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White rice vs Brown rice - Health benefits and Nutrition Comparison

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

Table of contents

  1. Introduction
    1. Nutritional Content
      1. Vitamins
        1. Minerals
        2. Health Impact
          1. Health Benefits
            1. Risks
            2. Storing and Preparation Time

              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
              Rice
              Rice
              1
              3% 28% 68%
              Protein: 2.69 g
              Fats: 0.28 g
              Carbs: 28.17 g
              Water: 68.44 g
              Other: 0.42 g
              3% 26% 70%
              Protein: 2.74 g
              Fats: 0.97 g
              Carbs: 25.58 g
              Water: 70.27 g
              Other: 0.44 g
              Contains more FatsFats +246.4%
              ~equal in Protein ~2.74g
              ~equal in Carbs ~25.58g
              ~equal in Water ~70.27g
              ~equal in Other ~0.44g

              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.
              Rice
              Rice
              1
              Vitamin C Vit. C Vitamin A Vit. A Vitamin E Vit. E Vitamin D Vit. D Vitamin B1 Vit. B1 Vitamin B2 Vit. B2 Vitamin B3 Vit. B3 Vitamin B5 Vit. B5 Vitamin B6 Vit. B6 Vitamin B12 Vit. B12 Vitamin K Vit. K Folate Folate Choline Choline 0% 0% 0.8% 0% 41% 3% 28% 23% 21% 0% 0% 44% 1.1%
              Vitamin C Vit. C Vitamin A Vit. A Vitamin E Vit. E Vitamin D Vit. D Vitamin B1 Vit. B1 Vitamin B2 Vit. B2 Vitamin B3 Vit. B3 Vitamin B5 Vit. B5 Vitamin B6 Vit. B6 Vitamin B12 Vit. B12 Vitamin K Vit. K Folate Folate Choline Choline 0% 0% 3.4% 0% 45% 16% 48% 23% 28% 0% 0.5% 6.8% 5%
              Contains more FolateFolate +544.4%
              Contains more Vitamin EVitamin E +325%
              Contains more Vitamin B2Vitamin B2 +430.8%
              Contains more Vitamin B3Vitamin B3 +73.5%
              Contains more Vitamin B6Vitamin B6 +32.3%
              Contains more Vitamin KVitamin K +∞%
              Contains more CholineCholine +338.1%
              ~equal in Vitamin C ~0mg
              ~equal in Vitamin A ~0IU
              ~equal in Vitamin D ~0µg
              ~equal in Vitamin B1 ~0.178mg
              ~equal in Vitamin B5 ~0.38mg
              ~equal in Vitamin B12 ~0µg

              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.
              Rice
              Rice
              4
              Magnesium Magnesium Calcium Calcium Potassium Potassium Iron Iron Copper Copper Zinc Zinc Phosphorus Phosphorus Sodium Sodium Manganese Manganese Selenium Selenium 8.6% 3% 3.1% 45% 23% 13% 18% 0.13% 62% 41%
              Magnesium Magnesium Calcium Calcium Potassium Potassium Iron Iron Copper Copper Zinc Zinc Phosphorus Phosphorus Sodium Sodium Manganese Manganese Selenium Selenium 28% 0.9% 7.6% 21% 35% 19% 44% 0.52% 127% 32%
              Contains more CalciumCalcium +233.3%
              Contains more IronIron +114.3%
              Contains less SodiumSodium -75%
              Contains more SeleniumSelenium +29.3%
              Contains more MagnesiumMagnesium +225%
              Contains more PotassiumPotassium +145.7%
              Contains more CopperCopper +53.6%
              Contains more ZincZinc +44.9%
              Contains more PhosphorusPhosphorus +139.5%
              Contains more ManganeseManganese +106.4%

              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

              Rice vs Brown rice infographic
              Infographic link

              Fat Type Comparison

              Fat type breakdown side-by-side comparison
              Rice
              Rice
              1
              32% 37% 32%
              Saturated Fat: Sat. Fat 0.077 g
              Monounsaturated Fat: Mono. Fat 0.088 g
              Polyunsaturated fat: Poly. Fat 0.076 g
              26% 37% 37%
              Saturated Fat: Sat. Fat 0.26 g
              Monounsaturated Fat: Mono. Fat 0.369 g
              Polyunsaturated fat: Poly. Fat 0.366 g
              Contains less Sat. FatSaturated Fat -70.4%
              Contains more Mono. FatMonounsaturated Fat +319.3%
              Contains more Poly. FatPolyunsaturated fat +381.6%

              Comparison summary table

              Pay attention to the rightmost column. It displays the amounts side by side, giving a clearer understanding of the difference.
              Rice Brown 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 Rice Brown rice Opinion
              Calories 130kcal 123kcal Rice
              Protein 2.69g 2.74g Brown rice
              Fats 0.28g 0.97g Brown rice
              Net carbs 27.77g 23.98g Rice
              Carbs 28.17g 25.58g Rice
              Magnesium 12mg 39mg Brown rice
              Calcium 10mg 3mg Rice
              Potassium 35mg 86mg Brown rice
              Iron 1.2mg 0.56mg Rice
              Sugar 0.05g 0.24g Rice
              Fiber 0.4g 1.6g Brown rice
              Copper 0.069mg 0.106mg Brown rice
              Zinc 0.49mg 0.71mg Brown rice
              Starch 24.79g Brown rice
              Phosphorus 43mg 103mg Brown rice
              Sodium 1mg 4mg Rice
              Vitamin E 0.04mg 0.17mg Brown rice
              Manganese 0.472mg 0.974mg Brown rice
              Selenium 7.5µg 5.8µg Rice
              Vitamin B1 0.163mg 0.178mg Brown rice
              Vitamin B2 0.013mg 0.069mg Brown rice
              Vitamin B3 1.476mg 2.561mg Brown rice
              Vitamin B5 0.39mg 0.38mg Rice
              Vitamin B6 0.093mg 0.123mg Brown rice
              Vitamin K 0µg 0.2µg Brown rice
              Folate 58µg 9µg Rice
              Choline 2.1mg 9.2mg Brown rice
              Saturated Fat 0.077g 0.26g Rice
              Monounsaturated Fat 0.088g 0.369g Brown rice
              Polyunsaturated fat 0.076g 0.366g Brown rice
              Tryptophan 0.031mg 0.033mg Brown rice
              Threonine 0.096mg 0.095mg Rice
              Isoleucine 0.116mg 0.109mg Rice
              Leucine 0.222mg 0.214mg Rice
              Lysine 0.097mg 0.099mg Brown rice
              Methionine 0.063mg 0.058mg Rice
              Phenylalanine 0.144mg 0.133mg Rice
              Valine 0.164mg 0.151mg Rice
              Histidine 0.063mg 0.066mg Brown rice
              Omega-3 - ALA 0.011g Brown rice
              Omega-6 - Linoleic acid 0.355g Brown rice

              Which food is preferable for your diet?

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

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              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
              12%
              Rice
              13%
              Brown rice
              Minerals Daily Need Coverage Score
              22%
              Rice
              32%
              Brown 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. Rice - https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/168878/nutrients
              2. Brown rice - https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/169704/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.