. Insoluble fiber is also studied to induce gut immunity and improve the bioavailability of polyphenols (20, 21).

Due to being high in dietary fiber, wild rice, and brown rice are not recommended during inflammatory bowel disease flare-ups and IBS-D.

Wild and brown rice are naturally gluten-free; people with celiac disease and gluten intolerance can safely consume them.

Cancer

A study using the data of three US cohorts concluded that brown rice consumption is not associated with an increased risk of cancer development (22).

Germinated brown rice intake may be inversely associated with colorectal, breast, and pancreatic cancer risks (23, 24, 25).

Wild rice intake may decrease the risk of colorectal and overall cancer (13, 26). Research relating to wild rice and cancer is minimal yet.

Heavy Metals and Arsenic Poisoning

 Wild rice and brown rice have high concentrations of heavy metals, especially arsenic. Arsenic levels vary depending on the country, year and used samples (27).

According to the WHO, long-term arsenic exposure may lead to bladder and lung cancers and skin lesions. Arsenic has also been associated with an increased risk of heart and pulmonary disease, diabetes, adverse pregnancy outcomes, and neurocognitive defects in children (28).

Altering or combining rice with other grains and foods may reduce exposure to toxic metals.

Related article: White Rice vs. Brown Rice - Health Benefits and Nutrition Comparison