Teff vs. Rice — Health Impact and Nutrition Comparison

Calories

Compared to teff, rice has more calories per hundred grams. A hundred grams of rice provides 130 calories, whereas teff has 101 calories. One serving of rice (1 cup or 158g ) provides 205 kcal, whereas one serving of teff (1 cup or 252g) has 255 kcal.

Protein

Compared to rice, teff is higher in protein content. A hundred grams of rice has 2.69g of protein, whereas teff provides 3.87g. Teff is high in all essential amino acids.

Gluten

Rice and teff are naturally gluten-free (1, 2).

Fats

Teff and rice are not good sources of fats. Both contain less than 1g of fat. In a 100g serving, rice and teff have 0.28g and 0.65g, respectively.

Fat Type Comparison

Fat type breakdown side-by-side comparison

Teff

1

Rice

2

Saturated Fat: Sat. Fat 0.077 g

Monounsaturated Fat: Mono. Fat 0.088 g

Polyunsaturated fat: Poly. Fat 0.076 g

Contains less Sat. FatSaturated Fat

-100%

Carbohydrates

Compared to teff, rice has a higher carb content. 100g of rice contains 28.17g of carbohydrates, of which 0.4g are dietary fiber and 27.77g are net carbs.

100g of teff contains 19.86g of carbohydrates, of which 2.8g are dietary fiber and 17.06g are net carbs.

Carbohydrate type comparison

Carbohydrate type breakdown side-by-side comparison

Teff

0

Rice

0

Cholesterol

Teff and rice are cholesterol-free.

Vitamins

Teff and rice are not good sources of vitamins. Rice is richer in vitamins B3 (niacin), B5, and E. Rice has also three times more folate. In a 100g serving, rice and teff have 58µg and 18µg of folate, respectively. Unlike it, teff has higher vitamins B1 (thiamine), B2 (riboflavin), and B6. Teff provides a small amount of vitamin A, whereas rice has vitamin B5.

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.

Teff

3

Rice

5

Contains more Vitamin AVitamin A	+∞%
Contains more Vitamin B1Vitamin B1	+12.3%
Contains more Vitamin B2Vitamin B2	+153.8%

Contains more Vitamin B3Vitamin B3	+62.4%
Contains more FolateFolate	+222.2%

~equal in Vitamin C ~0mg

~equal in Vitamin D ~0µg

~equal in Vitamin B6 ~0.093mg

~equal in Vitamin B12 ~0µg

~equal in Vitamin K ~0µg

Minerals

Teff has over six times more manganese, five times more calcium, four times more magnesium, and three times more potassium and phosphorus. Teff is also high in iron, zinc, and copper. 

In contrast, rice has more selenium and choline and has eight times less sodium. In a 100g serving, rice and teff have 1mg and 8mg of sodium, respectively.

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.

Teff

8

Rice

2

Contains more MagnesiumMagnesium	+316.7%
Contains more CalciumCalcium	+390%
Contains more PotassiumPotassium	+205.7%
Contains more IronIron	+70.8%
Contains more CopperCopper	+227.5%
Contains more ZincZinc	+126.5%
Contains more PhosphorusPhosphorus	+179.1%
Contains more ManganeseManganese	+505.9%

Contains less SodiumSodium

-87.5%

Glycemic Index

The glycemic index of rice is equal to 60. Teff has a glycemic index of 57. Both fall in the medium-GI food category.

Acidity

The potential renal acid load (PRAL) level indicates the food's capacity to degrade into bases or acids within the body. Rice has a PRAL level of 1.7, whereas the PRAL value of teff is 2.2. Both are acidic, teff being more acid-forming.

Diabetes

Teff's nutritional content makes it one of the beneficial foods advised for diabetes people. Its low glycemic index and load, balanced minerals and vitamins, essential amino acids and fatty acids, and high fiber content make it a good option for treating and managing diabetes (3).

Studies suggested that consuming white rice may increase the risk of type 2 Diabetes, while brown rice may lower the risk of T2D (4, 5). 

Digestive Health

Teff is rich in fiber, phytic acid, and polyphenols like ferulic, caffeic, and protocatechuic acids, known to enhance micronutrient absorption. According to the study, intra-amniotic administration of teff extract at different concentrations improves brush border membrane function by enhancing villus architecture, surface area, goblet cell proliferation, and mucin production. Teff treatment positively influences the metagenome of the cecal microbiota, promoting the solubilization and absorption of micronutrients in the gut (6).

Rice provides phenolic compounds and dietary fiber content, which may alter starch digestibility and gut microbiota. It has a notable ability to promote the growth of the Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus groups while significantly inhibiting pathogenic bacteria such as Clostridia and Bacteroides (7).

Rice and teff are gluten-free. People with gluten-related disorders ( celiac disease, non-celiac gluten sensitivity, gluten sensitivity) should use gluten-free grains and flour and avoid gluten-containing grains such as wheat, barley, and rye (8, 9). 

In addition, rice includes γ-oryzanol and bran fibers, which have various immunological benefits and a minimal allergenic potential (10).

Cancer

Teff seeds may have a high concentration of nutrients that have chemopreventive and antimutagenic properties. Teff seed extracts have been demonstrated to prevent or aid the repair of gene mutations of both frameshift and base pair substitution types, modulate xenobiotic metabolizing enzymes, and directly interact with mutagens (11).

Findings suggest that rice consumption is not related to an increased risk of kidney, lung, and pancreatic cancer, except for a minor excess risk of breast cancer and a tiny non-significant excess risk of bladder cancer when comparing the highest and lowest quartiles of rice intake (12).

Anemia 

A deficiency in dietary iron is the primary cause of anemia worldwide.  Iron deficiency anemia has an important impact on the lives of young children and premenopausal women. Consuming naturally iron-rich plants like teff and rice may be a more efficient and safer technique for dietary iron intake (13, 14).

Cardiovascular Health

Section reviewed by cardiologist Astghik Grigoryan

Ancient grains like teff, grown just as they were a thousand years ago, offer more protein, fiber, and vitamins than modern grains such as rice. They may also have health benefits, such as raising "good" HDL cholesterol levels and lowering "bad" LDL cholesterol, triglycerides, and blood pressure (15).

In addition, regular consumption of white rice is linked to an increased risk of developing high blood pressure. On the other hand, no such association was found for brown and black varieties (16,17).

However, studies have not found a relationship between rice consumption and an increased risk of cardiovascular disease (18).

On the other hand, teff's nutritional content may help prevent and manage cardiovascular disease (3).